Tanzania

HELP International team's pioneered Northern Tanzania in 2011, adding to HELP's East African operations. Tanzania is a country of beautiful geography. Just south of the equator, bordered on the east by the Indian Ocean and surrounded by three of Africa’s largest lakes, teams work under the looming gaze of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. Tanzania's economy depends highly on international tourism, fueled by some of the most exotic animals on earth. Wild cats like lions, leopards and cheetahs prey on a host of other exotic animals found in many national parks and reserves. The annual great migration of incredible herds of wildebeast and zebras bring many travelers to the parks, and income to the region. Outside of tourism, Tanzania's economy depends mostly on agriculture. Some of the country’s exports include coffee, gold, cashew nuts and cotton.

Tanzanian cuisine is unique and it varies widely across the country. Throughout the coastal regions, spicy foods are very common. In these areas the people also use coconut milk frequently. Areas in Tanzania's mainland have their own exclusive foods. Some of these typical foods include bread, rice, maize porridge, marinated beef, fish, and plantains with meat. Vegetables that are commonly used are okra, Mchicha (which is a kind of spinach), beans, cassava leaves and green peas.

Development in Tanzania

Tanzania suffers from the worst poverty rate of any country in which HELP operates. Tanzania is in the bottom 10% of the world's economies in terms of per capita income. Macroeconomic aid from the World Bank and other donors have helped alleviate poverty, but there is still much to be done. HELP operates out of Arusha, near the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. Arusha is home to the East African Courts where Rwandan genocide tribunals are still being held, and is a melting pot of tourism and NGO work for the region, creating a diverse and complicated setting for development work for HELP International teams. Participants must battle stigmas and stereotypes associated with international voluntourism, making a name for HELP in a region where volunteers can have a bad name. HELP's first year in Tanzania was very successful, incorporating all three core competencies in nearly two dozen projects.

Examples of past projects include; HIV/AIDS programs for rural Maasai tribes, English, computer and empowerment skills for high-risk adolescents, music and other programs for functionally disabled children, pig pen, mushroom farm and chicken coop construction as income generating projects for marginalized populations, business skills courses for village bank members, and more.

See HELP in Tanzania

Stay posted with team blog posts on the Tanzania blog.
 

Learn more about HELP's Tanzanian partners.