We accept volunteer applications on a rolling basis to Western Tanzania (Katavi, Rukwa, and Tabora). Responsibilities vary per shifting program needs but include a combination of the following
(all necessary training is provided):

• Help to organize environmental education videos in schools and in villages bordering protected areas.

• Work with Tanzanian staff to develop basic computer skills.

• Help with outreach and fundraising activities.

• Help with teaching environmental education to youth both in schools and in informal outdoor settings.

• To engage in social-cultural activities to create and promote value for live lions to the Sukuma communities around protected areas in our project area.

• Take part in community health programs in collaboration with the district government.

There will be days when you are extremely busy and return to camp exhausted; there will also be days that are slow when you will need to use your own initiative to find things that need to get done. To get the most out of your experience in Tanzania, we recommend you immerse yourself in the culture and try to learn some Swahili while you are here! Equally important is that you prepare well for your trip: obtain a good understanding of the general history and current status of Tanzania and its conservation successes and challenges, in addition to the specifics of the Western Tanzania landscape.

• Help to develop a growing network of libraries in local villages.

• Monitor and identify wildlife inside the park and in the Wildlife Management area; this growing database will allow us to monitor the local wildlife population over time.

• Help youth and women to develop new ideas in sustainable income-generating activities.

• Identify and map human-wildlife conflict events using recommended data collection tools.

Being independent, adaptable, personable, willing to work hard, and taking initiative is what we expect from you while on the project, finding ways to contribute rather than waiting to be asked. If you are so inspired, you will even be encouraged to develop your small project(s) while in Tanzania, provided it is within the scope of our work and compatible with our mission. Volunteering with Landscape and Conservation Mentors (LCMO) represents a unique opportunity to gain experience working with community development projects in Western Tanzania. Your experience will be trustworthy, and your contribution will be meaningful.

There will also be a possibility for volunteers to participate in game drives in Katavi National Park and possibly other wildlife areas in the landscape. Katavi is the fifth largest park in Tanzania (4471 sq. km) and represents one of the country’s most biologically rich and ecologically important regions. You can expect to closely observe elephants, lions, hippos, giraffes, zebra, impalas, and sometimes leopards, as well as a great variety of birds and other small mammals.

A volunteer will also be required to make a small contribution as program fees. Program fees cover your accommodation, local transportation, and food in the field. Please note that all of our facilities in the field are very basic, and higher-end accommodation can be arranged at additional cost. Volunteers are also responsible for airfare to and from Tanzania (and also to western Tanzania if one wishes but other forms of transport are also available at affordable prices), travel visas, transfers and accommodation in Dar es Salaam, medical/evacuation insurance, and vaccinations. We ask that you please wait to submit your application materials until you are sure of your ability to cover these costs.

Field Work & Conditions:

Living conditions are basic but adaptable and enjoyable. Electricity and water are available. Internet is also available and one will be required to get a local sim card.

Fieldwork and implementation take place in remote rural villages throughout Mpimbwe, Mlele, Nkasi, Nsimbo, Sikonge, Kaliua, Tanganyika, and Urambo districts councils, in areas identified for lion occurrence and possible human-lion conflict but also affected by increasing habitat degradation. This will necessitate some nights staying away from the project base in Mpimbwe/Sikonge in local guest houses or tents.

Required Qualifications:

• Interest in *wildlife research and conservation, *community development, and *environmental education

• Interest in and respect for different cultures

• Fluency in English, both written and spoken

• Comfortable living in remote areas under very basic living conditions

Preferred Qualifications:
 

Experience traveling or working internationally, preferably in a developing nation.

To learn more about the vital role volunteers play in our day-to-day activities, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

Application Process:

Send a resume and cover letter describing how you meet the qualifications listed above, the reason you are interested in this position, and the time commitment you can make (including rough dates of your availability) to conservation@lcmo.or.tz

Thank you for your interest in volunteering!