Viva Tanzania was established in the end of 2015 by Martin, Tanzanian and his wife Tizia, German. We are both passionate about intercultural encounters, tourism and nature. Tizia is a Cultural Anthropologist and Martin is a professional Tour Guide.
We want to assist people from all over the world and Tanzanians to learn from one another through intercultural exchange. By helping foreigners to find meaningful projects that need support we do not only want to enable them to gain experience in working and being with people from different origins but also broaden the horizonts of everyone. Our mission is to establish an environment in which intercultural encounter can take place. Our participants will be enabled to gain first hand experience in a totally different sourrounding from what they are knowing. We want to show them the diversity of people, cultures and lifestyles. On the other hand we want to support needy projects in Arusha, our hometown.
Our vision is to change the people's perception of Africa, Tanzania and its inhabitants through challenging and reducing stereotypes and racism. We believe that this can only be done through intercultural exchange like volunteering.
Tini is the founder and director of Viva Tanzania and a tour guide by profession. He loves nature and e.g. already climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. He wants to give the volunteers and interns a better understanding of the Tanzanian lifestyle through culture and nature. Another thing important to him is the intercultural exchange and the learning from each other. In his free time he likes to exercise.
He is responsible for the organization of projects, safaris, mountain climbing, tours, etc.. He is also the chef of the hostel and creates delicious Tanzanian and Western style meals.
Tizia is Tini’s wife and manageress of Viva Tanzania. She has a Bachelor in Cultural Anthropology and she wrote her Bachelor thesis about Maasai stereotypes in media and tourism. She loves her three dogs as well as the life in Tanzania. She is responsible for the website, the marketing and the communication before, while and after your stay. She already spent a year as a volunteer in Tanzania and did an internship in Arusha. So she definitely knows what’s important to make your time unforgettable. At the same time she is your contact person for all intercultural issues and problems.
Both are engaging themselves in post colonialism, images of Africa in the media and tourism as well as stereotypes. They are trying to make an effort towards international understanding, reduce global racism, and to show their guests that ”Africa”, or better to say Tanzania, are more than the stereotypes often portrayed in Europe and North America.
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