Building Volunteer Work in Tanzania

At a glance

You’ll focus on building classrooms and other school buildings in a rural Maasai community.
The building work you do here provides children with a safe place to learn, and will be part of their education and development.
You’ll dig foundations, mix cement, plaster walls, or add a coat of paint to the finished building.

Start Dates:

Completely flexible dates

See Dates

Minimum Duration:

One Week

Requirements:

Anyone aged 16 or over can join

Is volunteer building work in Tanzania right for me?

This project is perfect for anyone eager to use their hands to help. If you want to see tangible results from your volunteer work, join our Building Project.

You need to be motivated and hard-working, because the physical labour can sometimes be tough. But it’ll be worth it when you see the smiles of children learning in their new classroom.

No building experience is needed. All the work you do is under the guidance and supervision of a professional builder, and they’ll teach you everything you need to know.

This project runs all year round so you can choose to volunteer when it suits your schedule. You can volunteer for a minimum of two weeks, but we encourage you to stay longer so you can do more.

A female volunteer is seen painting a wall as part of her building volunteer work in Tanzania

What will I do on the volunteer Building Project in Tanzania?

With the help of an experienced builder, you’ll construct classrooms and other school buildings. It will be tough work, but knowing that you’re helping local communities will make the effort worthwhile. You will do things like:

Work alongside an experienced local builder
Dig foundations, mix cement, build walls, or construct a roof
Give completed buildings a fresh coat of paint

As a volunteer doing building work in Tanzania, your work will focus on these main areas:

Work with a local builder

You don’t need to worry if you don’t have any building experience. A local builder will teach you all the skills you need to participate fully in this project. The work you do will depend on how long you’re volunteering for and the progress that’s already been made on buildings when you arrive. The local builder will guide you in using construction techniques that are easy to master.

Help with building, plastering, and painting

You might start the building process by digging foundations, or if you arrive near the end of a building’s completion, you’ll plaster and paint walls. No matter which part of the construction process you contribute to, you can be sure that you’re adding a very necessary piece to the puzzle.

You’ll use locally sourced materials and you won’t need any electricity at the site, because your building work is done by hand.

Where in Tanzania will I work?

Arusha

Our Building Project is in a Maasai community just outside of Arusha. Arusha is a city located at the foot of Mount Meru. It’s an eclectic mix of lush natural landscapes, rustic buildings, and more developed areas.

You’ll be helping to build facilities like classrooms and teachers’ staff rooms. The village where you work is rural, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in the local culture and experience the beauty of the surrounding nature.

Airport pickup, flights and visas

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Tanzania Arrival Procedures page.

A typical day as a construction volunteer in Tanzania

On a typical day, building work will usually take place in the morning or afternoon, depending on the weather. So your work hours might be from about 8am to 12pm or 2pm to 6pm. Over midday, when it can get particularly hot, you’ll break for lunch and spend time relaxing in the shade of an acacia tree.

With the help of other volunteers, and under the guidance of an experienced builder, you’ll do things like digging foundations, mixing cement, laying bricks, or plastering walls. It’ll be tough but rewarding work, as you see the tangible results of your efforts.

You’ll have your evenings free, giving you the chance to explore vibrant Arusha. You can hike along a nature trail, or go on an evening safari drive, watching as lions prowl through the vast African savannahs.

Two volunteers are seen carying bricks whilst on their building volunteer work in Tanzania with Projects Abroad

What are the aims and impact of this Building Project?

The aim of this Building Project is to give young children in a Maasai community a safe place to learn.

Projects Abroad has set up a nursery school for the Maasai children living on the outskirts of Arusha. These children have little or no access to early education. Before we started building the school, they had no formal preschool system in place and, if classes were taught, they were held in a damaged church building. This nursery school plays an important role in preparing these children for primary school.

We’re building classrooms where our Teaching volunteers can help with building a foundation for their education. These classrooms provide a safe space where children can learn.

Do construction volunteering in Tanzania and help build a school in a Maasai community.

Seen here is a female Projects Abroad volunteer assisting with building a home for a local family during her building volunteer work in Tanzania

Measuring our impact

Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.

Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.

Food and accommodation

You'll stay with a host family in Arusha or Moshi. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Tanzania and have a truly unique experience.

We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.

Your programme fee includes three meals a day.

Find out more about our accommodation.

Leisure activities and free time

A trip to Tanzania is the chance to experience life in the heart of Africa. There’s plenty to see and do here during your free time on your project.

A project in Tanzania wouldn’t be complete without a safari! This is a chance to see the beautiful wildlife of this country, like elephants, rhinos, and lions.

What’s more, Tanzania is home to the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. Hiking around the base through lush vegetation is a peaceful way to spend an afternoon.

Browsing through a vibrant, local market is a must while you’re there. You can also spend time in a Maasai village, getting to know a completely different way of life.

There will likely be many other volunteers in Tanzania with you. This means you have the option to explore the country independently or with a group of like-minded volunteers from different projects.

Safety and staff support

Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on-hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.

Find out more about safety and backup.