Where
Stone Town, Zanzibar
When
Departures every week, all year round (excluding holiday closures)
Duration
From 1 week
Accommodation
Shared or private rooms in the volunteer house, with meals included
Language
Basic English is enough
Ideal for
Anyone who enjoys hands-on work, wants to contribute in a tangible way and would like to see local life in Zanzibar
Project details
A construction project in Stone Town schools
In Zanzibar, many schools in the villages around Stone Town need work: classrooms to renovate, furniture to repair, outdoor spaces to make more welcoming and useful for the students.
This project is set up to make a practical difference to learning conditions, giving local schools safer, better-kept spaces. Each piece of work is planned with the community, to respond to real needs.
You'll work alongside local craftspeople and coordinators on bricklaying, painting, tiling, carpentry, gardening and decorative work. No prior experience needed, you'll pick it up on site.
Each day is different, but the result is always visible: a brighter classroom, a tidier courtyard, a fixed desk. Small things that change the day-to-day for hundreds of children.
A grounded, hands-on experience in the heart of an island that has plenty to show beyond the beaches.
This project is set up to make a practical difference to learning conditions, giving local schools safer, better-kept spaces. Each piece of work is planned with the community, to respond to real needs.
You'll work alongside local craftspeople and coordinators on bricklaying, painting, tiling, carpentry, gardening and decorative work. No prior experience needed, you'll pick it up on site.
Each day is different, but the result is always visible: a brighter classroom, a tidier courtyard, a fixed desk. Small things that change the day-to-day for hundreds of children.
A grounded, hands-on experience in the heart of an island that has plenty to show beyond the beaches.
Renovate schools and build better spaces for learning
A construction project in Stone Town schools
In Zanzibar, many schools in the villages around Stone Town need work: classrooms to renovate, furniture to repair, outdoor spaces to make more welcoming and useful for the students.
This project is set up to make a practical difference to learning conditions, giving local schools safer, better-kept spaces. Each piece of work is planned with the community, to respond to real needs.
You'll work alongside local craftspeople and coordinators on bricklaying, painting, tiling, carpentry, gardening and decorative work. No prior experience needed, you'll pick it up on site.
Each day is different, but the result is always visible: a brighter classroom, a tidier courtyard, a fixed desk. Small things that change the day-to-day for hundreds of children.
A grounded, hands-on experience in the heart of an island that has plenty to show beyond the beaches.
This project is set up to make a practical difference to learning conditions, giving local schools safer, better-kept spaces. Each piece of work is planned with the community, to respond to real needs.
You'll work alongside local craftspeople and coordinators on bricklaying, painting, tiling, carpentry, gardening and decorative work. No prior experience needed, you'll pick it up on site.
Each day is different, but the result is always visible: a brighter classroom, a tidier courtyard, a fixed desk. Small things that change the day-to-day for hundreds of children.
A grounded, hands-on experience in the heart of an island that has plenty to show beyond the beaches.
Why participate
Build something that lasts
Renovate classrooms, repair furniture and improve school buildings with your own hands, creating safer, more welcoming spaces where students can learn.
Why participate
Build something that lasts
Renovate classrooms, repair furniture and improve school buildings with your own hands, creating safer, more welcoming spaces where students can learn.
Pick up practical skills
Bricklaying, carpentry, painting: build hands-on skills working on real sites, with experienced local coordinators to guide you.
The Weekly Program
Weekdays
From Monday to Friday, your days are dedicated to construction and renovation work at the schools in the villages around Stone Town. You'll work around 4–5 hours a day, with a mid-morning break.
The day starts with breakfast at the house, followed by the transfer to the work site. With the local coordinator and foreman to guide you, you'll work on bricklaying, painting, tiling, carpentry, gardening or decorative work, depending on what's needed that day.
After lunch back at the house there's time to rest, and in the afternoon you can either carry on with the activities or take some free time. Wednesdays are usually for a beach trip and Thursdays for a cultural activity (an Afro dance lesson, traditional drumming or an evening BBQ).
The weekend is free: you can explore Stone Town, relax on the island's beaches or join a tour of the spice plantations.
07:00Breakfast and getting ready for the day
08:00Arrive at the work site, briefing and start of the construction work
10:00Mid-morning break and back to it: painting, bricklaying, carpentry
12:30Lunch break and rest during the hottest hours
14:00Afternoon activities or free time
19:00Back to the centre, shared dinner and time with the group
Weekend
Weekends are free of set activities. You can explore the area, plan a short trip, or just take it easy with the other volunteers.
Wander through Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Get lost in narrow lanes, carved doorways and spice markets in one of East Africa's most striking towns.
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FAQs
During your stay in Zanzibar you'll live in the volunteer house, a simple but welcoming place in the Chukwani area, a few minutes from Stone Town and a half-hour walk from Buyu beach. The house has shared rooms (2–8 people) separated by gender, shared bathrooms, a kitchen and a common area for socialising.
There's no Wi-Fi, hot water or air conditioning, but rooms have fans and the setting is built for a grounded experience close to local life. To stay connected for messages, calls and maps, you can pick up a local SIM easily after you arrive.
Rooms have beds with linen provided, lockable doors, and there's a small shop 5 minutes away on foot for anything you might need. The shared spaces are cleaned at weekends, and everyone is encouraged to keep things tidy in between.
🛏️ What's included:
- Shared rooms
- 3 meals a day on weekdays, 2 at weekends
- Drinking water available
- Ongoing support from the local team
- Lockable rooms and a fan
- Quiet, safe setting close to Stone Town
The volunteer house is also a meeting point: you'll live alongside other participants from all over the world, sharing experiences, meals and everyday moments in an open, friendly atmosphere.
There's no Wi-Fi, hot water or air conditioning, but rooms have fans and the setting is built for a grounded experience close to local life. To stay connected for messages, calls and maps, you can pick up a local SIM easily after you arrive.
Rooms have beds with linen provided, lockable doors, and there's a small shop 5 minutes away on foot for anything you might need. The shared spaces are cleaned at weekends, and everyone is encouraged to keep things tidy in between.
🛏️ What's included:
- Shared rooms
- 3 meals a day on weekdays, 2 at weekends
- Drinking water available
- Ongoing support from the local team
- Lockable rooms and a fan
- Quiet, safe setting close to Stone Town
The volunteer house is also a meeting point: you'll live alongside other participants from all over the world, sharing experiences, meals and everyday moments in an open, friendly atmosphere.
Your safety is something we take seriously. All our programmes are chosen and monitored carefully so you can settle in to a welcoming and well-supported environment, both at the schools where you'll work and at the volunteer house.
🔹 Background checks and safe spaces
To keep everyone settled, every participant is asked to provide a criminal record check (DBS or equivalent) before travelling. This protects the children and communities involved in the project. The whole process is done online and we'll guide you through it.
🔹 High safety standards
We only work with schools and communities that offer welcoming, reliable and well-structured settings for international volunteers. The buildings are in safe areas, with controlled access and the local team always on hand. Our partners host more than 2,000 travellers a year globally, with the youngest at 14 and the oldest 70+, and are well used to looking after the full range.
🔹 24/7 support
From the moment you arrive through to the end of your trip, you can count on the local staff being available for anything you need, evenings and weekends included. Our UK team is also reachable on WhatsApp whenever you need us.
🔹 Briefing and orientation
Before you travel, you'll get a full guide with all the practical info on culture, behaviour and safety. On your first day on site, you'll join an orientation briefing with helpful pointers for getting comfortable.
🔹 A few sensible habits
Zanzibar is warm and welcoming, but as anywhere a few simple habits go a long way:
- Dress respectfully of local culture, especially outside the tourist zones (cover shoulders and knees).
- Avoid showing valuables or large amounts of cash in public.
- Always follow your local coordinator's advice and don't wander off on your own in areas you don't know.
💡 Our aim is to give you a safe, well-supported and welcoming environment, so you can focus on what really matters: a meaningful experience with grounded local exchange.
🔹 Background checks and safe spaces
To keep everyone settled, every participant is asked to provide a criminal record check (DBS or equivalent) before travelling. This protects the children and communities involved in the project. The whole process is done online and we'll guide you through it.
🔹 High safety standards
We only work with schools and communities that offer welcoming, reliable and well-structured settings for international volunteers. The buildings are in safe areas, with controlled access and the local team always on hand. Our partners host more than 2,000 travellers a year globally, with the youngest at 14 and the oldest 70+, and are well used to looking after the full range.
🔹 24/7 support
From the moment you arrive through to the end of your trip, you can count on the local staff being available for anything you need, evenings and weekends included. Our UK team is also reachable on WhatsApp whenever you need us.
🔹 Briefing and orientation
Before you travel, you'll get a full guide with all the practical info on culture, behaviour and safety. On your first day on site, you'll join an orientation briefing with helpful pointers for getting comfortable.
🔹 A few sensible habits
Zanzibar is warm and welcoming, but as anywhere a few simple habits go a long way:
- Dress respectfully of local culture, especially outside the tourist zones (cover shoulders and knees).
- Avoid showing valuables or large amounts of cash in public.
- Always follow your local coordinator's advice and don't wander off on your own in areas you don't know.
💡 Our aim is to give you a safe, well-supported and welcoming environment, so you can focus on what really matters: a meaningful experience with grounded local exchange.
🧭 Orientation day
Your time in Zanzibar starts with a full day of orientation, a chance to settle in, get to know the local context and start the project confidently.
On your first Monday, you'll join a series of activities led by the local team:
- Welcome meeting, programme introduction and house rules
- Practical tips on health, safety and local etiquette
- A short introduction to Zanzibari culture, a few first words in Swahili and small local pointers
- A walk around the area, with practical info on supermarkets, transport and where to get a local SIM
- A basic Swahili lesson and a guided walk around Stone Town in the afternoon
Orientation is also when you start finding your group with the other volunteers, sharing your reasons for coming and getting useful pointers from people who know the area well.
📌 After this introductory day, from Tuesday you'll be into the construction activities. By the end of day one you'll already feel part of the community.
Your time in Zanzibar starts with a full day of orientation, a chance to settle in, get to know the local context and start the project confidently.
On your first Monday, you'll join a series of activities led by the local team:
- Welcome meeting, programme introduction and house rules
- Practical tips on health, safety and local etiquette
- A short introduction to Zanzibari culture, a few first words in Swahili and small local pointers
- A walk around the area, with practical info on supermarkets, transport and where to get a local SIM
- A basic Swahili lesson and a guided walk around Stone Town in the afternoon
Orientation is also when you start finding your group with the other volunteers, sharing your reasons for coming and getting useful pointers from people who know the area well.
📌 After this introductory day, from Tuesday you'll be into the construction activities. By the end of day one you'll already feel part of the community.
For an easy start, we'd recommend booking your flight into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ) in Zanzibar, ideally on a Saturday or Sunday, between 06:00 and 21:00. That's when our pickup and transfer to Stone Town runs.
If you arrive on a Saturday, you'll need to book an extra night at the house (small supplement applies).
If you arrive after 21:00, the pickup is still possible, with a small extra fee for the late hour.
Arriving very early or very late? Not a problem: you can either get a taxi yourself or pre-arrange a private transfer (always with a small supplement). Either way, please send us your flight details as soon as you book so we can sort out the right support.
On arrival, you'll find a member of our team waiting at a clearly marked meeting point outside the terminal, holding a sign with your name or our local partner's name. We'll send you all the practical info by email once your booking is confirmed.
📱 A quick tip: pick up a local SIM at the airport so you can stay in touch with the local team, the other volunteers and people back home.
The drive from the airport to the volunteer house takes about 30 minutes, and you may share it with other participants arriving around the same time.
If for any reason you can't spot the team straight away at the meeting point, stay where you are and we'll find you. The emergency contacts will be sent through after you book, along with the full instructions.
🚖 Heading home: return flight tips
When the project finishes, check-out from the volunteer house is by 12:00 on the Saturday. The return transfer to the airport (or anywhere else) isn't included, since there are usually lots of people leaving at different times and only a small coordination team.
That said, our team will happily help you book a taxi or share a private transfer with the others heading back at the same time.
We'd suggest booking your return flight for Saturday afternoon or evening, so you can leave the house in your own time and get to the airport without rushing (about 30 minutes by car).
🗓️ Carrying on with your trip elsewhere? Let us know in advance and we'll share useful tips so your departure goes smoothly.
💡 Once your booking is confirmed, we'll email you a detailed pre-departure pack with all the practical info and emergency contacts.
If you arrive on a Saturday, you'll need to book an extra night at the house (small supplement applies).
If you arrive after 21:00, the pickup is still possible, with a small extra fee for the late hour.
Arriving very early or very late? Not a problem: you can either get a taxi yourself or pre-arrange a private transfer (always with a small supplement). Either way, please send us your flight details as soon as you book so we can sort out the right support.
On arrival, you'll find a member of our team waiting at a clearly marked meeting point outside the terminal, holding a sign with your name or our local partner's name. We'll send you all the practical info by email once your booking is confirmed.
📱 A quick tip: pick up a local SIM at the airport so you can stay in touch with the local team, the other volunteers and people back home.
The drive from the airport to the volunteer house takes about 30 minutes, and you may share it with other participants arriving around the same time.
If for any reason you can't spot the team straight away at the meeting point, stay where you are and we'll find you. The emergency contacts will be sent through after you book, along with the full instructions.
🚖 Heading home: return flight tips
When the project finishes, check-out from the volunteer house is by 12:00 on the Saturday. The return transfer to the airport (or anywhere else) isn't included, since there are usually lots of people leaving at different times and only a small coordination team.
That said, our team will happily help you book a taxi or share a private transfer with the others heading back at the same time.
We'd suggest booking your return flight for Saturday afternoon or evening, so you can leave the house in your own time and get to the airport without rushing (about 30 minutes by car).
🗓️ Carrying on with your trip elsewhere? Let us know in advance and we'll share useful tips so your departure goes smoothly.
💡 Once your booking is confirmed, we'll email you a detailed pre-departure pack with all the practical info and emergency contacts.
Book your spot
1
Send your application (free)
Pick the project you like the look of and tell us when you'd like to travel. No commitment, the application is free and non-binding.
2
Meet your coordinator
After your application, we'll put you in touch with your dedicated coordinator. They'll walk you through everything and answer your questions.
3
Confirm your spot
When you're ready, pay the deposit to lock in your spot. You'll get everything you need: local contacts, a visa guide and your pre-trip pack.
4
Off you go
Pack your bag and travel. On arrival you'll find other travellers like you, a welcoming local team, and a trip you'll be talking about for a while.
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