Hôpital psychiatrique dans les montagnes Usambara

The hospital is located in the middle of the nature of the Usambara Mountains in the Tanga region, surrounded by forest and agricultural land that also belongs to the hospital. It is only accessible via a steep winding road up the mountain, about 13 km outside the small town of Korogwe. Three villages with a total of around 3,000 inhabitants are within walking distance.

This location, which differs as much as possible from the urban life of Dar-es-Salaam or Arusha, where most patients are from, means a big change to the usual environment and lifestyle of the patients and therefore, which is fundamental part of the healing process. It is the goal of the hospital to include patients suffering from problems such as drug and alcohol addiction, schizophrenia and/or psychosis into a regular daily routine of rural life activities. As part of the Occupational Therapy Program, the patients carry out activities such as tea production, the manufacture of sisal products, animal husbandry, carpentry and woodworking.

The hospital has 120 beds (90 for men and 30 for women). The private hospital, which was founded by German settlers in 1896, became a psychiatry as early as in 1904.

Volunteer work is possible for professionals from the fields of medicine, nursing, psychology, social work and occupational therapy.

Professionally supervised internships are possible in the areas of occupational therapy, social work and psychiatry. Unfortunately there is no psychologist on site. Interns join a professional in their desired subject area and accompany him/her in the activities, assisting with everyday work. The minimum duration for an internship is 3 weeks.