Teaching & Adult Literacy Program in Zanzibar

Home | Volunteer Programs in Africa | Teaching & Childcare Volunteer Programs in Africa | Teaching & Adult Literacy Program in Zanzibar

Live the tropical island dream while volunteering with children, teaching English, and using your skills to contribute to community development on the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania. Due to its beauty and appeal, this region is dependent on income from tourism, with many tourists flocking to this stunning island each year. As such, many local people rely on jobs in the tourism sector; in hotels, lodges, restaurants, and tour companies. Yet, Tanzania’s national level of English proficiency is very low and many adults struggle to access these types of jobs due to their poor literacy rate and inability to interact with tourists.

As a volunteer, you’ll be integral in helping local people find employment. You’ll have the opportunity to teach at local schools, women’s groups, and at the African Impact Education Centre that offers free English lessons to adults.

Read more about Volunteering as a Teacher in Zanzibar.

Project Highlights

  • Teach children, young adults, and women within the local community
  • Create interactive educational games and sports activities for nursery school children to help promote positive early childhood development
  • Assist in developing educational facilities to help improve the learning environment for children in the community
  • Get even closer to the people and culture of Zanzibar by learning some Swahili, the local language
  • Live in a small beach community on Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar
  • Experience unforgettable island adventures such as swimming with dolphins, going on sunset cruises in a traditional Dhow, and going on a tour of a tropical spice farm
Volunteer teacher giving lessons to young pupils.

Quick Facts

Zanzibar

Abeid Amani Karume International Airport

Specific Start Dates

10 days - 12 weeks

Impact: Teaching

$2,255 – $5,615

Destination

sunset in zanzibar taking in the view of the trees on the beach as well

Zanzibar is a tropical paradise, an island just off the coast of Tanzania that is rich in culture, history, and also home to some of the most beautiful coastlines in Eastern Africa. When you think of crystal, turquoise oceans and endless white sandy beaches, Zanzibar is it. The bustling city of Stone Town is where you will fly into and the area itself is a hub of activity, with traders selling spices, fruits and fish caught fresh that day on every street corner, while also boasting the impressive title of a World Heritage Site. You will be based in the picturesque fishing village of Jambiani on the South-East coast of the island, around 1.5 hours from Stone Town and the airport. It has the most beautiful coastline and is renowned for its warm turquoise waters, white sandy beaches and is a hotspot for water sports and activities. Whether you are exploring the area or life beneath the waves, Zanzibar is the perfect location to ‘get off the grid’, while making long-lasting and sustainable change.

Your home away from home in Zanzibar is located in the South of Jambiani and is a short walk to the beach, where you’ll be able to look out over the warm Indian ocean. The gated and secure accommodation has all the amenities you’ll need like beautiful shared communal spaces and a pool! You’ll be sharing a dorm room with other volunteers and we provide daily housekeeping for your comfort. Each room sleeps 4-6 people and has an ensuite bathroom. There are 7 rooms in total. Each dorm room has secure lock boxes to store valuables and we have a safe on site

We have our very own local chef that will prepare 3 fresh meals for you each day, including weekends. Zanzibar is a melting pot of cultures and flavours. It has one of the richest and most diverse culinary scenes in all of Africa – shaped by centuries of trading and migration. Being by the ocean, the seafood is incredibly fresh and tasty, but there are also plenty of other options for those that don’t eat seafood. A few local favourites include: Zanzibar pizza (this is no ordinary pizza, think of it more like a savoury crepe), biryani and pilau, mishkaki (meat skewers) and mandazi (Swahili doughnuts). We can cater for most dietary needs, but please let us know in advance if you have any food allergies or specific dietary requirements.

There is free WI-FI available at the accommodation to keep family and friends up to date. The connection can be slow and unreliable at times, so please be flexible and patient with this.

Zanzibar has a tropical climate and is hot all year round, with two distinctive rainy seasons: one more intense, known as the “long rains”, from March to May, with the peak in April, and the other less intense, known as the “short rains”, between mid-October and December. April and May are the wettest months, with frequent short thunderstorms. The warmest time of year is from December to March, during which the maximum temperature hovers around 32°C (90°F) and the humidity is high, although the sea breeze tempers the heat a little. You can expect highs 38 °C (100 °F) at this time of year. May to August is cooler (but still hot!), with highs around 29°C (84°F). 

Project Impact Areas

Teaching in local schools

Education is the foundation of everything we do. With full support from our team, you will promote positive early childhood development by teaching children in the local community – both a nursery schools and after school clubs. You will work alongside local teachers each morning to provide fun interactive classes to nursery school children, helping them prepare for primary school. You can expect to teach basic English vocabulary, handwriting and teamwork skills, as well as basic motor skills, and arts and crafts. Class sizes can be big which makes your assistance incredibly valuable as children can be given more one-on-one guidance and attention during their lessons.

tefl-practical-teaching-internship-zanzibar
tefl-practical-teaching-internship-zanzibar

Adult English Classes

Tourism is considered to be the sector with the highest job potential in Zanzibar, which is why we teach English to young adults in the area, in the hope that this will improve their skill-set and make them more employable. As part of our education program and with the help of donations from previous volunteers, we recently built an outdoor education center where we offer free English lessons to adults. You will get involved in teaching at all levels, from complete beginners through to advanced English speakers. These classes have become so popular that students travel all the way from mainland Tanzania to attend classes. You will play a big part in empowering the community by teaching these classes that help locals expand their English abilities, and ultimately, their chances of finding jobs and improving their lives.

Other Activities

Recent Volunteer Reviews

Dates & Rates

When would you like to volunteer?

Give us an idea of your travel plans, you can also say ‘I’m not sure yet.’ We’ll take it from there.

How long would you like to volunteer?

This is the place to select your preferred duration(s). The African Impact team recommend at least 4 weeks for a truly memorable experience!

10 days $2255
2 weeks $2615
3 weeks $2915
4 weeks $3215
5 weeks $3515
6 weeks $3815
7 weeks $4115
8 weeks $4415
9 weeks $4715
10 weeks $5015
11 weeks $5315
12 weeks $5615
10 days $2255
2 weeks $2615
3 weeks $2915
4 weeks $3215
5 weeks $3515
6 weeks $3815
7 weeks $4115
8 weeks $4415
9 weeks $4715
10 weeks $5015
11 weeks $5315
12 weeks $5615

Personal Information

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Young children all seated in a school classroom, with three teachers giving them lessons.

Project Fee Includes:

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off
  • Accommodation throughout your stay
  • 3 delicious meals a day
  • Transport to and from project
  • 24/7 support from experienced international and local staff
  • Full orientation to ensure you contribute responsibly
  • Project equipment and resources

Project Fee Excludes:

  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa-related costs
  • Weekend trips or tours not on the itinerary
  • Snacks, soft drinks, gifts, and souvenirs
  • Mandatory contribution of US$25 that is donated to the African Impact Sustainability Fund

Related Projects

Zanzibar
Specific Start Dates
Impact: Teaching
TEFL Practical Teaching Internship in Zanzibar. Once you’ve completed your online TEFL course, join us in Zanzibar for your practical hours.
$3,390 – $6,390

Frequently Asked Questions

For our volunteer teaching programs in Africa, we do not require volunteers to have any previous education or teaching experience to join. We believe that volunteering is a life-changing experience for both communities and the volunteers. In turn, we want this experience to be accessible to all and allow everyone the opportunity to experience the incredible benefits that teaching abroad offers.

Before you begin your teaching program, you’ll go through an intensive training program with the local African Impact staff. We’ll discuss important information about teaching English, proper student interactions, exciting knowledge about your destination, cultural sensitivities, as well as an intensive overview of our Child Protection Policy. This training program is an excellent opportunity for volunteers worldwide to connect before starting their project and learn all the information they’ll need to know to teach English in Africa.

At African Impact, our mission is to provide the best international volunteer programs in Africa that create real, sustainable impacts on local communities. While our volunteer work in Zanzibar may be unpaid, we absolutely believe that epic adventures and sustainable impacts go hand-in-hand. We firmly believe in the power of responsible volunteering to positively transform the lives of volunteers and local communities alike. Developing our projects with local community stakeholders, everything we do is measured, designed, and implemented with the community’s goals in mind. As a volunteer joining one of our projects, your work will not only be a life-changing experience for you but make actual, sustainable impacts on the lives of the local community.

This combination of incredible adventures, responsible impacts, and cultural immersion allows us to go beyond the conventional understanding of “volunteering abroad” and offer innovative African volunteer travel experiences that – while unpaid – can truly transform lives!

As an African-based company, we know first hand the incredible adventures available on our stunning continent. We live and breathe all things African travel and are passionate about immersing volunteers in the heart of some of Africa’s most incredible natural environments and communities. Developing meaningful relationships with locals, learning about unique African cultures, and exploring breath-taking natural wonders, you’ll experience the true spirit of Africa and the people, places, and wildlife that make it so extraordinary.

Absolutely! We are always looking for eager volunteers to join our teaching English abroad programs. The more volunteers we have, the more support we can provide to local teachers, and in turn, the more we can extend the reach of education in local communities. Every volunteer counts, so we are always excited to welcome any interested individuals.