Tanzania & Zanzibar Island: African Safari, School Construction & Education, and Swimming with Dolphins

This trip was the experience of a lifetime and the most incredible thing I have ever done! GIVE made the whole process easy and stress free by walking me through everything from the time I applied to the moment I boarded my plane to go home. My guides (both local and international) were so supportive and helpful. The locals welcome you in with open arms and are so excited to get to know you. I’ll forever miss hearing their “mambo!” And “karibu!”s as I walked down the street each day (at least until I go back that is😉). I 100% recommend this trip to everyone. It is life changing in the best way possible! Kiaro is definitely my new favorite place on earth!💚

I was completely blown away by the trip to Tanzania put on by GIVE. I wasn't sure what to expect going into the trip but I was blown away by the organization GIVE. The staff and local guides were amazing and truly had the most beautiful souls. They were extremely caring and positive. The fellow volunteers had very similar mindsets as me. They were just openminded, hard working, and passionate about travel. This was the coolest experience and one that I believe everyone should do if possible. I will definitely be doing another GIVE trip.

My experience was unique because my friend Maria and I got really sick, but how the staff handled it was the reason I want to highlight it. When we were in the hospital, the guides were so helpful mentally, physically, and emotionally. Anytime I questioned what the doctors were doing, Faith would speak up and find out for me instead of invalidating my scared feelings. They turned a crappy and scary experience into something we can look back on and laugh about. In conclusion, I felt safe, well take care of, and they did everything in there power to help me, even had another staff member come just to bring me a hoodie. This was important to highlight because you never expect to have to go to the hospital, but I hope people know that in the case that you have to, you will still be safe and everything will be okay because these guides know what their doing.

In the fall of 2022, GIVE Volunteers held an information session at my University (Rutgers) outlining their different programs and locations. To be honest, the program sounded so amazing that I was a bit skeptical of its legitimacy in the first place. After doing some research and reading reviews like the one that you are right now, I decided to make my deposit and secure a spot on the Tanzania excursion for the summer. Long story short, that was one of my finer decisions!

As the trip got closer, GIVE was super helpful in answering any questions that my parents or I had regarding the logistics of the trip - whether that was over the phone or via email. When it came to submitting the required documentation, my volunteer profile page walked me through exactly what I needed to do and made the process super smooth and understandable. In fact, I even received email reminders to make sure that all of my documents and payments were submitted if their due date was coming up. Even though I did not end up booking my tickets through Student Universe (GIVE's travel booking partner), they were very helpful in providing me with quotes and GIVE made sure that I met all of the necessary requirements for my personally-booked flight.

The trip itself was absolutely amazing and something that I will never forget. Over the course of two weeks I became very close with all of my fellow volunteers, the guides, and even the local citizens of Kairo (the Village in which we stayed for most of the trip). From teaching English to our students to swimming with Dolphins, this trip was the perfect mix of work (which was always fun) and play. I enjoyed the layout of two volunteer days followed by an adventure day because it kept us fresh and allowed us to explore the amazing things that Tanzania has to offer. We were also given the opportunity to sign up for Swahili and weaving classes in our free time when we weren't hanging out on the beach or swimming in the Indian Ocean. I would also like to mention that all of our meals were fresh and delicious and we always had access to clean drinking water. We capped off the trip with an amazing water and land safari in which we got to experience the more rural parts of the country and see countless animals up close. It truly reminded me of The Lion King and served as the perfect ending to our time in Tanzania!

As a side note, the guides were all so caring and willing to help throughout the entire trip that I did not feel out of place even on another Continent. They were with us every step of the way, from picking us up at the airport on the first day to dropping us off on the last. They are the ones who truly made this trip worthwhile and memorable!

This was different from any other trip that I have ever taken as I genuinely felt that I was making a positive impact on the host community and its people. One of our guides said something which has stuck with me: spending your time to invest in somebody's education will go much further than spending your money on souvenirs (as a casual tourist would).

I am proud to say that I have walked away from this trip with new friends, lifelong memories, and the motivation to continue traveling with purpose!

To say this trip changed my life would be an understatement. I have never felt so at home at a place than I did in Zanzibar. The people of Kairo are incredibly special. They are the most kind-hearted, joyful, and welcoming people I’ve ever met. The GIVE staff creates such a positive environment from the moment you arrive and does everything possible to make the volunteers feel prepared and ready to work. They are organized and are always available to help if need be. The care they have for the Kairo community is truly inspiring. It was amazing getting to be surrounded by like-minded people who all had such a giving heart for others. This is such a unique organization because it perfectly balances hard work and leisure/play . Yet I loved that even the “play” you experience, such as swimming with dolphins or going on safari, is still giving back to the community. The education coordinator (MC) and all of the construction guides (Khamis, Fani, Big Head, Smile, Baboi) helped make volunteering feel effortless because of the joy and energy they brought every day. I am so grateful to have been a part of this experience and would recommend it to anybody who is looking for a safe, responsible way to travel, while impacting the lives of others. A piece of advice I would give to future volunteers is put yourself out there as much as possible and soak up every moment. There is absolutely no judgment, so if you allow yourself to be 100% your authentic self, you will feel more confident and your relationships will blossom right from the start. This trip will not only change your perspective, but also your heart. <3

My give trip tanzania summer 2023 was an absolutely incredible experience. They were so helpful before the trip answering all of my questions and From the very first day meeting Hannah, Faith, Baboi and Fani I felt like I was home, like I was part of the family. I felt so safe the entire time, everyday was filled with so many laughs smiles and incredible memories. Everyday topped the last day, the staff that we continued to meet were the most incredible human beings. The food was absolutely delicious and they were great with dietary restrictions.

I can’t even begin to explain how much I recommend give, from the staff, to the amazing and fun volunteering to the day trips with the safari at the end.

GIVE was the best thing I have ever experienced. It has changed my life in so many ways. The people you meet while on these trips are shockingly nice and form everlasting relationships with everyone. I highly recommend this program to everyone, I will definitely be attending a second trip because I loved my first one so much! I met so many new friends and had such amazing experiences while being able to help a community in need. The memories that I made are unforgettable and I hope you have the same opportunity as me.

I had the most amazing three weeks in Tanzania and at Kilimanjaro. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly and I made so many amazing connections with the locals and volunteers. Being one of the few people who volunteered from another country than the US I didn’t know what to expect but the things I’ve learned and the close friends I’ve made has made this trip one of the most special thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. It has brought me new perspectives on life and long lasting friends. This trip is something I will remember and cherish forever.