Volunteering Experience in Tanzanya

Week 1

During my first days here, we started by preparing bags together. We worked efficiently as a team and finished quite quickly. These bags were prepared for an orphan camp, and the children there were incredibly sweet and heartwarming. In the following days, my counseling process at the school officially began. We started by helping with cleaning duties. Here, tasks such as pre-school cleaning, organizing the library, and arranging the storage room were usually handled by the teachers. Noticing this, my friends and I also got involved, started contributing, and became part of the process. After that, we began working on organizing our annual plans.

In between, we also went out to explore. We visited Paje and a few other places. The locals were extremely kind, welcoming, and always smiling. At the same time, there were various activities on campus as well. We had performances and farewell programs, which created a very lively and emotional atmosphere.

We spent quality time with visiting guests, and in the evenings, we played games and had long, enjoyable conversations. From the very first week, I met genuinely wonderful people, and these connections made the entire experience even more meaningful.

Week 2

The second week went much better than I had expected. We started attending classes, and during the first few days we joined as assistant teachers. Spending time with the students was extremely enjoyable and fun. Especially the Nursery 1–2 classes were very pleasant, as working with younger age groups was incredibly engaging.

All of the students constantly expressed their affection. This surprised me a lot at first, because I think that in city life the respect and affection shown toward teachers has decreased to some extent. Receiving so much love from the children made me very happy. They would constantly come to hug and kiss me. In addition to this, because they value teachers so much, they try to show their respect in many ways: after meals, they attempt to collect the teacher’s plate; when entering the classroom, they try to bring my slippers; and when leaving, they even tried to help me put my slippers on. This level of care truly shocked me on the first day.

On the following days, playing games with them and accompanying them during lessons made me feel very good. They are very intelligent and eager to learn. They are also highly talented: some of them dance very well, some have beautiful voices, and some are very skilled in certain areas. I am sure that with proper guidance, they can develop their abilities much further.

Over the weekend, I had different responsibilities. On Saturday, we visited children in their homes. Their families were very hospitable and kind-hearted.

On Sunday, we went to an orphanage to distribute sanitary bags. We prepared these bags together every evening, and in total we distributed them to 500 children. Afterwards, we organized a meeting to discuss how local women could develop their businesses. Some local women try to earn a living by selling products to tourists. We held a discussion on how they could grow their businesses further and how they could manage marketing and budgeting more effectively.

Overall, this week was full, intense, and deeply fulfilling. Being part of the classes, spending time with the children, and providing counseling sessions for them felt both meaningful and rewarding. It was a week that strengthened my motivation and reminded me why I value this work so deeply.

Week 3

This week, we started learning Swahili lessons with Tina teacher. At the beginning, I found it quite challenging, as most of the people in the class had already been here for a few months and were more familiar with the language, especially in terms of understanding and pronunciation. However, over time, these lessons became much more enjoyable for me. Being able to practice with locals has helped me improve quickly, and since people here are very warm and friendly, I also get to learn new words naturally while communicating with them.

At the same time, I continued attending classes at school. The lessons are always very enjoyable, and the students are incredibly kind and positive, which makes the teaching experience even more meaningful. This week, I also joined madrasa classes. I was truly impressed by the students’ memorization skills; they were able to recite the Qur’an beautifully and in harmony as a group, which was a very special experience to witness.

Outside of my responsibilities at school, I try to make the most of my weekends. This weekend, we went on a safari, and it was truly one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences of my life. It was full of excitement and awe. Seeing animals like elephants, zebras, and giraffes, animals we usually only watch in documentaries, so closely was absolutely incredible.

But more than anything, being so close to lions was an extraordinary moment. At one point, lions walked right next to our safari vehicle. During that first encounter, we all held our breath and watched them in complete silence. It was both thrilling and surreal. After some time, we became more comfortable and realized that as long as we remained calm and respectful, they would not harm us.

Experiencing a safari in such an authentic way was truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment for me, one of the most unforgettable and fascinating experiences I have ever had.

Week 4

During this week, I continued teaching additional classes, including English, Mathematics, and Turkish. In addition to these, I also took part in Science and Technology, as well as Counseling lessons. Throughout the week, I was actively involved in English, Science, Library, and Counseling sessions.

In the Science class, we covered key topics and encouraged students to think critically and participate actively. In English lessons, we focused on learning comparative structures, helping students practice and apply them in different contexts.

In Counseling sessions, we addressed the topics of adolescence and bullying. After discussing bullying, we observed a very positive change in the classroom environment. Students who previously engaged in bullying behaviors began to recognize that such actions are disrespectful and started reminding each other to behave more kindly. This shift was very meaningful and encouraging for us.

Regarding adolescence, students gained a deeper understanding of this developmental stage. We discussed common misconceptions and provided accurate information, while also offering emotional support. We held separate discussions with girls and boys, focusing on the challenges they may face during this period. These sessions created a safe space where students could express themselves openly, and together we worked on possible solutions to their concerns.

In addition to our school program, we also took part in organizing a large-scale orphan iftar event for around 1,000 children. We prepared holiday clothes to distribute to them. The iftar day was incredibly joyful and meaningful. There were many activities organized throughout the event. The children were very happy to receive their holiday clothes, and witnessing their happiness was truly priceless. We played games, organized performances, and shared the iftar meal together, creating a memorable and heartwarming experience for everyone involved.

Week 5

This week, schools were closed due to the Eid holiday, so our students were at home. During this period, teachers focused on organizing and attending workshops, as well as taking responsibility for cleaning and organizing the school environment. At the beginning of the week, we dedicated our time to cleaning the school and arranging the classrooms, ensuring that everything was well-organized and ready for the upcoming term.

In the following days, we participated in several workshops. One of the main workshops was focused on the use of AI in education. We explored how AI can be used to improve lesson content, create exams, and increase student engagement. In addition, we attended workshops related to teaching English and the effective use of a specialized educational platform.

While we spent our days at school engaged in these activities, our evenings were equally active. Every evening, we went to Kanga Village to distribute iftar meals to the local community. The atmosphere during these events was incredibly warm and meaningful. Before the meal distribution, we spent time playing games with the children, creating a joyful environment. On some evenings, the Sufi band prepared performances, and we had the chance to listen to their beautiful musical presentations. Afterward, we helped with the preparation and distribution of the meals.

At night, we continued working by organizing and packaging supplies. This included both food packaging and preparing holiday clothing packages. As Eid approached, we also prepared special gift boxes for the children. These boxes included sweets, cookies, toys, stationery items, balloons, and various small gifts.

Finally, the day of Eid arrived. It was a very lively and joyful day from morning until evening. We started the day with a festive breakfast, and then our celebration activities began. The Sufi band performed the music they had prepared for us, adding a special atmosphere to the day. Throughout the day, we danced, sang songs, and celebrated together with everyone. We also distributed all the prepared gifts to the children, which made the day even more meaningful. Overall, it was a very full, active, and heartwarming week, filled with meaningful experiences, collaboration, and joy.

Week 6

This week, schools reopened after the holiday break, and we were all feeling very happy and energetic. I had really missed the children, so we spent the first days catching up and reconnecting. We shared what we did during the holiday and organized our lesson plans.

In my Leap Learning and counseling lessons, I focused on emotions and exam anxiety this week. During the emotions lessons, we mainly explored where students feel their emotions in their bodies, when they should start managing them, and how they can cope effectively. With the younger age groups, we played games to help them understand how they react emotionally in different situations. I aimed to support them in recognizing their feelings better and accepting all emotions as natural and valid.

Later in the week, one of my students invited me to her older sister’s wedding, and of course, I attended. It was quite different from the culture I am used to. The bride seemed very serious, but I learned that this is actually normal in their culture. After a while, the other women invited me to join them, and we danced together. It was such a joyful experience to witness the wedding. We also had various activities with the students. For example, this week we played games at the beach, and later I even went swimming in the sea with some of them. Spending time together outside of school really helps strengthen our bond.

After that, it was the Easter holiday. I went to Jambiani with my friends here for a short break. It was a wonderful experience, and I returned to campus feeling well-rested. Overall, it was a very full and enjoyable week for me.

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