VOLUNTEER PLUS
Beyond the Safari: Making a Difference in Tanzania
At The Ngorongoro Creator
When people think about Tanzania, they often picture the Serengeti, elephants crossing the plains, Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds, or the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar.
Those experiences are incredible.
But Tanzania is much more than its wildlife and landscapes.
It is also home to communities, families, teachers, students, farmers, and young people who are working every day to build a better future.
That is where Volunteer Plus comes in.
Why Volunteer Plus?
Growing up in Tanzania, I saw both the incredible beauty of my country and some of the challenges that communities face.
As I got older and eventually made my way to the United States, my connection to Tanzania never disappeared.
I often found myself thinking about a simple question:
How can I use the connection I have between Tanzania and the United States to do something positive?
Volunteer Plus grew from that idea.
The goal is simple: to support practical projects that can make a difference in communities in Tanzania.
It is not about trying to solve every problem.
It is about seeing where help is needed and asking:
What can we realistically do?
What Does Volunteer Plus Do?
Volunteer Plus focuses on projects that support communities in practical ways.
Some of the areas include:
Education and primary schools
Tree planting and environmental projects
Community cleanup efforts
Community development
Supporting improvements to local facilities
Sometimes a project may be small.
But small does not mean unimportant.
A few trees planted today can become part of a community's future.
School supplies can give children resources they might otherwise not have.
A cleaner community can create a better environment for everyone.
And improving an existing community facility can make a meaningful difference in someone's daily life.
Education: Investing in the Future
Education is one of the areas that is especially important to Volunteer Plus.
Schools are where the future of a community begins.
A child sitting in a classroom today could become tomorrow's teacher, engineer, entrepreneur, conservationist, doctor, farmer, or community leader.
That is why supporting education is about much more than providing supplies.
It is about creating opportunities.
Volunteer Plus supports efforts that can help create better learning environments and encourage children to continue believing in what is possible.
A Project That Stayed With Me
At Losirwa dispensary, partitioning a room for mother and child.
One project I will always remember involved helping improve a rural dispensary.
The work included creating better privacy for women receiving care, including improving partitions inside the facility.
It was not about constructing a huge new hospital.
It was about looking at a place that already served the community and asking how we could make it a little better.
That experience reminded me of something important:
Making a difference doesn't always require something big.
Sometimes, meaningful change begins with identifying one need and doing something practical about it.
Planting Trees for Tomorrow
Tree planting is another part of the Volunteer Plus mission.
Trees provide shade, help protect the environment, support biodiversity, and can become a lasting resource for future generations.
When you plant a tree, you may not see its full impact immediately.
Someone else may enjoy its shade years from now.
That is one of the reasons I like tree planting so much.
It is an investment in people you may never meet.
Giving Back Without Changing Your Vacation
One question I want to make very clear is this:
If you travel with Lekule Midwest Safaris, are you required to volunteer or donate to Volunteer Plus?
No.
Your Tanzania adventure is your own.
You may want to spend your time watching the Great Migration, photographing wildlife, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, exploring local culture, or relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar.
That is completely fine.
Volunteer Plus is not a requirement for booking a trip with Lekule Midwest Safaris.
For some travelers, however, knowing that their trip connects them to people who are working to make a difference may add another layer of meaning to their experience.
Travel With Purpose
For me, Travel with Purpose does not mean that every traveler has to become a volunteer.
It means being aware of the place you are visiting.
It means respecting local communities and cultures.
It means understanding that the people you meet are not simply part of the scenery—they are part of the story of Tanzania.
And it means recognizing that tourism can create opportunities for local people when it is done responsibly.
A safari can give you incredible memories.
But your connection to Tanzania can also go beyond the safari.
Lekule Midwest Safaris and Volunteer Plus
Lekule Midwest Safaris and Volunteer Plus have a shared connection through my personal relationship with Tanzania and my desire to build a positive bridge between Tanzania and the Midwest.
But they serve different purposes.
Lekule Midwest Safaris is about helping travelers experience Tanzania.
Volunteer Plus is about supporting practical community projects.
You don't have to participate in one to participate in the other.
I want people to travel because they want to experience Tanzania—not because they feel pressured to give something.
If they later decide they would like to learn more about Volunteer Plus or support one of its projects, that is a choice they can make for themselves.
Godlove's Journal
I was born in Tanzania.
As a child, I remember seeing visitors coming to experience my country—people climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, going on safari, and discovering places that I knew as home.
At the time, I never imagined that one day I would be living in Nebraska and helping people from the Midwest plan their own journeys to Tanzania.
Life can take you places you never expected.
Today, when I think about Lekule Midwest Safaris and Volunteer Plus, I see two sides of the same journey.
One helps people discover Tanzania.
The other helps me give something back to Tanzania.
I don't think we have to choose between enjoying Tanzania and caring about Tanzania.
We can do both.
That is what Volunteer Plus means to me.
It is not about changing the entire world overnight.
It is about people coming together, identifying a need, and doing what they can.
One school.
One tree.
One community project.
One helping hand at a time.
Did You Know?
Tanzania is home to some of Africa's most famous natural destinations, including the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar.
But some of Tanzania's most important stories happen far away from the famous tourist attractions—in schools, villages, communities, and homes.
Sometimes, you just have to look beyond the safari.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to volunteer when I book a trip with Lekule Midwest Safaris?
No. Volunteering is completely optional and is never a requirement for booking or taking a trip.
What kind of projects does Volunteer Plus support?
Volunteer Plus focuses on areas such as education, tree planting, environmental activities, community cleanup, and practical community development projects.
Can travelers visit Volunteer Plus projects?
Depending on the project and circumstances, opportunities may be possible. Any visit should be planned around the needs of the community and the project rather than treating the community as a tourist attraction.
Can I support Volunteer Plus without volunteering?
Yes. There are different ways people can support community projects, depending on the project and their interests.
Why is responsible tourism important?
Tourism connects travelers with local communities. Traveling respectfully and choosing locally connected businesses can help make tourism a more positive experience for both visitors and the communities they visit.
Swahili Word of the Day
Umoja — Unity
In Swahili, umoja means unity or togetherness.
I think it is a perfect word for Volunteer Plus.
Because meaningful change rarely happens because of one person alone.
It happens when people come together.
Karibu Tanzania — your adventure is waiting.
