Work the World elective placements in Arusha, Tanzania
Perched beneath the snow capped peak of Mount Meru, Arusha is one of Tanzania’s most popular destinations. Its main draw is undoubtedly the Ngorongoro crater, an immense volcanic caldera formed around 3 million years ago, which is home to a huge concentration of wildlife. The city is also a great jumping-off point for Mount Kilimanjaro, with travellers stopping to enjoy the Maasai markets and traveller hangouts before embarking on the tough, but immensely rewarding trek to Africa’s highest point.
In Arusha there is always a buzz about town, with people to see and places to go. It also offers excellent opportunities to witness how Tanzania copes with the high percentage of infectious diseases in a smaller clinical setting - unlike Dar es Salaam and Lake Victoria there is no big referral hospital. It is the ideal placement if you want the familiarity of the travel circuit and easy, cheap tours, but also want to see the reality of life for the Tanzanians who live there.
Where will my healthcare elective be?
Arusha has a small town feel but is a bustling centre of commerce - particularly due to the growth in tourism. It can offer you a great insight into how the Government regional hospitals and clinics cope with the demand of a growing city, as well as show you the difficulties faced by smaller hospitals that do not have the resources of the bigger tertiary referral hospitals in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam.
We have good relationships with both large and small government regional and community hospitals in Arusha, as well as private and charity clinics, which gives us a wide variety of placements. We have also developed a Village Healthcare experience that will give you the opportunity to live in a rural Maasai community, taking part in local activities and helping deliver primary healthcare.
Where will I live?
The Work the World Arusha house looks out onto Mount Meru, smaller than Kilimanjaro but no less impressive. It is home to up to 32 students during the busiest periods and has a large lounge, a gazebo and a garden. Free Swahili classes take place each week as well as the renowned Work the World barbecue, the jewel in our caterer Witness' crown.
Manager Freddy and his assistant Brian do their utmost to ensure each student feels welcome and at home, offering a wealth of information about the local area and making sure each placement runs smoothly. If you are keen to volunteer in your spare time, they will also put you in touch with a local orphanage where our students regularly get involved.
What can I do in my free time?
Arusha has plenty of bars and restaurants to keep you entertained, whether you want a taste of Tanzanian food and music or just pizza and a beer. It's also a great place to wander and you can spend hours in the Maasai market buying gifts to take home.
Heading out of Arusha on weekends is easy and lots of our students group together to take the short drive into the Northern Safari Circuit to spot lion, buffalo, elephant, wildebeest and even leopard in Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro. For those that want a real challenge there are also the towering peaks of Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru to climb. If chilling out is more your thing though, it's just a short flight to Zanzibar island where the white sand awaits!
