Give Of Your Time
Come and volunteer with us for a time. We are grateful for the donation of anyone's gifts. If you are interested in a voluntary service at our school, you can either come here privately or by using an organisation like Global Crossroads or IFRE.
Volunteers who come here will be integrated fast into the environment and be welcomed very warmly by our students who love getting to know new volunteers and their very different characteristics and cultural habits. During the last couple of years we have been having volunteers from many different countries like the USA, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Finnland, Sweden, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. The clash of many different cultures in Bethsaida opens not only the volunteers' but also our students' minds and gets them interested into foreign languages and cultures.
Everyody who comes here can use her/his different skills: Helping the girls in their studies (especially sciences), doing arts with them, giving talks or advice about medical matters, teach them dances and songs, helping with corrections, etc. If you should be thinking about staying for a longer period of time (several months), it might also be possible to teach a whole class in one subject regularly as our one-year-long volunteers are doing right now.
Apart from that you are always welcome to come up with new ideas. In the past months our volunteers have been taking the girls to the hospital for eye examinations, making excursions, helping in construction works, giving computer classes (we have half a dozen of computers for the girls which are not being used momentarily) and more.
If you are interested in coming to volunteer for Bethsaida, please download our application sheet http://www.oloforphans.org/downloads/2009-11-10_OPOEC_application_form.doc Application Sheet for Volunteers, fill in all the information needed and send it to our info@oloforphans.org Headmistress.
Additional information and frequently asked questions:
1. What is OPOEC?
For history and background of OPOEC, please visit: www.oloforphans.org/about-us_history. In summary, OPOEC is a registered NGO (non-government organisation) in Tanzania and includes an orphanage which houses and feeds over a hundred orphaned girls as well as a secondary school called ‘Bethsaida Girls Secondary School.’
2. Location of OPOEC
OPOEC is located in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. It is located in the district of Mbezi, which is approximately a one-hour drive west of central Dar Es Salaam.
3. Travel to and from Tanzania
Travel arrangements and cost of travel from the volunteer’s home country to Dar Es Salaam, is the responsibility of the volunteer. The cost of the flight varies significantly, however, to provide an approximation, flights may be found as low as $1900 CDN for a return flight from Canada. Flights are more expensive during the summer holiday seasons. Why doesn’t OPOEC pay for the flights of volunteers? Unfortunately funds are very limited and OPOEC cannot afford to pay upwards of $1900CDN per volunteer.
4. Travel from Dar Es Salaam to OPOEC
A member of OPOEC will meet you in Dar Es Salaam upon your arrive (airport, bus station, train station, etc.), and bring you to the orphanage. The cost of this travel is paid for by OPOEC.
5. Responsibilities and tasks of the volunteer
Volunteering at OPOEC involves helping teach classes (if you feel comfortable with the subject), tutoring in the evenings, organising and participating in activities, and having fun with the orphans. The orphans will be very interested in your culture and if you would like to go the extra step, they would very much appreciate if you provided them with an added experience, such as:
- Bring them music (should be appropriate for adolescents)
- Show them pictures of your home town, your country, your family and friends, …
- Teach them a dance (they love to dance)
- Teach them an activity (bring supplies if required) Volunteers should expect to contribute approximately 4 hours of their time every day; the remainder of the volunteer’s time is up to his or her discretion. Volunteers may leave OPOEC at any time, either for a day, weekend, or longer, but appropriate notice and consultation should be provided prior to departure.
6. Volunteer Housing
Volunteers are housed in a newly constructed building, including volunteer bedrooms, a lounge area with a computer for accessing the internet, kitchen and eating area. Volunteers are provided with a private bedroom with an adjoining private bathroom. A foam mattress, pillow, bedding (sheets, etc), and a mosquito net are provided by OPOEC. The volunteers’ building is situated on the same grounds as the orphanage and secondary school, and therefore travel is not required each day.
7. When to volunteer
Volunteers are welcome anytime of the year. However, plan in advance if you wish to volunteer during busy times such as Christmas and university holidays. Reserving a place at OPOEC can only be done by submitting payment. If you are volunteering on a weekly basis, then a 1-week payment of $150USD is required to reserve a place and if you are volunteering on a monthly basis, then a 1-month payment of $350USD is required to reserve a place. You may volunteer without making a reservation and simply pay upon arrival, however, you risk the possibility of not having a room available, and you may have to choose between sleeping in a make-shift room and returning to volunteer at another time.
8. Length of stay
Volunteers are welcome for any duration. Some volunteers stay for as little as a few days while others stay for as long as a year. The minimum payment for volunteering is $150USD, even if it is only for a few days.
9. Costs
The cost to live and volunteer at OPOEC is $175 per week and $450 per month.
Why does it cost money to volunteer? Most social organisations in Africa can barely afford to maintain daily operations – to expect them to house and feed volunteers would take away from an already desperate situation. The money you pay goes towards your housing and three meals per day; what’s left over goes towards providing food, shelter, medicine, etc. for the orphans. Most other volunteer-abroad programs cost upwards of $600USD/week or over $1000USD/month! Those programs are run like businesses and take up to 75% of your fees for profit and administration costs and only 25% to 35% of your fees go to the social program where it is needed most. OPOEC is a non-profit organisation and 100% of your fees go directly towards the orphanage.
10. References and recognition of volunteer work completed.
All volunteers are provided with a certificate stating their volunteer duration at OPOEC. References and other forms of recognition can also be provided upon request. OPOEC is a registered NGO in Tanzania and therefore this volunteering contribution is well respected among admission committees of medical schools and other programs which commend volunteer work.
11. Other volunteers at OPOEC
During the last few years OPOEC has had volunteers from many different countries such as the USA, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand. Up to nine volunteers can be housed in the volunteers’ building at one time. Other housing arrangements can be made for larger groups.
12. Organised groups
If you would like to organise a group of volunteers and fundraise for a specific project, please contact the volunteer coordinator for details. Some groups in the past have completed ambitious projects such as the construction of a classroom. Prior to travelling to Tanzania, they held fundraising events and planned the logistics of their project. Upon their arrival, they bought the necessary supplies, hired local workers and together completed their project. OPOEC is grateful for such contributions and would be willing to discuss the details of your ambition and help make arrangements.
13. Weekends
Most volunteers stay at the OPOEC orphanage during the weekends; however, you are free to leave. Some volunteers travel by bus into the city centre for shopping, travel to a local beach resorts, or visit some of the national parks.
14. Health
Please visit a travel clinic to be advised regarding vaccinations, medications, and other health related issues regarding travel to Tanzania. There is an international hospital located in Dar Es Salaam that has internationally trained nurses and doctors which provide excellent health care services. Malaria does exist in Tanzania and volunteers are encouraged to take anti-malarial drugs. Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes which bite at night – if mosquito repellent (containing deet) is applied before sunset to exposed skin and a mosquito net (supplied by OPOEC) is used while sleeping, the risk on contracting malaria is low.
15. Safety
Tanzania is one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa, however, precautions should still be taken. Avoid travelling at night and keep an eye on your possessions to avoid nuisances.
16. Attractions in Tanzania
The big three attractions in Tanzania include the Serengeti National Park, Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar.
- The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles, with the greatest animal concentration being between December and June. Outside of these dates, many of the animals migrate north to the Masai Mara in Kenya, however, the park is amazing to see year-round and all animals can be spotted anytime of year. Note that during the low season when there is a lower concentration of animals, there are also less tourists, which makes for a more relaxed and enjoyable adventure.
- Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and is not an easy hike. Climbing skills are not required; however, some people succumb to altitude sickness and don’t make it to the top. Appropriate gear should be brought with you if you plan on climbing Kilimanjaro.
- Zanzibar is part of an archipelago with beautiful pristine white sandy beaches. It has historical significance related to the spice trade. This is a popular tourist location and a great place to meet other volunteers, travellers, and backpackers.
Please notice that OPOEC is not earning any money by offering you the safari options (green font in the document). All these charges are paid to the
tour operators, OPOEC only helps to organise your safari for you.
17. Visa and entry into The United Republic of Tanzania
Check with the Tanzanian government’s immigration guide for up-to-date entry information (http://www.tanzania.go.tz/immigrationf.html). The cost of a visa for Canadians (at the time of writing) is $50USD.
18. Weather and Climate
Please see: http://tanzaniatouristboard.com/about_tanzania/weather_and_climate for details about weather and climate in Tanzania.