Environmental leadership

Name: Environmental leadership
Start: 2026-04-10
End: 2026-11-07
Location: TANZANIA

Code: 047583285ea244ae954d257f6f500e89 Copied

TANZANIA Environment Social work Study Teenagers Environment Social work +2 Fixed dates

About the project

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

Mafia Youth Mission Center (MMYC) is a community-based facility designed to provide a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for young people. It offers a range of activities and programs that foster personal growth, social development, and recreational opportunities for youth. It is designed to be welcoming and inclusive space, offering a place for young people to connect with peers, access resources, and develop new skills. Environmental leadership is an experiential leadership program focusing on the big questions: Can we design sustainable communities for future? It is aiming to bring Youth and volunteers to live and work together on the beautiful Island of Mafia and have an opportunity to explore and understand social, economic, spiritual and ecological issues and skills needed for developing sustainable life practices.

💼 What the programme involves

The project is organized along five themes accompanied by series of workshops as well practical| manual activities in the community. • Holistic worldview: The big picture: why do we need to be developing sustainable communities? Listening to nature, celebrating life, discerning your role and creating your dream. • Ecological: Bioregionalism, defining a watershed, introduction to local food issues and permaculture techniques. • Social: Building and embracing diversity, introductory communication skills. • Economic: Shifting the global economy to sustainability, understanding the global versus local argument, analyzing your ecological foot print careers in sustainability. • Hands-on activities: Establishment and management of demo plot/garden for organic vegetable production, establishment of demo plot of free range/organic chicken.

🏠 Accommodation on site

Accommodation will be at the Youth hostel. Volunteers should expect to share rooms with other volunteers. There is also option of camping outside especially when received good number of volunteers. Three meals will be provided at accommodation where volunteer will enjoy actively participation in meals preparation, dish washing and kitchen cleaning. For sustainability reasons, we will consume only food available in the area/Region. However vegetarian meals will be available.

🍲 Food

To promote sustainability and offer an authentic cultural experience, meals will be prepared using fresh, locally sourced ingredients available in the region. The cuisine is heavily influenced by Swahili coastal traditions, featuring dishes such as spiced rice (pilau), coconut-based curries, fresh seafood, and flatbreads like chapati. You will also enjoy an abundance of tropical fruits. Vegetarian meals can be provided upon request. Participating in the preparation of these meals is a fantastic way to learn about Tanzanian food and culture firsthand.

📍 About the location

Mafia Island is a Tanzanian archipelago in the Indian Ocean known for its pristine environment, rich marine life, and peaceful, less-touristy atmosphere. It is known as well as a premier destination for diving and snorkeling in the protected Mafia Island Marine Park facilitating and boasting diverse coral reefs and fish species, and is also a popular spot for whale shark sightings. The population of Mafia Island is estimated to be 66,180 people based on the 2022 census data. The majority of the residents are fishermen or smallholder farmers, with the main town being Kilindoni. Mafia Island is accessible by both Air and water transportation. Flights primarily depart from Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) to Mafia Airport (MFA), a journey of approximately 30-40 minutes. The ferry departs from Nyamisati village on the mainland to Kilindoni sea Port in Mafia Island. Mafia Island enjoys access to most social services like health, banking, Markets and business centers are available and accessible. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are free, however, volunteers are advised to have an allowance of extra 2-3 days before or after the project to enjoy the most of Mafia Island. The most enjoyable activities on Mafia Island are related to its abundant marine life, including swimming with whale sharks and diving in the Mafia Marine Park, but also include cultural and historical exploration, such as visiting the Kua Ruins and the lighthouse at Ras Mkumbi. Relaxation on the beaches, taking a sunset cruise, or kayaking are also popular option.

🎒 Leisure activities

During your free time on weekends and public holidays, Mafia Island offers a wealth of incredible experiences. We recommend extending your stay by 2-3 days before or after the project to fully explore the island's treasures. Popular activities include:

Marine Exploration: Swimming with whale sharks (typically from October to March), diving or snorkelling in the protected Mafia Island Marine Park.
Cultural and Historical Tours: Visiting the ancient Kua Ruins on Juani Island or exploring the historic lighthouse at Ras Mkumbi on the northern tip of the island.
Relaxation and Nature: Unwinding on pristine, quiet beaches, taking a traditional dhow boat for a sunset cruise, or kayaking through the calm coastal waters.

⚠️ Requirements

Volunteers are required to submit a motivation letter outlining their interest in the project, along with their travel information.

🤝 Meeting point

Volunteers are required to submit a motivation letter outlining their interest in the project, along with their travel information.

ℹ️ Additional information

16–99 years old

Solidarity donation

300.00 EUR

French tax residents may be eligible for a tax reduction of up to 66% of their costs (membership, plane tickets, solidarity donation).

📍 Location

Mafia Island, Tanzania

TANZANIA

🌍 Location info

Local currency

Tanzanian Shilling (TZS / Sh)

Exchange rate

1 TZS = 0.000339 EUR

Rate as of 31/05/2026

Timezone

East Africa Time

Local time: 21:08 (12/11/2026)

🛡️ Before you leave

Security information

📞 Contact us

[email protected]

+32 2 888 67 13

Contact form

✅ Features

🏠 Accommodation

Collective

🗣️ Languages spoken

English Swahili