Travellers: Tanzania–Physiotherapy Projects–Additional Information–Page 1 of 5

PHYSIOTHERAPY
PROJECTS
Arusha, TANZANIA
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Tanzania is known as the 'the land of peace’ and is

famous for the magnificent Mount Kilimanjaro.
Think of Tanzania and you think of:
• Mount Kilimanjaro
• Safaris
• Elephant, lion, zebra, giraffe ...
• The Serengeti plains
• Beautiful beaches and exotic Zanzibar

Tanzania is full of fascinating scenic landscapes such as the extensive stretches of the African plains and two of
the largest and most impressive mountains in Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru. Mt Meru in fact is an active
volcano located 70 kilometres west of Mount Kilimanjaro, and it reaches 14,980 feet in height. Tanzania also
boasts three of the largest freshwater lakes in Africa: Lake Victoria, Tanganyika and Nyasa.

The country has so much to offer including safaris, beaches, lakes, colour, culture and diversity. What more could
you ask for? Arusha, the town in which you will be working, was once described by President Clinton as the
“Geneva of Africa”.

The people here are extremely friendly and their hospitality can sometimes be overwhelming. Their culture and
traditions date back for centuries, and with over 100 different tribal communities, including the world-renowned
Masaai tribe.

Requirements: Ideally you should already be studying Physiotherapy with some previous experience to do this
placement. However, if you do not have any previous experience but you are planning on studying Physiotherapy,
then we can also place you at the clinic.

All ages from 17 upwards to 70+ can take part and all nationalities and welcomed with open arms.

The experience you will gain on this work experience project will be an excellent entry to your CV, going a long
way to help you stand out in the crowds of job seekers!

PHYSIOTHERAPY PLACEMENTS:

We work with a local Physiotherapy Clinic and an international

Hospital. The Hospital was established in 1994, and the Clinic
was established in July 2004, being quite a new addition. So
far, in this short time, the Clinic has managed to serve more
than 6,000 patients, helping local and international patients!

There are not many physiotherapy staff at the Clinic or

Hospital so, as a volunteer, you will gain superb experience
and the Physio Department will benefit tremendously.

Your assistance means that they can help more people and
also create more trust within the community about the work
itself.

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Facilities at the Hospital, and particularly at the Clinic, are very limited, but they do include:

• Action potential simulation therapy

• APS machine
• TENs Machine
• Intrasound machine (Novasonic)

At both the Hospital and Clinic you will be working as part of a team.
During your placement you will be shadowing staff as well as getting
hands-on experience.

ABOUT YOUR WORK:

Depending on your experience, you could be placed at either the Hospital or the Clinic. (It is always good to have
lots of enthusiasm, an ability to work on your own initiative and readiness to work in unfamiliar circumstances. If
you have any experience at all in the field of Physiotherapy, please ensure you add this to your CV/Resume when
you apply.)

Your work is likely to include activities such as:

• Supervising physiotherapy care

• Writing patients case notes and reports
• Collecting patients statistics
• Educating and advising patients and their carers about how to prevent and/or improve conditions
• Liaising with other healthcare personnel to supply and receive relevant information about the background
and progress of patients

You will be involved in the day-to-day running of the hospital and clinic,
observing or directly assisting the staff. You can help out in simple but
practical ways, vastly increasing your own knowledge and getting an
understanding of how things work.

You will get a good general feel of the hospital/clinic by working and/or
observing, and you will be exposed to hands-on work. The type of
work you will be allocated to will depend on your own abilities and
capabilities, which is understandable given that you will be dealing with
patient health and safety.

Your work will be varied, but is dependent on your expertise and your
experience. Necessary requirements for a physiotherapy volunteer are initiative, adaptability and enthusiasm.
You don't need to speak the local language.

What will you gain from doing this project?

• The satisfaction of working with a different community and learning new ways of doing things.
• Experience of working in the Physiotherapy profession under different circumstances.
• An in-depth knowledge of Tanzanian society, their lifestyle and their culture.

What will the local community gain from your assistance?

• As a result of your volunteer work, the clinic, the staff and the society at large will benefit directly or
indirectly by having the opportunity to interact with you and all our volunteers, thus learning about
foreign cultures and the wider world
• They will have access to a free workforce and invaluable service which you provide them as a
volunteer.
• Their traditional knowledge and skills in physiotherapy work are supplemented with initiatives, skills
and ideas which they will get from you and all our volunteers. Fresh eyes and a different way of doing
things can be of tremendous benefit to them.

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Project Dates and Availability and your Working Hours:

• The project runs all year round, and is available for a minimum of 2 months, up to 6 months.
• Your expected work hours will be Monday to Friday 08:00 to 18:00 if you are at the hospital. If you
are at the clinic, Saturdays are included.

Your Travellers Project Co-ordinator on the Placement

Once you apply for this placement, all your arrangements will be taken
care of by Kelly Day (right), Travellers UK-based Project Co-ordinator for
Tanzania. She'll liaise with you to discuss your needs and will be able to
answer all your questions. In the photo on the right, she's sitting with two
local children while on an inspection trip to Arusha.
Once you're in Tanzania, you'll be well looked after by our Tanzania
Manager, but Kelly will remain in touch with you throughout your stay.

ACCOMMODATION AND LOCATION:

Arusha is the perfect location to live and work in Tanzania. It is situated under the shadow of the might Mount
Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru (a 15000ft extinct volcano), as well as idyllically situated on one of the Great Rift
Valley’s plateaus.
The city is world-renowned for its exquisite weather, breathtaking countryside and its lively music scene. With a
population of around 350,000 people, there is still a great balance between a vibrant, social city, with a relaxed
‘small town’ feel, making it a perfect tourism attraction for all types of travellers. Arusha alone receive over
400,000 visitors each year.

Accommodation: Your accommodation will vary depending on which

project you will work with, but all our volunteers are placed in with
families in ‘home-stays’ which provide comfortable yet simple
accommodation. Your family will most likely be located within 20 minutes
of your school.

Most of our volunteers who choose to live with host families all agree
that their placement was made more enjoyable by their home life
experience. They also agree that they get an added "something" out of
the placement - a rare opportunity to experience life as a family from the
inside.
Most of the houses have all the basic facilities - coming equipped with TV, radio and all importantly…a western
style toilet. However, we must make it clear that not all accommodation can provide such luxuries.

All our hosts are very friendly and welcoming and the families will look after you very well and make you feel part
of their home.

On Arrival, your Introduction to the Country:

When you arrive you will be welcomed by our Tanzanian Manager who
will take you to your accommodation and introduce you to everyone.
Photo on right: Travellers' Destination Developer Andy Kemp with Titus
Tossy, our Tanzania Manager. Titus has a lovely wife and two
adorable children.
During your first few days you'll be given an induction so that you can
learn about the country and its culture, as well as other useful
information, like how to use the transport system, banks, safety issues,
tipping, and lots more.

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TANZANIA – GENERAL INFORMATION

Tanzania is known officially as The United Republic of Tanzania.
It is the top safari destination in Africa by far!

The country lies in an absolutely ideal situation on the edge of

the continent, facing the Indian Ocean. It has stunning weather
and breathtaking sites to visit.

As much as a staggering quarter of its surface area has been set

aside for conservation purposes. It is east Africa’s largest
country and borders many countries such as, Kenya,
Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia with the world famous Zanzibar
Island known throughout the world as the African Spice Island!.

Tanzania is one of the most beautiful, fascinating countries to travel through and what’s more it’s a hotbed
crossroad of culture and heritage.

The cost of meals ranges from 4000 TSH (£1.60/$3) at the bottom end to 15,000 TSH (£6/$11) at the top end.
Cheap accommodation (communal shower and toilet) starts at around 5500 (£2.20/$5) and after that the sky’s the
limit! (Prices correct at time of writing, but please check before you leave.)

ARUSHA:
"Arusha is the safari capital of East Africa, a bustling, vibrant town with the streets
filled with 4X4 game viewing vehicles criss-crossing the potholed roads. Maasai
warriors in full regalia stroll the streets, mingling with tourists in crisp khaki, fresh
off the plane."

Situated under the shadow of the might Mount Kilimanjaro (which is just WAITING
for you to climb it.), and Mt. Meru (a 15,000ft extinct volcano), as well as idyllically
situated on one of the Great Rift Valley’s plateaus, Arusha really is the perfect
location to live and work in Tanzania.

The city is world-renowned for its exquisite weather, breathtaking countryside and
its lively music scene! With a population of around 350,000 people, there is still a
great balance between a vibrant, social city with a relaxed ‘small town’ feel, making
it a perfect tourism attraction for all types of travellers. Arusha alone receives over
400,000 visitors each year.

Arusha is also the main starting point for safaris into the country. This means that
while on your project, so you will have many opportunities to go out into the plains and see the great African
game. And there are plenty of them, ranging from wildebeest, lions, cheetahs, leopards, zebras, giraffes,
elephants, gazelles, impalas, warthogs and many different types of other wildlife.

Everything you need can be found in Arusha, from banks, hotels, airline companies and immigration to markets,
safari companies and craft markets. Although it’s easy to get carried away meandering amongst the bustle of
people and interesting craft stalls, the central clock tower acts as the city’s most famous landmark to keep you
orientated and stop you getting lost.

THE NEXT STEP

If you would like to join us on one of our exciting projects then please fill in either an online
application form at our website (www.travellersworldwide.com) or one that is attached to our
brochure. Once you have booked and confirmed your place we will send you detailed pack
information regarding your placement and country.

I do hope you join us and please do call or email if you have any questions at all about this or any of
our other projects – 01903 502595 or email info@travellersworldwide.com

If you would like to know more about Travellers in general, or about any of our other projects we run
in over 20 countries worldwide, please visit our website at www.travellersworldwide.com

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TRAVELLERS WORLDWIDE
7 Mulberry Close
Ferring
West Sussex,
BN12 5HY, England
Tel: +44 (0)1903 502595
Fax: +44 (0)1903 500364
Email: info@travellersworldwide.com

Travellers are very proud to introduce their new Division, TEFL Time! Get qualified to
teach English as a Foreign Language. TEFL Time runs professional UK based
weekend and online courses - see www.tefltime.com for details.

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