8 independent reviews for Family volunteering in Tanzania
Reviews for Family volunteering in Tanzania
Catriona Irvine review 31 Aug 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The people! Everyone in Tanzania was so smiley and kind. It was great fun waving at all the kids and getting to do something practical as a gift for families. They were so grateful and it was quite humbling. Also seeing the mother and baby clinic was great. The charity pays for the midwife and it’s made a real difference to the area. Chatting with the mums and seeing how healthy the babies were was really heart warming.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared! It’s shocking how little some people have and can be overwhelming at times. The charity are very well organised though and you can see how your money and work impacts which is amazing. The kit list and photos of the projects are really helpful to help prepare beforehand. There is no Wi-Fi!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
You can see the difference the money and work has on the local villages. Less babies have died now there is a midwife and access to malaria drugs. Families can raise and sell goats and are employed by the charity which gives them a sunstainable lifestyle rather than just a handout. It’s really heart work and so sad to think it’s still so needed.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great experience. We saw and did lots. The food was great and we were well prepared/looked after. And we could really see the difference we made. Plus we did a 2 day safari! Incredible!Suzanne Young review 30 Aug 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were so many highlights for us and being totally submersed in Tanzania with the host company team was amazing. Probably the most memorable part was building our goat shed from beginning to end and delivering Fifi (the goat) to her new home. Through this we got to work and enjoy time with the family who the project was being delivered for.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Certainly follow the instructions that the host company team provided relating to what to bring, as we used/needed all of the items on our trip. Be prepared for the communal living and ready to be fully considerate of everyone around you. Also, if you have the opportunity to bolt on a safari to your trip, grab the opportunity.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, 100%. All of the projects that we were involved in will certainly benefit the local people and enhance the environment. This also provided a hugely rewarding experience for us.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was a holiday of a lifetime for all four of us. It was rewarding, humbling and inspiring experience all in one. It was great to work together as a family, and work with other families and volunteers, and get to know them and enjoy the experience all together. Graham and Claire were amazing too, and hugely contributed to making the trip so special for us. They are amazing individuals and inspiring to work with and get to know. Together they are making such a positive impact in the local Musoma region of Tanzania across a whole range of projects. We would highly recommend the project provider in Tanzania as your next adventure.GEMA BALLESTEROS review 20 Apr 2025
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
After building the goat sheds, water tanks, donate clothes to local families, look after children at the kids club every Wednesday, visit the tree plantation and have a meeting with the local community, visit the leprosy community and provide first aid, clothes, treatments and some entertainment, going to the hospital to check if the kids hospitalise were okay, buying at the market and work with local people hand by hand, I can say that the most memorable part of our holiday has been to see all these smiles on their faces, all the shaking hands and hugs as a "thank you for what you have done", all the gratitude receive from them. The feeling of helping others and learn from their culture has been the best part of our holiday.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Pack as many donations (clothes, toiletries, toys, sweets for kids, footballs, etc) as you can, you will realise that you don´t need much for yourselves. I regret not having packed more clothes, or shoes, or sweets or plasters, and stuff for the locals. Be prepared for "going with the flow" and get surprised by the slow pace of their life. Be open a new ways of dress, diet, timetables, learn new skills and live in the community. This is a new concept of holiday; it is a holiday to give to others and, in return, receive a life-changing experience.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, of course! We made a difference in children and adults in 2 weeks. The tree plantation project is an amazing project to support the local community, and at the same time, it is contributing to reducing environmental impact. The learning for adults and kids who are volunteering in these projects is massive. My kids never had a "heavy social family holiday" like this. It was the first time for them to live in a community, a huge challenge, but a great learning to appreciate what they have. The benefit of this kind of holiday is for everyone, the local people and the volunteers.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great! Amazing time with family and meeting new people. Graham and Claire did a brilliant job organising the "Family Team" and the work of the projects we did for the local community. We can´t thank you enough for this great opportunity, and we are extremely grateful for having people like the workers at the project who make a Difference in Tanzania every day! Thanks for all you do!Nicholas Richmond review 24 Sep 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Encounters and relationships with people: Claire and Graham and the local team of builders, teachers, the children, the women in Rehema and Sister Miriam at the Maternity Clinic. And we loved Kahawa and Pudding (the dogs). Travelling: through Kenya, the Rift Valley, bouncing around in the Land Rovers, the endless plain of the Serengeti, the incredible lightning storm. Activities: building the water tank, school visits, delivering the goat to the family we built the goat shed for, mixing concrete and laying a floor, card games at Eagle Lodge, doing jigsaws with a family who don't attend school, sunset walks up Eagle Rock, shopping in the market, seeing a cheetah and lions in the Serengeti.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
This has got to be the very best way to experience a place like Tanzania. If you want to really understand a place, its people, its politics, its problems, its poverty as well as its heart and spirit, go on this trip. Take: an open mind and an open heart - this is a trip that will take you out of your comfort zones and challenge your perspectives. More practically (!) take protein powder, work gloves and clothing you don't mind wrecking with paint and concrete. Buy: lots of gifts and order some clothing from from the seamstresses at Rehema! Learn: as much Swahili as possible - we all wished we'd done more language prep so we could connect more independently with people we met. Read: The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapusci?ski.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not as much as it benefitted us! But, yes, it felt like a very responsible way to be in Africa. Graham, Irene and Claire have such a heart for the region and have forged deep and meaningful relationships with local people and communities, responding with creativity, compassion and empathy to the needs and desires of local people and the environment.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The most challenging, most exciting, most rewarding and most memorable family holiday we have done. Thank youfor this incredible blessing.Heather Price review 14 Sep 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Finishing the goat shed, watching our lads challenging the local lads at football, watching the sun set from Eagle rock, and watching my two teens bond with other teens, come off wifi and step up to the work! Many vivid memories made in a great group atmosphere on this working holiday.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Bring work gloves, a neck travel pillow for the long journey out to Musoma, and expect to live and work in a group. There really is no wifi! We felt the two day, one night safari was great value and saw lots of animals close up. The guide was very knowledgeable.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, absolutely. A direct, immediate impact on the poorest local people who were fairly selected by the community for help. The charity has an excellent relationship with the local community.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Great if you have active teens looking for an adventure that does good.Louisa Davidson review 27 Aug 2024
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There is so much to choose from!!! If I had to pick one thing it would be the people- the local Tanzanians, the in holiday support (who we couldn't live without) and the other volunteers who were there at the same time.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go for it!! Claire and Graham make it so easy and straight forward, before during and following your stay- It really is lifechanging!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Absolutely! That is one of the best things about this experience is that there is something for everyone. We helped with sustainable building projects (which my husband loved), supporting the progression of the Health Centre (a passion of mine) as well as providing a safe space for young people to be just that for a few hours, be that playing with sticker book, colouring or playing football (what our boys loved). being involved in the re-forestation project was also so rewarding giving us a glimpse into a far more sustainable and prosperous future for the families in Musoma.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
The best thing we have ever done!!! We can't wait to go back!Laura Bouchard review 13 Apr 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting local families, getting to know and working with other volunteers. The camaraderie building things together. The satisfaction of achieving goals and helping others.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The journey to Eagle Lodge from Nairobi airport is very long and bumpy so be prepared. It takes approximately 10 hours in vehicles that are very warm and road conditions different than at home. Take lots of 50% deet insect repellent and loose, modest clothing.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes absolutely. We saw directly the impact the projects we were involved were having on the local community.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. It surpassed our expectations. It was a very rewarding and humbling experience.Diarmuid Crowley review 31 Aug 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Wow! What a difficult question! The whole experience was memorable and exciting from beginning to end. It was such an eye-opener (especially for our kids) to see the lifestyle of the local people and the daily difficulties that they endure. Despite these difficulties, however, we found everyone so friendly and smiley and rejoicing in life. We loved Eagle Lodge and everyone we met there. Graham and Claire are amazing and we worked on such interesting projects each day.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book it now!! We were a bit apprehensive about how our teenage girls would enjoy the experience but they loved it. As did we. The operator is run extremely efficiently by Graham and Claire and you really get the opportunity to get stuck in and help the local community. We also met so many wonderful people.....both from the community and other volunteers.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We definitely felt that our holiday benefitted local people. While we were there, we got involved in a number of projects. There were a couple of times that we got the opportunity to spend time playing with the local kids and our children loved this. Other projects included building a house for a widow and her children, improving the services in a local maternity centre and viewing the tree growing scheme that is really going to improve the lives of the local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Ten out of ten! We were made to feel welcome from the very start and felt that all the projects that we were involved in were so worthwhile. We were really impressed by the professionalism and dedication of Graham and Claire and, at the same time, their friendliness and warmth. They are 100% committed to the local community.Holiday Reviews
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