Global Health & Clinical Care - Zanzibar

Work alongside Tanzanian doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals while experiencing hospital care and Global Health in a completely different healthcare setting.

Course Information

Gain Real-World Clinical Experience in Zanzibar

Step inside Zanzibar’s healthcare system and gain first-hand experience working alongside Tanzanian doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals in a local hospital environment. Depending on your background, experience and supervision, you’ll have opportunities to rotate through areas such as outpatient care, emergency and trauma, general medicine, surgery and other clinical departments, seeing how healthcare is delivered in a setting where resources, disease profiles and patient needs can be very different from those at home. 

Your role develops according to your existing skills and level of study, with opportunities to observe, learn and assist local teams where appropriate and permitted. Alongside your clinical placement, you’ll explore the wider realities of Global Health — from infectious and non-communicable disease to health education, resource limitations and access to care — connecting what you see in the hospital with your Academy learning and Legacy Project.

Your package at a glance

We’ve designed the Academy to take care of almost everything from the moment you leave home to your day-to-day life in Tanzania. Your program fee brings together international flights, accommodation, meals, your internship and Diploma, Academy learning, local transport and support, plus safari, cultural experiences and weekly adventures — so you can focus on the experience rather than constantly organising and paying for extras.

Includes

Almost everything you need for your 6 or 12 weeks in Tanzania is built into your Adventure Academy fee.

Excludes

A small number of personal and independent costs remain outside your Academy program.

Meet the 12-week academy.

Your 12 weeks are designed as a journey — from settling into island life and building real relationships at your internship, to developing a partner-led Legacy Project and putting your learning into action. Along the way, Zanzibar Adventure Days, cultural experiences and one epic two-week journey across mainland Tanzania make travel and adventure part of the learning itself.

ARRIVE · LISTEN · LEARN · CONNECT

Settle into Academy life in Zanzibar, meet your placement team and begin building genuine relationships. Through your internship, Global Citizenship learning and island cultural experiences, you'll start understanding the people, place and context behind your work before deciding how you can contribute.

Weeks 1–3

PARTICIPATE · DISCOVER · GROW

Become increasingly involved in your internship as your confidence and understanding grow. Alongside your placement partner, you'll begin exploring real challenges and identifying where your Legacy Project could make a useful, sustainable contribution.

Weeks 4–5

COLLABORATE · CREATE · MAKE AN IMPACT

Turn ideas into action through your partner-led Legacy Project. Co-design, build, test and refine something your placement has identified as genuinely useful — while continuing your internship, Academy learning and adventures across Zanzibar.

Week 6-8

THE GREAT TANZANIA OVERLAND ADVENTURE

Leave island life behind for two unforgettable weeks across mainland Tanzania — from the Swahili Coast and Usambara Mountains to Arusha, Kilimanjaro country, Ngorongoro, the Serengeti and Lake Victoria, before returning home to Zanzibar.

Weeks 9–10

RETURN · REFINE · HAND OVER · CELEBRATE

Return to your internship to see how your project works without you, make final improvements and hand it over properly. Your final weeks bring everything together through reflection, Diploma completion, graduation and one last celebration with your Academy crew.

Weeks 11–12

Meet the 6-week adventure academy.

Can’t commit to the full 12 weeks? Our 6-Week Fast-Track Academy brings together your internship, Global Citizenship Diploma, Legacy Project, island life and one signature mainland adventure in a more intensive format. You’ll move from learning to action faster, while still having time to build relationships, contribute meaningfully and experience both Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania.

ARRIVE · CONNECT · GET INVOLVED

Settle into island life, meet your placement team and quickly move from orientation into hands-on participation. Global Citizenship learning and cultural experiences help you understand the context behind your work as you begin identifying your Legacy Project.

Weeks 1–2

COLLABORATE · CREATE · CONTRIBUTE

Work alongside your placement partner to co-design, build and test a focused Legacy Project, while continuing your internship, Academy workshops, cultural experiences and Zanzibar Adventure Days.

Weeks 3–4

COAST · MOUNTAINS · SAFARI

Cross to mainland Tanzania for your signature overland adventure — travelling through historic Bagamoyo and the Usambara Mountains before reaching Arusha for northern Tanzania adventures and a two-day Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater safari.

Week 5

RETURN · REFINE · HAND OVER

Return to Zanzibar for your final placement week, refine and hand over your Legacy Project, complete your Global Citizenship learning and finish with graduation, goodbyes and one last celebration with your Academy crew.

Week 6

PLACEMENT. LEARNING. ADVENTURE. REPEAT.

What does a week actually look like?

Your week balances regular placement experience with Global Citizenship learning, cultural activities, personal development, social time and Tanzania adventures. The exact rhythm can change around special experiences and program activities.

Monday

Placement day

Start the week with breakfast before heading to your internship placement, then spend the afternoon wrapping up placement activities, planning and enjoying some free time.

Tuesday

Global citizenship

Start with optional morning yoga before heading to placement, followed by an afternoon Global Citizenship workshop exploring culture, ethics, sustainability and responsible global action.

Wednesday

Culture & connection

Spend your morning at placement before switching into Tanzania mode with an afternoon of Swahili, cooking, art, music or another rotating cultural experience.

Thursday

Personal growth

Head to placement in the morning before an afternoon of personal growth, reflection and wellbeing, then switch off for Academy Social Night, drinks, games or Arusha nightlife.

Friday

Impact & Free Time

Spend the morning at placement or developing your Legacy Project, then enjoy a free afternoon for cafés, the pool, markets, the gym or whatever you feel like doing.

Saturday

Adventure day

Saturdays are made for exploring, with Academy adventures taking you to waterfalls, coffee country, hot springs, cultural experiences, cycling trips and beyond.

Sunday

Reset & recharge

Sleep in, enjoy a slow breakfast and spend the day by the pool, exploring Arusha, grabbing brunch or simply recharging with your Academy crew.

From First Step to Final Chapter — Ready to Start Your Tanzania Experience?

TANZANIA IS PART OF THE CURRICULUM.

Your project is only part of the adventure.

Living in Zanzibar means the Indian Ocean is part of everyday Academy life. Between your internship and learning, you’ll explore the island through ocean adventures, historic Stone Town, Swahili culture, spice country and tropical coastlines — before swapping island life for one epic journey across mainland Tanzania.

The great tanzania overland

Leave Zanzibar for the Academy’s biggest adventure, crossing the Swahili Coast, Usambara Mountains and northern Tanzania before safari.

Safari blue ocean day

Explore Stone Town’s winding streets, markets and history before crossing the water to Prison Island and its famous giant tortoises.

Stone town & prison island

Explore Stone Town’s winding streets, markets and history before crossing the water to Prison Island and its famous giant tortoises.

Jozani forest & nature

Discover Jozani Forest, home to Zanzibar’s endemic red colobus monkeys, tropical forest, mangroves and unique island ecosystems.

Spice island experience

Discover Zanzibar’s spice heritage, learning how cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and tropical fruits are grown and how trade shaped the island.

Nungwi & dhow culture

Head north to Nungwi for beaches, traditional dhow-building, fishing culture and a completely different side of island life.

Snorkelling & island life

Swap the classroom for turquoise water with snorkelling, swimming and ocean adventures across Zanzibar’s spectacular Indian Ocean coastline.

Swahili culture & life

Go beyond the beaches through Swahili food, language, local communities, markets and cultural experiences that reveal everyday island life.

Beach days & adventures

Enjoy beach afternoons, sunsets, spontaneous plans and plenty of time exploring Zanzibar with your Academy crew and friends.

Accomodation

Your home in Zanzibar

For the next 6 or 12 weeks, this is more than somewhere you sleep — it’s home. Based in Paje on Zanzibar’s beautiful east coast, your Academy home is a secure, social tropical base with comfortable shared rooms, private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, 24/7 security, a large swimming pool, island-style restaurant, bar and plenty of spaces to relax, study or hang out with your Academy crew. You’ll be right in the heart of Paje, surrounded by local life, cafés, restaurants and shops, with the Indian Ocean just a few minutes away.

It’s also the heart of Academy life — workshops and cultural afternoons around the property, lazy hours by the pool, shared meals at the restaurant, movie and games nights, drinks at the bar, music, social nights and plenty of spontaneous plans with the people you’ll quickly call friends. After placement, island adventures or days exploring Zanzibar, you’ll always have somewhere familiar to come back to — your own little home on the island.

COME HOME WITH MORE THAN MEMORIES.

Turn your Tanzania experience into real-world value

Subject to successful completion of the required academic components, you’ll work towards an accredited Level 3 Diploma in Global Citizenship in Global Health.

Alongside your qualification, you’ll build practical experience working within Tanzanian hospital settings, alongside local professionals and develop a collaborative Legacy Project, and strengthen the communication, teamwork, leadership and cross-cultural skills that can support your future study and career.

Accredited learning

Work towards a Level 3 Diploma in Global Citizenship in Global Health, giving your international clinical experience a recognised educational outcome alongside your placement.

Practical experience

Gain first-hand experience within a Zanzibar hospital, learning alongside Tanzanian doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals across different clinical departments.

Skills for your future

Build communication, adaptability, cultural awareness and professional confidence while learning to work responsibly across cultures and within unfamiliar healthcare environments.

Understand Global Health

Explore how disease, resources, culture and access to healthcare influence patient care, developing a broader understanding of health beyond your own healthcare system.

OUR INTERNSHIP PATHWAYS

Choose your global citizenship pathway

Frequently asked questions

This program is designed for students, graduates and qualified participants in medicine, nursing, public health and other relevant healthcare fields. Your role is always matched to your education, experience and professional scope. Less experienced participants may focus more heavily on observation and learning, while appropriately qualified participants may assist more under local supervision.

You’ll learn alongside Tanzanian doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals within a local hospital. Depending on your background, supervision and current hospital activities, you may observe or appropriately assist across outpatient care, emergency and trauma, general medicine, surgery and other departments while learning how healthcare is delivered in Zanzibar.

Yes. Where appropriate, the internship is designed to expose you to different areas of Zanzibar’s healthcare system rather than one single department. Rotations depend on your background, hospital requirements, supervision and current needs, but may include outpatient care, emergency, general medicine, surgery and other available clinical departments.

During the first part of your internship, you'll focus on listening, learning and understanding what your placement actually needs. You'll then work collaboratively with your placement and Academy team to develop a practical project that can remain useful after you leave. This might relate to learning resources, classroom activities, educational programming, teacher support or another need identified by your placement. The project isn't predetermined - its based on what you find is most in need, and something tangible that can be used for long after you leave. Something centred around contributing to ideas, knowledge and education.

Ethical volunteering is about more than simply arriving and wanting to help. Healthcare and Global Development are complex, culturally sensitive and involve vulnerable people. That’s why your clinical placement is combined with Global Citizenship training exploring ethics, culture, power, sustainability and capacity building.

We believe ethical volunteering is 50% the project and 50% how you approach it. You’ll learn alongside local professionals rather than replacing them, understand the limits of your role and develop the cultural awareness needed to participate responsibly.

We also work with dedicated partners over the long term, and with a focus on capacity building & supporting education and awareness, we are able to make a culturally relevant and sustainable long term impact - rather than short term fixes.

You’ll live at our staffed, secure Academy home in Paje with 24/7 support, Wi-Fi, a pool, restaurant and bar. The beach, cafés, restaurants, shops and local community are nearby, giving you plenty of independence outside your program.

You’ll receive orientation covering transport, cultural customs, appropriate dress, nightlife and everyday safety. Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim, and learning to navigate local life respectfully is part of the experience itself.

Join Our Programs!

Please apply using the application form below, and our team will be in touch shortly.