Volunteering in Tanzania

Home to Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, and many of the continent’s Great Lakes and wildlife reserves, Tanzania is an extraordinary country to live in and contribute to development.

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Maasai women teach Australian volunteer Dani Yannoulis to make beaded jewellery using traditional techniques at Sidai Design in Arusha.
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Magreth Niconem, participant of a sewing workshop for disabled people at the Flying Medical Service, Arusha, a program partner.
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Australian volunteer marketing mentor Ron Schimpf (right) with his colleague Peter Odullah at Kondiki Dairy Coop, Mwika Village, Tanzania.
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Maasai woman Monica at Sidai Designs, Arusha, a partner of the Australian Volunteers Program.
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Australian volunteer Farah Hassim (far left) with her colleagues at Restless Development in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam.
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Vegetable seller at Arusha market, Tanzania.

Tanzania gained independence from Great Britain in 1961. Despite sustaining relatively high economic growth over the last decade, and achieving some success in reducing the poverty rate, rapid population growth has meant that Tanzania’s absolute number of people experiencing poverty has not declined.

Poverty is a major problem in Tanzania, contributing to significant and complex development challenges. Almost a third of Tanzanians live below poverty line, and the country faces a number of tough barriers to development. The economy is largely restricted to agriculture. Infrastructure is often insufficient, and local businesses are constrained by limited support and investment opportunities.

Australian volunteers contribute to tackling a number of important development challenges by undertaking assignments focused on:

  • women’s leadership, economic empowerment and eradicating violence against women and girls
  • agriculture and food security
  • programs supporting people living with disabilities
  • improving access to basic health services – especially maternal and child health
  • supporting local artisanal miners


Tanzania Country Report 2 MB