Kisiwa Art Farm Zanzibar

VOLUNTEERING AT THE KISIWA ART FARM

Volunteering during your gap year, an internship abroad or a year of social service?
Become a volunteer at Kisiwa Art Farm and join the local BWECODEO team!

WHAT WILL YOUR STAY AT KISIWA ART FARM BE LIKE?

Your areas of responsibility and tasks:

Active participation in projects is particularly important to us. This means that there are no limits to your own creative ideas, which you can collect and implement together with our project manager Lara.

Your area of responsibility may vary depending on your strengths and interests, as well as our needs.

In our Art & Adventure Childcare as well as the Happy Hearts Nursery School, you will complement our team of educators by supporting them in their daily routines and serving as an important caregiver for the children. In addition to changing clothes, tidying up and washing, your duties will also include comforting, dancing, singing and playing. You can implement your own ideas in the form of recycling, crafting and sports projects, which are part of our daily program.

One of your tasks at the Sewing School consists of teaching English, where you will teach participants the basics and important knowledge for their future in the working world. In addition, you will help design and conduct empowerment trainings to help young people leading self-determined lifes and gain more self-confidence. Being able to sew yourself is not a prerequisite for the project;
you are welcome to learn from the students.

You will also gain insights into our menstruation project My Days My Choice during your stay. Here, you will assist Lara and midwife Johanna in running the workshops and gain valuable insights yourself. Afterwards, reflect on the project and help us develop it further.
For cultural reasons, however, participation is only open to women.

At Bibi Sabuni, you will learn about the soap-making process: from harvesting seaweed at the seaweed farm to mixing and cutting the soap. Finally, you will assist the soap grannies in selling the soap at local markets, thereby helping to secure their livelihood.

Your accommodation:
During your stay, Kisiwa Art Farm will not only be your workplace but also your home, which you will share with locals, as well as many animals and plants.
Together with other volunteers who may be on site, you will live in the volunteer house. There is a single room and a room for two, each with its own bathroom, a triple room, a shared bathroom, and a lounge. You are welcome to use the shared kitchen with everything you need at any time.
During the week, you have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious Zanzibari breakfast and lunch prepared by Dada, our wonderful all-round support.
Once a week, you can also have your room cleaned for a small extra charge.
The cost of room and board varies between €400 and €450 per month.
For stays of up to three months, there is also a visa fee of €50 and €45 for Zanzibar insurance to be considered.

What can you look forward to?

We would love for you to join us in our volunteer work!
There are so many different projects to choose from, and we're sure you'll find one that's perfect for you.
We encourage you to feel free to be creative and take the initiative!
You'll have the incredible opportunity to connect with the warm and welcoming locals and experience their rich culture firsthand.
You will receive loving and valuable support from our project manager Lara on site.
You'll have plenty of free time to explore the island and enjoy the sun and sea!

What you should bring with you:

Respect and openness towards the Zanzibari culture and religion
Motivation and commitment to our projects
English language skills
A reliable, friendly and open-minded attitude
Enjoy working with children and young people
Flexibility and spontaneity – in Zanzibar, things sometimes turn out differently than planned ;)
Creativity and initiative
No fear of animals – in addition to dogs, cats and chickens, there are also many cute crawling creatures living on the farm ;)

WHAT DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS LOOK LIKE?
If you are interested, please contact us and send us your resume and cover letter. We will then invite you to an online interview to get to know you better and answer any questions you may have. Before your volunteer stay, we will need a current police clearance certificate.
We're looking forward to seeing you!

TIPS FROM OUR FORMER VOLUNTEERS :)

Take plenty of cash with you from home and exchange it there, as withdrawals from ATMs incur additional fees and often don't work.
Be open-minded and enjoy every day – time flies by far too quickly!
Don't forget to pack a bum bag, head torch and power bank!
Pack loose and airy clothing that can get dirty! Especially in kindergarten, children tend to get very dirty.
Out of respect for Zanzibari culture, be sure to pack modest clothing!
Always apply sunscreen, as the midday sun can sometimes be underestimated and cause sunburn.

FEEDBACK FROM FORMER VOLUNTEERS

Jana, 19 years, volunteer from January to March 2024

„The two months in Zanzibar were incredibly beautiful, exciting, and will always remain in my memory. I felt very comfortable on the farm from the very beginning, although it took me a while to get used to the new culture and different standard of living. I am very grateful to Lara, who always helped us and had the best tips. I particularly liked that we were able to contribute our own ideas, because it made me feel like I could really make a difference there. I will never forget the children's laughter when we were fooling around and the women's gratitude during the self-confidence training! And I also learned so many new things myself. Through close contact with the locals, we were able to really get to know and love the culture and life of the local people. Not to mention, of course, the beautiful beaches, palm trees, sunrises, and turquoise sea, which you have plenty of time to enjoy in the afternoons and on the weekends :) Over time, I really grew fond of the farm with its many animals, Lara, and the children, and I am sure I will come back one day."

Line, 19 years, volunteer from January to March 2024
„My time at Kisiwa Art Farm was indescribably beautiful and will remain in my memory forever. I never would have thought that I would grow so fond of the people there, especially the children. I also miss the farm with all the animals and, of course, Lara. I think it's incredible how much insight we gained and, above all, how close we were to the locals. At the beginning of my trip, a lot of things were very unfamiliar and new, as it was also my first stay outside Europe. But over time, we settled in really well and enjoyed life there very much.
The time went by way too fast and I definitely want to come back. I am very grateful to have been a part of this incredible project and am excited to see how everything develops in future.“

External Contents