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Info on Fees & Registration

Your registration fee and placement fee give you assurance that your placement is organised and accommodation is covered for your trip.

Why do I need to pay a registration fee?

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The registration fee covers the work done to help prepare for your trip before you arrive. Our team is very involved in coordinating every step before and during your trip, spending as much time and as many hours as you need to help you prepare. We also take time to speak with our projects directly for each individual so they are ready for you when you arrive. This takes many hours and a lot of work to prepare.

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Why are medical registration fees paid?

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This is because some programs (Specialist Medicine i.e Orthopaedics placement for example) take more time and work to organise. They involve other coordinators, supervisors and District Medical Officers and government administrators to confirm just one placement​​​​. This is not only to ensure that our medical interns are working legally in their facility, but are safe to work with patients in Africa where cultural barriers exist and more importantly safe guard vulnerable local people from harm.

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Why are the medical practice fee different in Tanzania?

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This is set by the local health administrators and depends on which type of hospital you are going to work for. The largest hospitals are very busy referral centres that have most of the medical specialisations and their health administration team require more checks to register you and more supervisors to work with you. For our organisation they also employ medical supervisors who will take the time to translate and work with you directly to ensure you are working safely and there are no miscommunications.

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Why do I need to pay a placement fee?

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The placement fee covers everything else that will be arranged for your trip. This includes your airport transfer, where you will stay, breakfast and dinner, amenities, local coordination and a placement administrative fees. All these aspects require planning, services from local people and need to be covered.

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Why do some placement require a placement contribution?

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Some placements are a much more formal professional setting require a fee to be paid to the administrators to register you as a voluntary worker there. Some may require you to have a private translator to be able to do your work and communicate effectively with the people you are you working. The contribution will cover one or the other of these two aspects. You will always be told before you apply if there is a need for a contribution.

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Why are the payments not all included in one package?

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There is a team of people locally involved in coordinating even just one placement for every volunteer who are also compensated for their talents and services to our program. We have separated these cover fees to ensure our volunteers know where their money is going which is important.  A break down allows for transparency and shows we are working fairly with the services we offer.​

Also:

  1. Tanzania hospital participation fee dependent at the facility​

  2. Please be aware that practising/qualified doctors/physicians will need to be registered with the Medical Council of Tanganyika. This is for qualified people who are not volunteering for exchange/research/learning purposes: This is your sole responsibility to organise as a practitioner. https://www.mct.go.tz/

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What is the refund policy?

 

We want to avoid cancellations as much as you do, we want you to volunteer abroad. However, once a project fee has been paid we cannot offer you a full refund. This is because the majority of your payment will already have been committed to your stay abroad before you arrive. Therefore, this payment will not be fully recovered once a commitment by all parties have been made.

 

There are no refunds available for registration fees. Your registration fee may be retained as a future booking fee.

Refunds apply to placement fee payments only. Refunds are not automatically given for cancellations. Written notice must be made of reasonable circumstances pertaining to cancellation. Once all parties are in agreement with the cancellation, the following applies:

Cancellation more than 60 days before your date of arrival: 50% of placement fee 

Cancellation 31 days to 59 days before arrival: 40% of placement fee 

Cancellation 30 days or less before arrival: no placement fee refund

Cancellation on or after agreed arrival date: no placement fee refund

If you were referred to us via a primary agent, a refund claim must be made through your agent.

Should we not be able to come to a resolution with you in regards to changes, cancellations or amendments during your stay abroad we reserve the right to excuse you from our services and will no longer be responsible for your stay, including accommodation, supervision or coordination. Any loss or costs incurred will no longer be our responsibility. Any loss or costs including changes of departure date, flight bookings or stay outside of your agreed program is your responsibility. We will not be responsible for any costs incurred as a result of your cancellations or changes.

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Changing Medical Placements

​We tend to be very flexible on amendments and will make every effort to work to your comfort, we really want you to volunteer. We understand that plans change, culture shock is a real thing and you're going on a big, often anxious journey all the way to Africa. However, once you've started your placement please be aware that you are making a commitment to this placement and its people. It is a huge disappointment for project partners when there is inconsistency or a volunteer quits their placement. Therefore should you wish to amend/change your placement during your agreed placement time, there will be an administration fee of $80 USD. Please remember that we are not obliged to immediately place you elsewhere and any amendments or changes to placement remains at our discretion.

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Why do I need to pay to change if I'm not happy with my placement?

This is because work is still involved in changing your placement. This requires service hours to register you and orientate you to a new placement facility. We will be very involved in the entire process and make sure you are full supported and accompanied to your new placement.

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