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African Adventures has teamed up with Hampshire East Girlguiding to offer its guides a unique opportunity to volunteer in Zanzibar – and you’re invited to join!
African Adventures is a unique volunteer travel company, dedicated to improving lives in the UK and Africa through volunteering. We work with three schools near Stone Town in Zanzibar which help improve the lives of the thousands of children who attend them.
Hampshire East Girlguiding’ eight-night trip takes place on 18th October 2024, where you’ll help with teaching, sports coaching or building and renovations at one of our partner schools. Away from volunteering, you’ll explore everything Zanzibar has to offer on our Zanzibar Islands Adventure Day and Jozani Forest.
Are you ready for an adventure of a lifetime?
Why Get Involved?
African Adventures started working in Zanzibar in 2014, after we formed our first partnerships with community projects near Stone Town.
Today, we support three schools in Zanzibar. We currently have partnerships with 26 community projects across Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar, and support more than 22,000 children.
As a volunteer, you can help our partner schools improve the quality of education and extend their outreach by providing vital support with teaching.
Away from volunteering, you’ll discover everything that Zanzibar has to offer on our Zanzibar Islands Adventure Day. Snorkel with tropical fish in turquoise waters, sail through the ocean on a traditional dhow boat, and visit the giant tortoises that call Prison Island home. You’ll also explore the Jozani Forest with a team, who will guide you through the forest’s nature trail through this impressive half day tour, with plenty of flora and fauna to discover. What more could you want!?
You can choose between two volunteer roles.
Teaching & Multi-Sports
Classrooms at our partner schools are often overcrowded and under-resourced. By choosing a Teaching Assistant role, you’ll help teachers to set and mark homework, deliver lessons (where appropriate) and help support small groups of students with their work. Core subjects include English, maths, science, geography, religious studies and sport. There are lots of resources on the My African Adventure portal to help you prepare for this role.
Building & Renovation
Volunteers who are hands-on and like to see a project through from start to finish should choose the Building & Renovation role. A large part of African Adventures’ work includes the construction/renovation of classrooms, kitchens, toilets, walls, offices and assembly halls at schools. The work carried out, which is always led by a local builder, is often physical and can be hard work, but is suited to all those ready to participate.
About Zanzibar
The Location
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous island off the east coast of Tanzania. Stone Town, near to where our partner schools are located, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has a population of around 16,000. Known as the ‘Spice Island’, Zanzibar is alive with incredible smells and sounds to enrich the senses. However, behind the tourism and the picture-perfect scenery lies a different story. Life can be very difficult and a large percentage of the population is surviving on less than 75p per day. We are working with our partner schools to improve their facilities and provide additional teaching support.
Where You'll Stay
You'll stay at a hotel in Stone Town, comprising two buildings, which is located just a short walk from the ferry terminal and Forodhani Gardens. There are 32 rooms which can accommodate 71 guests. It has a mixture of single, double, twin, triple, and family rooms, and each room is en-suite. There is a roof terrace where guests can relax in the evenings, and WiFi is available at the hotel. The hotel is staffed 24 hours a day, and a security guard is on duty overnight. There is also a restaurant, electricity, and outside areas for relaxing.
Trip Information
Duration
8 nights
Departure Date
Friday (last day of term) October half term 2024 TBC
Flying From
London Heathrow (indirect)
Trip Cost
£2,200 + £300 for coaches, clothing, pre-adventure weekend and contingency = £2,500
Deposit
£195.00 to secure your place
Sign-Up Deadline
19th April 2023
First Instalment
£770 due by 1st October 2023
Second Instalment
£770 due by 1st March 2024
Third Instalment
£765 due by 1st August 2024
Trip Package
What’s Included?
What’s Not Included?
- Return flights from London
- Comprehensive pre-departure support
- Airport transfers and in-country transport
- Dedicated Trip Host in Africa
- Planned development work
- Beach visit &local tours
- Hotel/ guesthouse accommodation
- Three meals per day
- Cultural events and activities
- 24-hour support
- Travel insurance
- ATOL protected
- Personalised African Adventures t-shirt
- Zanzibar Islands Adventure Day
- Jozani Forest
- Visa
- Travel vaccinations and anti-malarial tablets
- Spending money
- Drinks
Fundraising Support
There are lots of ways to raise the money you need to take part in Hampshire East Girlguiding’s African Adventure. If you’re in a position to pay for the trip through personal funds, then great!
If, however, like many of our volunteers, you need to generate financial support from elsewhere in order to travel, you should consider fundraising. Lots of volunteers carry out fundraising events to support their trip costs, and it can be a lot of fun too! In fact, 43% of volunteers surveyed in 2022 raised between 50-100% of their trip costs.
Fundraising can be great fun, and many of our volunteers tell us that this part of the experience was a great way of learning new skills, and getting to know the other volunteers in their group.
We have years of experience and dozens of ways to help, so ask our team for support. From organising events to earning money just by shopping online, we can help you reach your target.
There is also a comprehensive Fundraising Support section for you to use on My African Adventure, our volunteer portal, once you’ve booked your place.
FAQs
The Basics
General Questions
What if the trip is affected by Covid next year?
If the trip is cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak, you will receive a full refund of your trip costs from African Adventures, so you can book with confidence.
If a volunteer falls unwell on one of our trips, including with suspected Coronavirus, the cost of medical treatment and, if required, repatriation is covered under the personal travel insurance policy included in the cost of your place.
What support do I get?
We pride ourselves on our personalised and friendly approach, and we want to be there to support you at every stage of the adventure. Our fantastic online facility, My African Adventure, contains a wealth of information relating to fundraising, your chosen volunteer destination, and how to best prepare for your trip. And, if you cannot find the information that you are looking for, we are always at the end of the phone and email, to help you out.
Will it be easy?
No, but the most rewarding experiences rarely are! You are likely to be stepping out of your comfort zone, meeting new people, travelling to a new country, in a different environment and with a different culture.
This will be an exciting challenge for you but you will have plenty of support whilst you are away. Our trained Trip Leaders and Trip Hosts will be there to look after you and your fellow volunteers.
What vaccinations do I need?
If you’ve not been to this part of the world before, you’ll need some vaccinations before you go.
Please visit your local GP or travel nurse for advice regarding which vaccinations you need. You can also visit www.travelhealthpro.org.uk or www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk for helpful information relating to each of our volunteering destinations.
Most vaccinations needed are available on the NHS. However, you will need to pay for the Yellow Fever vaccination and antimalarial tablets. More information is available on the My African Adventure portal.
Is it safe?
In a word, yes! Of course, there are risks with any form of travel, whether you’re going to Los Angeles, Lima or London but hundreds of thousands of Britons travel to Africa every year and the majority of visits are trouble free.
At African Adventures, we have organised trips for over 5,000 volunteers and hold a wealth of experience. From pre-departure support and in-country orientations to knowing nearby hospitals and medical centres, we know how to deliver a safe and exciting experience. We are accredited by reputable travel bodies (see Trusted and Experienced) and we follow Foreign & Commonwealth (FCO) advice at all times; www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
Where will I stay?
Volunteers stay in single-sex, shared accommodation for the duration of the programme. In Zanzibar, the group will stay in a private guesthouse.
All accommodations have showers, flushing toilets and lockable rooms.
Further information (including pictures) is available on My African Adventure, our online portal accessible once you have signed up.
What happens if I can't raise the money?
Previous experience has demonstrated that, with the right commitment, enthusiasm, planning and organisation, it is possible to raise the entirety, or a large portion, of the trip funds. We will be available to support you throughout the fundraising stage, with ideas, inspiration and practical advice.
Should you find that it is proving too difficult to raise the money required, and you do decide to cancel, you can do so at any time. Please be aware that the deposit is non-refundable and there are cancellation fees from the date of your first instalment.
Is African Adventures a charity?
No; African Adventures is a social enterprise. Our volunteers carry out fundraising to cover their trip costs – this is an important part of the African Adventures experience. The money that volunteers raise funds all aspects of their trip, such as flights, accommodation and adventure activities. As this money is not raised for a charity, volunteers should use crowdfunding webpages (eg fundmytravel), rather than charity pages, such as Just Giving or Virgin Money Giving.
We do, however, also have a charity arm called African Adventures Foundation and some volunteers choose to fundraise for our charity on their return from Africa. Because African Adventures Ltd covers any associated costs, African Adventures Foundation is able to ensure that 100% of the money donated is sent to where it is needed most, meaning that real impact can be made. Visit african-adventures.co.uk/foundation for more information.
