Zanzibar Super Saver 2 Volunteering: Medical and Community Development Project

Project Costs:

  • 2 weeks € 860
  • 4 weeks € 1290
  • 6 weeks € 1680
  • 8 weeks € 2070

Join Zanziplanet Tours on this must do project and provide Medical assistance to under-resourced Clinics, also assist in Home-Based care projects, for those who are too ill or are unable to travel to medical facilities. In the afternoons volunteers assist with a wide range of Community Upliftement Programs, such as building initiatives, adult literacy clubs, afterschool programs, and helping out in Zanzibar Old People’s Home. We invite volunteers to join Zanziplanet Tours in making our mark in this spirited community…

We are now offering this Medical and Community Upliftment Program as a Budget Volunteering experience, to make it as affordable as possible for travelers looking to make a difference in underprivileged communities. Together with our passionate volunteers, we are making a huge outcome in the community on this well deserving project, and volunteers can expect the same level of experience as our regular volunteer programs. We invite you to join Zanziplanet Tours, and make your mark on this spirited community.

Zanzibar… Where tourists forget the time

Despite its tiny size and obscure location, Zanzibar holds an almost legendary status among travelers as an exotic island paradise blessed with palm fringed shores, timeless fishing village and lush aromas of spice plantations. Although a mere stone’s throw from the mainland, Zanzibar has an identity all of its own, shaped by a turbulent history which abounds with a colorful cast of characters, from slave traders and sultans, to pirates and princesses.

Medical Projects:
Medical Volunteers spend their time providing much needed assistance within the medical establishments of Zanzibar. You do not need to be qualified for our Medical Project; you just need the desire to bring the outcomes! Those who do have any medical training or background will be able to use their skills to offer more specialized assistance to the local communities, which is hugely appreciated by the local people.

The Medical Project consists of 3 main areas of work:

Clinic Assistance – Clinics in Zanzibar suffers with serious shortages of staff and basic medical equipment. The help of the volunteers is greatly appreciated by the nurses in the clinics, as their assistance with tasks such as taking and recording vital signs of patients in the outpatients department and under 5’s clinic, allows the staffs to more quickly see and treat the vast numbers of people depending on the clinics for healthcare. Volunteers will check blood pressure, temperature and weight of patients (baby weighing is particularly fun!) before they are screened by the medical officer. Qualified doctors may be able to assist with the screening of patients, and the help of midwives is always appreciated by the nursing staff in the labor ward. Please let us know prior to arrival at the project, if you have any specific medical skills and the project team will see how best these can be utilized within the local healthcare system.

Home Based Care – Our volunteers accompany community volunteers as they visit bed ridden or immobile patients across Zanzibar. Most of these patients suffer from long-term and serious illnesses such as HIV, TB or Malaria. It is the volunteer’s duty to provide basic advice, comfort and assistance to members of the community with little to no access to clinics or hospitals. This may mean basic First Aid, including wound dressing, dispensing of basic medication in critical cases and chatting to patients about the importance of hygiene, a healthy diet and exercise. Home Based Care is also about assisting those incapable of taking care of themselves by making a patient’s bed, doing a bit of simple house work for them, and generally trying to improve their circumstance in the most basic yet effective way.

HIV Education and Health Talks – Many health issues in Zanzibar could be improved with a little education. HIV is a serious problem that continues to grow and the trend can only be reversed through education. Numerous health issues could be reduced through improved hygiene and nutrition. Volunteers work in small groups to teach about communicable diseases, healthy living, and HIV awareness and prevention.

Sebleni Old People’s Home – Medical volunteers provide assistance by taking vitals – blood pressure, temperature and weight – to monitor health, treat bed sores, increase mobility and general health of the residents and address any medical issues that arise. The home is poorly funded by the government and the residents mostly have no families or care to look after them. Volunteers also conduct health talks with the elderly residents, educating and encouraging them about personal hygiene and health, cleaning their laundry, tidying and cleaning their living areas, working in the communal vegetable garden which feeds the residents, etc. Volunteers also provide a friendly face to these people who have little entertainment or interaction by going armed with games, puzzles and a smile!

Please note: You must ensure that you bring originals or certified copies of your medical qualifications in order for you to be allowed to work in specialized sections of maternity wards or laboratories. Please also send copies of your documents, or communicate what your level of experience / qualifications is, to us during your booking process, so that we have these details before you arrive at the project. 

Afternoon Community Projects

After having spent the morning in the Clinics or doing the Home Based Care Project, you will help out the local community in different areas in the afternoon. You will rotate between the following community projects:

  1. Build / paint / refurbish schools and clinics
  2. Reading Club
  3. Art Club
  4. Adult Literacy Club
  5. Study Group
  6. Sebleni Old People’s Home
  7. Family Support

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