FAQ

We primarily place medical students, but we also accommodate medical professionals such as doctors, obstetricians, nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists, laboratory specialists, and many more. Liuli welcomes volunteers from a wide range of professions. If you are interested, please send us an inquiry

If you want to work in a hospital, you need a work permit. However, a tourist visa is sufficient for entry. The easiest way to obtain this is as an e-visa a few days before departure. Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office (https://visa.immigration.go.tz). The visa-on-arrival, which could be easily obtained at the airport in Dar es Salaam for USD 50 until the beginning of 2022, is to be abolished. This means that this entry option is not guaranteed. Enter "Holiday" as the reason for travel on the visa. After your arrival in Liuli or on arrival in Songea, a work permit for 50 USD (to be paid in TSH) will be organized locally. There are occasional unannounced visits to the hospital by the relevant authorities to check whether everyone has a work permit. We will explain how to obtain a work permit before you arrive. We do not recommend organizing a work permit in advance at the embassy or airport. This procedure is very time-consuming and costly.

There are numerous flights to Dar es Salaam. Emirates, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines land in Dar es Salaam at midday or in the early afternoon. Turkish Airlines, Swiss Air and KLM in cooperation with Air France and Kenya Airways land in the late evening or at night. Airline prices vary depending on the season and time of booking. You should budget between 600 and 1000 euros for the return flight. Transfer from the airport: There are no buses from the airport to the city. Cabs at the airport have fixed prices and are relatively expensive. We will be happy to arrange a driver for you before your trip who will pick you up at the airport and then take care of the first necessary errands with you (SIM card, cash, bus tickets, accommodation, etc.). Depending on the time of day and traffic volume, the driver currently charges around 40-50 euros (not per person, but per group of max. 2-3 people) for the organization and transfer from the airport with the stopovers to the hotel. This is an offer to you. It is quite possible to get from the airport to the hotel by Uber for less than 30,000 TZS. You can also buy a SIM card yourself at one of the official Vodacom stores (e.g. directly at the airport). ATMs can also be found on almost every corner (and on Google Maps). Regarding the bus ticket, however, we still recommend that you contact our driver in advance. Accommodation in Dar es Salaam: You can get good accommodation in Dar es Salaam for around 25-40 euros/double room. The low-budget hotels are less and less able to withstand the competitive pressure, so there are fewer and fewer of them, and the ones that are still on the market can only be recommended to a limited extent. We advise against choosing low-budget accommodation. You will usually be traveling with a lot of luggage and the security in cheap accommodation is questionable. For a short stay in Dar es Salaam, we therefore recommend staying in one of these new, relatively cheap accommodations (approx. 25-40 euros per night). Your driver can make a reservation for you in advance. You can plan the whole day for the bus trip to Songea (the bus departs from the Mbezi terminal in the early hours of the morning). After 900 km you will reach Songea between 10 pm and midnight, where you will be picked up again at the bus station and taken to your accommodation. The bus station is outside the town. For safety reasons, we recommend that you do not go to your accommodation in the middle of the night without a plan, especially if you are traveling with a lot of luggage. You are now in one of the economically poorest regions of the country. Large items of luggage often change hands under the cover of darkness. Alternative onward journey: Air Tanzania has been offering scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam (DAR) to Songea (SGX) again since the end of 2020. The flights take place 3 times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at around 9:40 in the morning. Arrival in Songea is approx. 1 ½ hours later. Fares start at around 90 euros each way and include a small piece of hand luggage and a piece of luggage weighing up to 23 kg. Incidentally, same-sex travel groups may not be allowed to sleep together in the same room in Songea.

A stay of 4 weeks in Liuli is recommended. For additional excursions, plan for 2 to 4 weeks, depending on your activities.

The association accepts a donation of 25 euros per person per week for accommodation at the hospital. This money is used for repairs and maintenance of your accommodation over time. For example, in 2020 and 2021, the water supply to the house was renewed, and minor repairs were necessary. Your cook and food cost 51,000 TSH per week. Additionally, there may be a BBQ or two with Joseph on the beach. You can purchase drinking water in Liuli, but the amount of plastic waste that needs to be incinerated is quite high. We therefore recommend bringing a water filter (e.g., Lifestraw), which makes tap water drinkable.

Doctor's House is located right next to the hospital grounds. It has two bedrooms, each with 2-3 beds, a living and dining room, a bathroom, a kitchen, and two smaller rooms, each with an additional bed. Originally built for European doctors, it is still considered the most beautiful house in the village. There is a solar panel on the roof for hot water. The bathroom includes a shower and a toilet. For several years now, there has been round-the-clock electricity for lighting and power outlets with German sockets (please note that only German sockets are available in Doctor's House; you will generally need a UK adapter for Tanzanian sockets in the hospital or other accommodations). Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided by a cook who also handles the laundry. The cost of living is 51,000 TSH per week, covering wages and food. Please note: We strongly recommend buying peanut butter and chocolate spread in Dar es Salaam or Songea—a real game changer for breakfast!

The best place to end the evening is on the beach at Joseph's Pub. Enjoying the sunset there and watching the starry sky by the campfire is an unforgettable experience. Swimming in Lake Nyasa during the day or just before sunset, or watching colorful fish while snorkeling at the Sphinx Rocks, are also popular activities. Water shoes are recommended for snorkeling. Several pubs in the village warmly welcome visitors. Soccer connects the whole community—when a Champions League or European league game is broadcast, 50-100 people quickly gather in the village to cheer for "their" team. You can also visit a school or kindergarten. Discover many other options on-site, and the hospital staff are always happy to help if you have any questions. For hikes in the Livingstone Mountains, boat trips, and other leisure activities, Joseph at the beach is the ideal contact person. You can spend relaxing evenings at Doctor's House with a book from our library; the current collection can be found at the bottom of this page.

Large wild animals, such as lions or elephants, can only be found in national parks, not at the hospital or in Liuli. Encounters with snakes are rare. In Lake Nyasa, crocodiles generally inhabit the rocks, but the last human fatality occurred around 15 years ago. The lake is considered bilharzia-free; however, there may be parasites in the water that can cause disease. In practice, people bathe in the lake daily without any issues. We have not heard of any serious incidents from students. Nevertheless, everyone should be aware of the risks. Cautious individuals take Praziquantel after a few weeks to eliminate any parasites. Occasionally, you may encounter a scorpion, but this is also rare. The most dangerous are the Anopheles mosquitoes, which, aside from the risk of contracting malaria, can cause numerous itchy bites.

A safari is both fun and an impressive experience. Costs vary widely, starting at around 300 euros with almost no upper limits. One recommendation is Ruaha National Park, which is less crowded and therefore quite affordable. So far, we have only had good experiences there. We recommend booking on-site through the hospital with an official local tour operator. Costs for a 3-day all-inclusive safari are approximately 500 USD, cheaper when traveling in groups. Mikumi National Park is on the way to Dar es Salaam. Here too, safaris can be pre-planned through the hospital. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a great experience lasting several days and costs around 1,500 euros. You are not allowed to climb the mountain alone; it must be done in a group with an organizer. In return, your luggage is carried, and food is provided. Mgorogoro Crater in northern Tanzania and the northern national parks (including the Serengeti) are also worth visiting but are very expensive (600-1,500 euros per person for 2-3 days). Climbing the volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai and visiting Lake Natron with its flamingos are unforgettable experiences. The island of Zanzibar is another recommendation! Explore Stone Town with the Forodhani Gardens, take a spice tour, swim with dolphins, snorkel, dive, visit a turtle island, and much more. Accommodation in Zanzibar is available from around 25 euros per room per night, including breakfast, but these are rarely good and safe. On the east coast, you can easily spend 50-80 euros per room per night. These are just a few of the many excellent guesthouses on the east coast. If you have a high budget, you can spend several thousand euros per night on a hotel in the northeast of the island. However, this option is more about living completely isolated from the outside world with a private beach rather than enjoying a typical vacation in Zanzibar.

In Dar es Salaam, Songea, and other large cities, there are dark corners that should be avoided. Walking on well-lit streets carries a normal level of risk. However, we generally recommend taking a taxi in the cities after dark—even for just a few hundred meters. In Liuli, you will quickly become known, as the area is not developed for tourism. Visitors to the hospital have a good reputation and are usually accompanied at night. The risk of muggings, etc., is low. In general, ensure that you do not carry valuables openly. Jewelry—even inexpensive pieces—only attracts unwanted attention. We don't want to spread fear or panic, but the important thing is not to flaunt your belongings.

In the big cities, English is widely spoken. In Liuli, most of the hospital staff also speak English. However, patients are mostly simple people from the surrounding area and often only speak Swahili, and in numerous dialects! Those who are enthusiastic about languages can easily acquire basic Swahili. For proper anamnesis, further study will be necessary. Nevertheless, it is still enjoyable to learn and use just a few words. Once you master the greetings, you will bring joy to many Tanzanians! Book Recommendations: Kauderwelsch Swahili from the Reise-Know-How series (ISBN: 9783831764266). Swahili Medical Dictionary and Phrasebook (ISBN: 9781847535900)

The cell phone network is very well developed along the major roads and in the towns, including Liuli. Prepaid cell phone cards are available (e.g. vodacom) at many street stalls, top-up cards on almost every street corner, or you can transfer credit from one telephone number to another. 1 minute phone calls within Tanzania cost the equivalent of approx. 3 cents, phone calls to Germany cost approx. 20 cents/min, Internet in large cities is available in 4G quality or better. Internet at the hospital is available in usable quality for messenger services, sometimes slightly better. Video calls are sometimes a bit choppy, watching movies is not possible. However, you can also go online with your laptop using a smartphone as a hotspot. Many guesthouses and restaurants in the cities offer free Wi-Fi. Your driver (see How does the journey work and what does it cost?) will be happy to get you a SIM card for the Tanzanian network. The card costs approx. 2000 TSH. At Vodacom, one of the providers with the best network coverage in Tanzania, a 30-day flat rate with 17 GB currently costs 35,000 TSH. [As of 07/2023] You will also need a British adapter for power sockets; only at Doctors House will you find sockets of the usual type.

Our placement and organization of the clinical traineeship in Liuli are completely free of charge. With the 25 euros per week for accommodation, you ensure that future students will also be able to enjoy a clinical traineeship in Liuli. Unfortunately, the hospital has limited financial resources, and the money is understandably invested primarily in patient care. We ask that you send us a short report on your experience, which we can publish anonymously on our homepage and through our social media channels. We would also appreciate feedback on the condition of the house and any areas where you see a need for renovation and improvement. Please transfer the voluntary accommodation fee to our account as a donation shortly before your arrival. If you would like to use the airport transfer service, funds for SIM cards and bus tickets can also be transferred to the driver in advance (preferably via Western Union). However, we will connect you with him (via WhatsApp), and you can clarify all the details directly.

We are often asked what you should take with you to hospital. Small gifts are always welcome. There are no limits to your imagination, except that you should bear in mind that the financial value that seems affordable to you may already be a great luxury in Liuli. Clothing (trousers/shirts/T-shirts - even if already worn) would be a possibility, sweets please only in moderation, no bulk purchases! Small items such as pens, notebooks/pad, bottle openers, practical items for everyday life are always well received. If you would like to take medication or medical equipment with you (e.g. stethoscopes, blood pressure monitors, etc.), please contact us in advance. From experience, we can say that bringing non-sterile gloves and disinfectant for your own use and as a donation is very useful. At the top of this page you will also find a list of recommendations (packing list). It is very important that no expired products or medicines may be imported into the country. There has been a ban on plastic bags in Tanzania since 2019. We do not know how this will be handled in Liuli if the authorities carry out an inspection. From our own experience, we can only report that in 2020 we had a garbage bag for dirty laundry in the car and had long discussions with a policeman during an inspection, which ended in us being able to avoid a not inconsiderable fine with a friendly conversation and a gift. We recommend that you bring non-sterile disposable gloves and hand sanitizer for your own use, as well as a stethoscope, pupil light and a reflex hammer if necessary. However, there are plenty of kasaks and pants available at Doctors House in various colors and sizes.

You can find this information on the page with details for interns and under the FAQ section "What Does a Stay in Liuli Cost?" Please note that there are no ATMs in Liuli, only in Mbambabay or Songea, which are many kilometers away. We recommend a weekly budget of around 200,000 TSH to be well-prepared. You can withdraw money without ATM operator fees (as of 2023) at KCB and DTB Bank.

Visa is accepted at almost every ATM, similar to Mastercard. American Express is not recommended as a payment method in Tanzania. ATMs dispense a maximum of 400,000 TSH per card per transaction, which is approximately 145 euros. Additionally, a fee of about 4.50 euros will be charged to your account. During your trip, you can find working ATMs in Songea and Mbinga (approximately 120 km before Liuli). There are also two ATMs in Mbamba Bay (approximately 35 km before Liuli), but they are very unreliable. Cash can also be exchanged in Dar es Salaam at slightly better rates in various exchange offices in the city center, but be aware that you will then be traveling in a large African city with lots of bills (the largest bill is 10,000 TSH, approximately 4 euros). In Liuli itself, you can only pay with Tanzanian shillings. Even in Songea, most stores and hotels/accommodations do not accept credit cards or foreign currencies. Additionally, Tanzanian shillings may not be imported from Germany. However, it is advisable to carry a few US dollars as a backup. Incidentally, you can withdraw money from KCB and CTB Bank without an ATM operator fee. Whether a currency conversion fee is charged depends on your bank.

We also recommend bringing an adapter from English to German sockets and a multiple plug. Cell phones, tablets, etc. like to be charged from time to time and experience has shown that the number of sockets in the rooms of accommodation along the way is not high. White people are considered rich. Begging is part of daily business - not only in tourist regions, but also increasingly in regions with a weaker infrastructure. Children are often "sent ahead" on the pretext that they urgently need the money for school fees, for example. We generally recommend not giving money. Whether you give a little something to eat or drink is up to you. You quickly realize whether this donation in kind is wanted or whether you are just after the money, which is then used for all sorts of things. With every fulfilled begging wish, you increase your greed for more - which leads to increasingly aggressive begging. In the east of the country in particular, the majority of the population is Muslim. In consideration of culture and religion, you should not be too liberal with your clothing.

You can check the currently recommended travel vaccinations here. https://www.tropeninstitut.de/ihr-reiseziel/tanzania. We also strongly recommend taking a daily malaria prophylaxis (Malarone).