International voluntary service involving people from ‘northern’
countries represents a widespread and growing phenomenon on the
African continent, prompting increased interest in the effects of
international service on volunteers. Despite this trend, little research
has been conducted on the contribution of international service to
the development of the host organizations and communities where
volunteers live and serve. Drawing on interviews and focus groups
conducted with international volunteer host organizations in Tanzania
and Mozambique, this paper examines the benefits and challenges for
international service to contribute to the development of host
organizations and communities. Findings suggest a range of positive
benefits to host organizations. However, they also highlight a number
of challenges that require additional measures to strengthen the
potential benefits of international service. These include a greater
critical consciousness of the imbalances between African host and
northern sending countries, locating international voluntary service
in the context of a colonial legacy, and strategically hosting volunteers
in the context of financial and human resource constraints.