Experience report: Volunteer work in the marine conservation project

My journey to the project

My arrival in Tanzania and the onward journey to the project site in Mtwara went smoothly. Due to the large selection of airlines flying to Tanzania, it was quite easy to find a suitable flight. The flights vary in price depending on the time of year and the airline, but usually amount to €700-1100.

When I arrived in Dar es Salaam, I spent a day getting a SIM card and getting a first insight into the country and culture before taking the bus to Mtwara the next day.

The accommodation

The volunteers in Mtwara were divided into two locations. The volunteers who, like me, are doing the turtle and marine conservation project are staying on the Msangamkuu peninsula, which can be reached by a small ferry. The other volunteers who take part in the other projects in Mtwara are housed on the mainland. The location on Msangamkuu is located directly on a beach where you can swim and enjoy the sun. The accommodation is a small beach hut, which is usually equipped with a bathroom. At the time I was there, I was the only one in the project and therefore had a cabin to myself. I got breakfast every day and in the evenings both local and international dishes were cooked with fresh ingredients.

The work in the project

I always had a lot of fun working on the project because it was always very diverse. Activities such as beach clean-ups and beach assessments were more frequently on the program. But this was definitely necessary because there is a big garbage problem locally. Likewise, checking the beaches in search of turtle shells was a big and important task, as it very often happens that sea turtles get caught in fishermen's nets and are killed. That's why I unfortunately only saw one sea turtle during a dive. But of course there were also activities that were more relaxed or fun. During my stay, for example, I built a waste incineration plant with which we could burn the waste collected by the beach clean-ups in a more environmentally friendly way than in an open fire.

Likewise, we have also started giving lessons on waste pollution at a local school. I then prepared this together with the project manager Laurent. Classes take place every two weeks and continue with other topics. To reach the project site, you have to plan about half an hour's drive, as it is not on Msangamkuu, but in Mikindani on the mainland. Normally I had to go there a maximum of 2 to 3 times a week. On the remaining days I either had a program on Msangamkuu or homework, such as preparing for lessons. A normal working day was from 8 a.m. to a maximum of 14 p.m.

Since the project location in Mikindani is a diving school, I also decided to get a diving license on site, which I can really recommend to anyone who is fascinated by the underwater world.

My free time in Tanzania

Since the project was already finished for the day at lunchtime, I still had plenty of time in the afternoon to go to the market or the beach or meet up with the other volunteers to do these activities with them. At the weekend I mostly spent my time with the other volunteers on the mainland, where we played games or went to bars/clubs.

My conclusion

On the whole, I really enjoyed all the activities because each of them had a different effect and I learned a lot myself. Laurent, his wife Martha and their team made a particular contribution to this. I was received very well by everyone and there was always a very pleasant, relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Experience report from Benjamin, volunteer in the sea turtle project in Tanzania, February to April 2023