Name: Julia

Hometown: New Jersey

Destination: Tanzania

Project type: HIV/AIDS Education

Organisation: Students Partnership Worldwide (SPW)

What were your impressions of your destination?

Tanzania is a beautiful country with many different landscapes.  I was surprised at the lush greens of Dar es Salaam in comparison to more scrubby brushland of my placement area.  Tanzanians are incredibly warm people and the first thing they will tell you about themselves is that they are "peaceful people".

Was the work interesting and challenging?

The work was very challenging, and ultimately very rewarding.  Like many programs, you get out of SPW what you put into it.  Working so closely with a Tanzanian partner, you not only accomplish more than you would on your own, but you get an authentic sense of the culture.  That being said, working through the cultural differences can be very challenging.  SPW's program activities include teaching health to primary and secondary school kids as well as organizing community seminars, football leagues and festivals.  It keeps you very busy and involved with the community.

What was your accommodation like? Did you feel comfortable and welcome at all times?

During language training (1 month) we lived in homestays with very gravious Tanzanian families.  My homestay was very comfortable.  I had my own room with a lock (to keep the little ones out).  My family's house didn't have running water but a big basin that collected water was in the courtyard.  Bathing consisted of bucket baths (splashing yourself with warm water over a drain).  The food was homemade and very tasty!

During program training (1 month) we lived in a dorm style housing provided by a local Baptist Center.  We lived with the international as well as the Tanzanian volunteers, learning about hte ins and outs of hte program as well as each other.  At the end of the month we were partnered up in twos (one international, one Tanzanian volunteer) and sent to our placement village.

Placement (5 months): The placement accommodatoin varies from volunteer to volunteer.  Some live in homestays, some in attachments to family houses, some in teacher facilities.  My partner and I were placed in a very nice brick house near a well.  Our bathroom out back was a drop toilet and we had a separate area for bathing and cooking.  It was VERY cush by Tanzanian standards.

Were you happy with the organisation and the staff that were responsible for you during your stay?

Yes.  The program staff try their hardest to keep the volunteers happy.  In some situations, they did not take health issues as seriously as they should have.  In most cases, volunteers felt very happy and safe throughout.

Do you feel that you got value for money on the project?

Yes.  Especially for the prices of volunteering these days, SPW is a bargain and you truly feel like you're contributing towards sustainable change.

Would you recommend the project to others?

Yes