The Volunteer Program

The Maasai village of Eluai lies in the shadow of Mt Meru near the town of Arusha, and it is here that volunteers will be based. A variety of tasks await you including bricklaying, carpentry, plastering, painting, gardening and farming (including milking the goats!) although the exact activities will be scheduled according to the season and community needs.

No specific experience or training is necessary, just a healthy amount of enthusiasm. Other activities for the week include Maa language lessons, hiking and a visit to a traditional Maasai homestead. You’ll learn from Maasai warriors about medicines and plants and may even join the community forester on one of his outreach visits to community groups.

In 2006 volunteers took up the challenge of building the final classroom for the community college. It was a fantastic success!

Day-by-Day itinerary

Arrival day -after breakfast we move on to the Serengeti, one of the best known wildlife areas in the world. Morning and afternoon game drives.

We drive to Ngorongoro Crater via the Olduvai Gorge, where fossil remains dating back to 1.75 million years ago were found. The crater is teeming with wildlife and birdlife and offers superb opportunities for game spotting. We descend into the crater using 4WD vehicles for game viewing.

Drive to Tarangire National Park which has the highest concentration of game outside of the Serengeti ecosystem. Explore the area on a game drive before heading to Monduli town for the night.

Transfer to the Maasai Village of Eluai and spend the next few days participating in a rewarding volunteer program.

Leaving our project we drive to Arusha where we enjoy a traditional drum and dance workshop.

The Maasai are one of the best known tribal groups to the western world, since they share their territory with one of the greatest collections of wildlife on earth and are renowned for their distinctive dress, weapons and bead jewelery.

They have a reputation as brave fighters who kept the slave trade at bay and challenged early explorers, yet today they have to struggle to keep their identity and what remains of their land.

This volunteer program is about assisting locals to develop their Maasai village whilst providing a learning experience for the volunteers.

By learning how to make Maasai jewelery and by communicating to Maasai elders about herbal medicines we encourage traditions to be continued, thus supporting the Maasai with their struggles to keep their identity and their land.