Women's Empowerment Project - Volunteer in Tanzania

I spent 4 weeks at GHTA in 2011 and I always remember the words of Monika, the founder, as she personally dropped me back at Killi airport and saw how sad I was leaving. She said kindly, “you’ll be back”. Well she was right. I’m writing this in 2019 from the GHTA school itself. Probably the biggest reason why I returned is the integrity and impact of this NGO. I saw first hand how volunteer skills are maximised and our fees directly fund the running of the GHTA school, empowering women’s though education and the support and security of every volunteer.
Moshi is in a romantic location at the foot of Kilimanjaro. It’s is a mid sized town with tourist business opportunities but unfortunately there are still a few hardships experienced by some of the residents, particularly women who, for various reasons, couldn’t complete their schooling and may have little or no work but have mouths to feed. This school is specifically for these lovely women who actually have huge potential (and smiles), teaching them English, business and vocation skills.
As a volunteer you live in the school. Sounds odd but that cuts out any travel hassles. We work Monday to Thursday mornings teaching and spend afternoons reviewing or helping at local business, started by ex GHTA students, organising extra tuition for those that need it or on Fridays we have home visits which is a great way to see how the ladies live. You don’t need to be a teacher to volunteer but thinking on your feet a bit helps. Moshi isn’t a raving social town from a foreigner perspective but there are some nice coffee shops and local restaurants to try. The curry here is actually really good. There is also a new 4 star hotel with a roof top bar here if, like me, you need to get your tourist vibe fix on occasion. You are also 5 hours away from Norongoro National Park (amazing), Tarangeri NP and 7 from the Serengeti. It’s easy to organise safari weekends while here and even bolt on a Zanzibar trip if you fancy. I’m here for 6 weeks as part of a longer trip through Africa and it’s going so fast! I know I will be sad to leave again. The women have been so wonderful and my experiences at GHTA have enriched my life.

I chose this volunteer placement after extensive searching. I did NOT want to end up in a program catering to Gap Year students, rather one that is geared to adults with workforce skills. I DID come to this very concerned with my own safety, as i had never travelled solo in Africa. The fact that GHTA caters to women's education and economics (my career and passion) and is at the foot of Kilimanjaro (I am a mountaineer) sealed the deal. I decided to drop in for six weeks, live and work in a safe place, get the lay of the land, gain some knowledge of local ways and language, and take off for travelling adventure.
Instead: I spent my entire African stay of five months at GHTA, and extended as long as my life in the States would allow. At GHTA i was able to work closely and meaningfully with local women; spend long afternoons driking tea in their homes, meeting their families, playing with their children; live long enough in a town that i learned my way around and felt at home; met some fascinating young people who have become long distance friends; travelled to stunning safari and hiking locations on the weekends; spent long evenings in the hot humid dark talking with GHTA staff members about their lives and mine. Aide work is humbling and complicated. We will spend our lives wondering if we made a diffference in our students' lives. But one thing for sure: the students and staff of GHTA made a huge difference in my life. I long to return (and will do so!) and encourage anyone looking for a program deeply embedded in a community to check out GHTA.

My two months volunteering at Give a Heart to Africa (January-March 2017) were more amazing than I can put into words. Organizations like GHTA are hard to find. Educating and empowering women in developing countries is sadly not always a first priority. When I was researching organizations to volunteer with and I found GHTA I was thrilled. An organization that not only educated women in subjects like English and math, but also vocations and business, was exactly what I was looking for.
The application process was simple and very informative. I talked to everyone involved in the organization and I felt very safe about my traveling plans.
Before I knew it I was landing in Tanzania! This was my first time traveling alone internationally so I was pretty nervous going somewhere completely new. However once I landed and met the people I would be working and living with for the next couple of months I knew that it was exactly where I wanted to be.
GHTA started feeling like a second home within a matter of days. Everyone involved in GHTA, especially the women who are the leaders of the organization, are more than passionate about helping not only women, but anyone in need, in and out of school. Over the years GHTA has been in Tanzania it is clear that they have worked and continue to work effortlessly towards empowering and bettering the lives of women in need. The change is clear. GHTA creates a huge impact in bettering the lives of their students and the community.
Volunteering for GHTA is an experience I would highly recommend to anyone who is interested. I made so many relationship and met people that I will never forget. Moshi is a safe community filled with the kindest people. Teaching at the school is a large responsibility and it is crucial that all volunteers commit their time and are serious about school, however outside of classes there are lots of opportunities to go on day trips, hiking, safari trips, exploring town, and many more things.
Volunteering at GHTA is an opportunity I am so unbelievably grateful to have experienced. If you have the chance, please please please go. It will be worth every minute.

I volunteered with GHTA for a month in January 2017, and it was hands down the best month of my life. This program is truly amazing, and the people you meet in Moshi will forever change your life.

I decided to volunteer with GHTA after a friend of mine told me about the program, as she had volunteered a few years prior and absolutely loved it. I just graduated college in December 2016, and decided that I wanted to go to Tanzania for the month immediately after. I traveled with my best friend, as we were both passionate about women's education.

The women that are in this program are some of the most inspiring and determined women I have ever met in my life. For many of the students, this program is one of the only ways for them to gain a better education, and provide for their families. Everyday, I woke up with excitement to see these women and talk with them about their lives and their families. I was working in the vocations classroom, and had amazing conversations with them surrounding current global issues, and women's rights in Tanzania. Although I was teaching them English, they also did a fantastic job of teaching me Swahili.

The program is also run by a fantastic woman, Rhiannon. I have never seen someone who genuinely cares so much about giving back to others before herself. She wants each and every one of her students to succeed, even if that means being strict on them. She inspired me every day, and was also so fun to spend time with when class was not in session. She is the heart and soul of GHTA.

The town of Moshi itself is beautiful and filled with such kind people. My best friend and I walked to town nearly every day, and always felt safe. Kilimanjaro is also the backdrop to Moshi, although we did not get to hike it while we were there.

There is so much to do in Tanzania, and so many amazing people to meet. If you have the time, go volunteer for GHTA for at least two months. One month for us was not enough, and we were heartbroken to have to leave. I love the people and the organization so much, and I hope to go back to this program someday.

Many of life’s best adventures are not meticulously planned far in advance. Thirty days after I retired from thirty years’ of teaching, I arrived in Tanzania in June, 2010, to volunteer at GHTA for the first time. I taught English to a fabulous group of men and women who were eager to learn. It stunned me that they would thank me every day for teaching them. I lived in the house that is attached to the classrooms in a secure compound in a neighborhood near the university. Our translators were so encouraging and helpful; Margaret sang as she cooked our dinner daily, and other volunteers quickly became my friends for the next two months. Although I have a teaching background, this is not a requirement; a willingness to help these students gain skills so they can discover opportunities for success and employment to provide for their families is vital. Though I loved my daily interaction with the classes, I loved our Friday home visits which gave us a chance to interact one-on-one and to meet the family (or, sometimes, the whole compound). It was the home visit that informed us clearly about each individual.
As you read other reviews on this page, you will find plenty of details about the basics of the school, the lovely town of Moshi, and the serendipitous array of weekend adventures. Though I thoroughly enjoyed my safaris, the coffee tour, the visit to Lake Chala, trips to Arusha, the Usambara Mountains, what I loved was the people. If you are reading this review trying to decide where to volunteer and how long to stay, let me be clear. At the end of two months, I was wishing I could stay longer. You also should know that I have returned twice, in October, 2011, and May, 2014, each time for two months. It was wonderful to share a home with other volunteers of varied backgrounds, languages, ages, occupations and travel experiences. We helped plan lessons and activities together and sought ways to help our students who struggled as well as challenge those who excelled.
One of the absolute highlights was celebrating the 5th anniversary of GHTA and meeting students and volunteers from the classes I had taught in 2010 and 2011 to see how their lives had been positively impacted by their time in our school. The very fact that Monika would seek to find them and invite them to come tells you that this is a community effort, not just a quick field trip into another country. What an absolute joy to come alongside them as they work in the co-op, run a spa, maintain a food stall in Uhuru Park, actively supporting one another. It is astounding that these mamas came as strangers to one another as they entered GHTA. If you are seeking to expand your horizons while making a true difference in the lives of women in the Moshi area, this is the place for you. It bears repeating that this NGO uses 100% of the fees to live and board in the house to support GHTA. No fees are divided by an umbrella organization; your placement as a teacher is established clearly when you are accepted. Former volunteers and board members are available to answer questions you might have. You will be independent, you can learn some Kiswahili, you will bond with these women very quickly and invest your time and energy in their educational experiences. You will come to love the neighborhood children in the bi-weekly after-school program. You will make some lifelong friendships with other volunteers. You will not leave GHTA unchanged; my perspective on life has not been the same.

Give a Heart to Africa is a women's empowerment project located in Moshi, Tanzania. Its mission is to provide free education to women in the Kilimanjaro region. It's a wonderful program that is positively impacting the lives of women in the region by teaching them English, Business, Math and vocational skills. The student's are dedicated and hard working. I've been lucky enough to have volunteered here twice. Since this was my second trip there I had a chance to visit with some of my previous student's and see how the skills they learned at Give a Heart to Africa helped them to succeed.
The Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania is beautiful, the people are extremely friendly. Moshi, where GHTA is located, is at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro and has a great view of the mountain. It is also very easy to go on safari. I've had the opportunity and would highly recommend it to anyone who volunteers. If you want to really make a difference in someone's life, volunteer at Give a Heart to Africa.

I stayed at GHTA for a month and taught English. I had an amazing time and would recommend the experience to anyone interested in volunteering overseas. My only complaint would be the rooster that woke us up every morning at 3am without fail! Other than that guy, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about the experience.
Moshi was a great, safe little city and there is TONS to do in the area. I found that I had loads of free time to explore in the afternoons and on weekends. Leave time before or after your volunteer commitment to go on Safari in the Serengeti and to climb (at least a little bit of) Mt Kilimanjaro.
The house was comfortable and the food was amazing, absolutely delicious. Margaret (the cook) as well as the other staff were lovely; very friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed living at the house; there were 3 other volunteers while I was there and I found that there was lots of space for us. The compound is safe and secure and the area around it also safe, and everything you need is within walking distance. Monika and other volunteers were fun and from a diverse range of backgrounds. We had a great time together, and with the students.
The students on the whole are energetic and enthusiastic, and I found them inspiring and hungry for knowledge. My favorite part of teaching was seeing that ‘ah-ha’ moment, when they grasped a concept they had ben struggling with. It was very rewarding work. The lesson plans were easy to understand and follow. Another highlight for me was the home visits on Fridays; it was both enlightening and humbling to see where the women lived, to meet their families and to be invited into their homes.

I just returned from my second time volunteering with Give a Heart to Africa and I'm already trying to figure out when I can go back. This is a great organization doing some amazing work. Unlike most organizations, it is 100% volunteer run. Don't worry if you don't have any teaching experience because there is a curriculum to follow--the only thing you need is the willingness to make a difference. Tanzania is a beautiful country with really wonderful people. There is a lot to do on days off and plenty to see. (this will say I was there in 2014 but I was actually there in January, 2015)