Air Tanzania, TWIGA issue 05

Issue 05 / April to June 2020

YO U R F R E E A I R TA N Z A N I A M AGA ZINE

T R AV E L / TA STE / TALEN T

Guide to going green What you can do to save your city and the planet Twiga A I R TA N Z A N I A Issue 05

Wanderlust

Our pick of the most romantic places in East Africa

Raft of crafts A look inside handcrafts hub Make It Matter

The next chapter

Grace Matata's new direction

contents 7

21

31

Regulars

Features

4 CEO foreword

7

Welcome onboard

5

Air Tanzania news

13 Twiga’s Tanzania A round-up of East African news

19 Twiga trends Travel in style

29 Twiga competition Win a meal for two at Chef Fred Uisso’s Dar es Salaam restaurant

46 Blogger Faysal 46 Sound and vision 47 News extra 50 Air Tanzania staff profile

48

44 Hotel review: Abode

Grace Matata The musician on her new direction

Explore this boutique hotel in the heart of Mumbai

16 Make it matter

48 Fred Uisso’s cookery column

Dar shop is a hub of Tanzanian craft and creativity

Twiga’s new columnist on how to start your day right with this healthy and hearty breakfast

21 Spring green your life How to follow the Dar Green Guide

53 Mafia Island 10 reasons why you should make this unspoilt paradise your next trip

25 Romantic getaways Writers recommend the best places to whisk away your significant other

58 Mbeya Get the most out of your day in the gateway to the southern highlands

31 The high life in Mumbai Take in The City of Dreams from a rooftop bar

Air Tanzania information

35 Spas in Tanzania The pick of the places to pamper yourself here

Margaret Walden

56 Wheels car review Land Rover Defender

Is published by: Land & Marine Publications Ltd 1 Kings Court, Newcomen Way, Severalls Business Park Colchester, Essex, UK, CO4 9RA Tel: +44 (0)1206 752902 Email: publishing@landmarine.com www.landmarine.com Advertising: Head Office: +44 (0)1206 752902 Catherine O’Callaghan: +44 (0)7944 212063 (WhatsApp) Godfrey S. Urassa: +255 (0) 686 118 816 (WhatsApp) Email: ATCL-inflight@landmarine.org Printed by: Jamana Printers Ltd.

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Twiga

39 Disabled arts collectives Trio of ventures across Tanzania saving the planet and the livelihoods of disabled people

On behalf of:

60 60 62 64

Travel information Air Tanzania fleet Air Tanzania destinations Air Tanzania contacts

Follow us on:

@AirTanzania Air Tanzania Company Limited (ACTL) ATC House, Second Floor, Ohio Street Dar Es Salaam.

Toll free: 0800 110045 Office (JNIA) Telephone: +255 222113248 Email: info@airtanzania.co.tz

@airtanzania airtanzania_atcl For the latest flights, information and to book online, visit:

www.airtanzania.co.tz

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor, or any other organisation associated with this publication. No liability can be accepted for any inaccuracies or omissions. ©2020 Land & Marine Publications Ltd.

Twiga online:

Read online: qrs.ly/42bcnsa

CEO foreword

Welcome onboard It is my great pleasure to welcome you onboard your Air Tanzania flight and to the latest edition of Twiga magazine.

EDITOR’S NOTE We’re living in strange times right now with the spread of Covid-19. But I see proof we will come through these challenges in the resilience and collectivism of the people of Tanzania. We’ve got plenty of examples in this issue of Twiga. Check out the work being done by Dar residents to foster green lifestyles and protect the city they love and how a trio of art collectives across the country are revealing the creative talents of the disabled. With Mother’s Day almost here, we celebrate some fabulous females from our cover star Grace Matata to Air Tanzania’s very own Margaret Walden.

Twiga is all about celebrating the people and places across our airline’s network. If you have a story of know someone deserving of coverage, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch at markedwards@landmarine.org Mark Edwards Editor

This issue of the magazine arrives amid the unprecedented impact of the global spread of the coronavirus Covid-19. It has changed everyone’s lives and the airline industry is no exception.

Firstly, our thoughts are with those directly affected and those who have friends or family members affected by the situation.

I want to let you know we are doing all we can to help curb the spread of the virus. The safety and health of our passengers and staff are paramount concerns. With this in mind we have initiated deep-cleaning measures to sanitise our aircraft before every flight.

We understand that travellers are starting to rethink work trips and vacations, but we can assure them all booked tickets on our flights can be moved to a future date without any additional cost. For more help on your trip call us for free on 0800110045 or email info@airtanzania.co.tz The spread of the virus and the closing of some international borders have forced us to delay our launch of our scheduled new routes to China and Bangkok. The flights are all agreed and once it is safe to do so they will begin. All international flights, such as between Mumbai and Dar and Salaam, will also return once the borders have been reopened.

All our domestic routes are continuing to operate, indeed we have added a new one linking Dar, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza. These are challenging times, but just as Air Tanzania was born out national pride and solidarity, so we can all help each other now and make sure we get through this together.

Soon we will be flying again across our entire network and on the new routes we have in store. We can’t wait for you to come with us.

Thank you for flying Air Tanzania.

www.airtanzania.co.tz Follow us on:

@AirTanzania @airtanzania airtanzania_atcl Air Tanzania ATCL

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Eng. Ladislaus Matindi Managing Director and Chief Executive Air Tanzania

Air Tanzania news

Passengers’ health and wellbeing is top priority In the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak that continues to spread around the world, our passengers’ health, safety and wellbeing are, as ever, our utmost concerns.

Air Tanzania has stepped up its precautionary measures to help curb the spread of the virus by introducing measures such as disinfecting aircraft, equipping crew with face masks, and conducting temperature checks before allowing passengers to board planes.

With these procedures we are following the non-mandatory guidelines set out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to protect passengers and crew from contracting the illness.

The cleanliness of our aircraft is of utmost importance. We have reviewed and made changes to our cleaning programme for aircraft including increasing our cleaning teams and audit inspections. Our disinfectant cleaning fluids are used on every aircraft after each flight to thoroughly clean all hard surfaces in the cabins and lavatories.

While Air Tanzania is doing all it can to limit the spread of the virus, passengers must also be vigilant. Here are some basic protective measures every traveller can take to protect their safety and of those around them.

WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

STAY HOME IF YOU FEEL UNWELL If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early and postpone any travel.

AVOID TOUCHING EYES, NOSE & MOUTH Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth.

PRACTICE RESPIRATORY HYGIENE Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Information given is correct at time of going to press but always check the latest guidance given when boarding.

SURPRISE GIFTS FOR KIDS TO MAKE TIME FLY BY Travelling with your family is a bonding experience and a great adventure for you all. However, keeping young children entertained during the flight can be a tricky task. Once the excitement of take-off has subsided and the aircraft is cruising, most kids will be looking for new distractions.

Luckily, Air Tanzania has got this covered.

We have stacks of gift packs on board every flight, which we surprise our young passengers with on boarding.

Inside the packs, children will find a puzzle and colouring book, a pack of crayons, a noughts and crosses game, headphones and a pack of playing cards.

Time will fly by.

Another great reason to make sure you don’t leave your kids behind on your next trip. To book flights, visit www.airtanzania.co.tz

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Grace Matata

‘I WAS CREATED TO

CREATE’ Grace Matata has been an established, if alternative, part of the Tanzanian music scene for a decade, but a recent series of live shows called time on the past and set the stage for new music and a new direction.

Mark Edwards speaks to an artist ready to embrace her fears.

All images: Vanessa E Mwingira

T

anzanian singer songwriter Grace Matata can still clearly remember the fear that overtook her the first time she stepped on stage to perform live before an audience. “It was the scariest moment of my life,” she says. “I was telling myself ‘I can’t do this, it’s too hard.’ It was so horrible I almost threw up. I hope nobody has a video of it.”

Now more than a decade later having done much to champion live music in Tanzania and with a hit 2013 album, ‘Nyakati’, and singles, including her debut ‘Free Soul’ and last year’s Unicef-backed ‘Baby’, to her name, the Kibaha-born singer is leaving her fear behind for her new musical direction.

She says: “We have been in the studio making amazing music for the past couple of months,” she says. “I surprise myself with the results all the time. I have

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/ Grace Matata

overcome my fears of letting go and having that illusion of control and for me it feels like growth as growth happens in an uncomfortable space. When you are done and come out the other side the results are going to be beautiful regardless.”

The bid to work outside her musical comfort zone is a conscious one and has been spurred by the arrival of her 10th anniversary as a Tanzanian recording artist.

The landmark was celebrated at the end of last year by a series of concerts – under the banner ‘The Final Chapter – staged across the country.

Matata says: “The concerts were my way of gearing myself up for a new stage and putting those 10 years to rest. It has acted as an end of an era, paving the way for what is on the table for me right now. The Next Chapter is what happens when I leave all my fear behind to deliver something new.”

New direction The change in direction may be a daring step, but it is not as though her previous musical output was safe. From the very start Matata’s music has been considered alternative in Tanzania.

Her jazzy self-penned songs with their heartfelt, soul-gazing lyrics were a world away from the bongo flava hip hop vibes so dominant in Dar. Matata has also created a singular legacy as one of the very few Tanzanian female musicians who play live regularly. With her backing band 4 Elements she has played to huge crowds across East Africa, including last year’s TEDx event in Dar’s Oyster Bay, the 2018 Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar and the East African performing arts market in Uganda. She was also behind the Coffee House Sessions in Dar providing a regular platform for live music in the city.

She says: “Radio had platform for Bongo Flava, hip hop and Tanzanian hip hop, but not for the music we were making. I had to create my own shows six years ago. There was no platform for live musicians, we were definitely seen as the alternative.”

“The music I was making was very emotional, focusing on human experiences,

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/ Grace Matata

Difference is power: Grace Matata

talking about finding yourself and loving yourself. I wasn’t focused on whether it would be hyping, whether it would be played in a club. Bongo Flava is all about the vibe. Being different it really made me scared in the beginning, but I see now that difference gave it more power.”

The music I was making was very emotional, focusing on human experiences, talking about finding yourself and loving yourself

Lyrical depth When I speak with Matata she is in the middle of a tour bringing her music, old and new, to luxury lodges in Tanzania’s northern circuit. I can hear early morning bird song behind her voice as she talks from her lodge’s verandah in the Serengeti.

It’s a beautifully chilled setting matched by the way Matata calmly and elegantly dissects her musical life with me. The skilled lyricist who wrote each of the 12 tracks on debut album ‘Nyakati’ brings similar acuity of thought to conversation.

The lyrical depth of Matata’s songs means they often carry a lot of meaning to her fans.

“I still haven’t made a second album. People meet me on the street and say your song got me through the hardest part of my life.

It’s still an album that resonates with people.”

A new album – evidence of the new direction – is on the way, but Matata has been writing throughout the seven-year interim period. In fact, the writing process was what convinced her to continue in the music business and get past the early stage fright.

“When I am writing, when I am creating music I feel like this is what I am supposed to be doing,” she says. “A phrase I use a lot [from US motivational speaker Leo Buscaglia] is ‘Your talent is god’s gift to you and what you decide to do with it is your gift to God.’ I feel I’ve been created to create.”

Such belief in herself was not always there. Despite being a bubbly child that never missed a chance to entertain her single mother,

Early memories of music ‘Music has always been a big part of my life. I don’t come from a musical family at all. My ‘bibi’ [grandmother] was the only person who loved music. She was a choir singer at church.

I remember her singing in the house. This is my earliest memory of getting joy from music.’

two siblings or the extended family she grew up around Kibaha – “my favourite place in the world,” Matata says – she never thought her future lay in music.

Big break “Music has always been a big part of my life and everywhere I could sing, I would sing,” she says, “but, I never thought I would be a professional musician. I didn’t have that dream.”

It took a friend who heard her sing to herself in 2009 while she was working a temporary job at a hotel ahead of going to college to bring her to the notice of music professionals.

“One day in 2009 I was sitting around singing at the hotel and one of my friends said Grace you have a really nice voice, there is a recording

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/ Grace Matata

studio that is looking for new artists you should go and audition.

“I didn’t really think it was possible so I didn’t go for a month, but my friend kept calling me and the people from the studio had heard about me from him studio kept calling.

“In the end, I just went so they would stop calling me. The next thing I knew I was recording an album and I was signed by the record label.”

Drawing on her love for US folk pop female artists such as Tracy Chapman and Chris Pureka, Matata came up with the songs that would make up her debut album jamming at home with her guitar and replicating their stripped-down sound.

She says: “Women playing this indie stuff was so powerful to me. I wasn’t aware at first of just how much I wanted to do something similar until I was given the opportunity.”

Songwriter ‘Nyakati’ was a commercial and critical success and Matata followed it with a string of well-received solo singles, all of them self- penned.

When Matata fell pregnant, she thought she would also be able to capture the emotions of the experience in song, however the words would not come.

She says: “I really wanted to write about that feeling of creating life.

It was a scary thing, but an amazing miracle. However, the feelings were so intense at that time I couldn’t write about it.

My mother raised three children by herself. In my opinion, she is the definition of what a woman can do. I try to be like that.

“A friend of mine called me and said I wrote a song for my wife when she was pregnant and I really want you to sing it. At first, I was unsure, because he was a man and I wouldn’t be able to understand. He sent me the demo and the instant I heard it I was like ‘he knows’ – I couldn’t find the words myself.”

That song, ‘Baby’, was re-released in 2018 and used by UNICEF Tanzania as that year’s official anthem for World Children’s Day. Like her mother, Matata is a single parent – although she dislikes the term as she and her mother share the care for her now eight-year-old daughter – and the song speaks to her of the responsibility of her role and the sacrifices her mother made during her childhood.

Matata is working on new material

hopes her support of the live music scene in Tanzania will culminate in a festival on the mainland in the same vein as Zanzibar’s Sauti za Busara.

New music from The Next Chapter is also imminent. Fans should get ready for an authentic, adventurous collection with Matata embracing her fears and expressing her true self.

As Matata says, “The Next Chapter is an awakening. I wanted to be and just let it show.”

Inspirational mother “My mother raised three children by herself,” says Matata. “In my opinion, she is the definition of what a woman can do. I try to be like that. I don’t think she really wanted me to be a musician, but she wanted me to be a good person, a giving and loving person in whatever profession I chose. I try to do this. I hope I’m living up to that.”

Matata wants to make her mother proud with her next moves. She

The thrill of performing live “When I am on stage I feel like my voice is being heard. Every human being wants to feel heard. It’s not vanity – it’s just a part of learning to love myself and want to share it with other people.

When you listen to a song on the radio you hear it, but live me and my audience are experiencing that moment. It is divine. The moment I step on stage that is my church, my purpose.” airtanzania.co.tz / 11

New flights to Mwanza

A new journey: linking Dar, Kili and Mwanza

Air Tanzania has just announced more flights to Mwanza, with ‘Rock City’ now part of a new weekly route connecting it to Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro airports.

Here’s some tips on how to get the most out of your stay.

Mwanza enjoys an unforgettable setting. Nestled on the southern shore of Lake Victoria, its studded with unusual rock formations such as Bismarck Rock and enveloped by rolling green hills. Daily ferries take visitors out to the Lake’s remote islands or for romantic sundowner cruises while the city centre, with its crumbling architectural remnants of its colonial past, is a wonderfully

bustling place to explore. It’s also a gateway to safari adventures as a starting or finishing point through Ngorongoro, the Serengeti and Lake Natron.

Shopping: Head for the Makoroboi area with its streetside markets and shops.

Hotels: Malaika Beach Resort just outside town in Bwiru enjoys spectacular views of Lake Victoria from its rooms, its terraced restaurant and bar and its stunning outdoor swimming pool.

Food: For the best fire-grilled in town, check out Ayoub’s BBQ. Opt for the spicy Gujarati marinated with chilli, ginger, garlic and cumin.

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STAY CONNECTED Air Tanzania has connected three of the country’s most popular destinations with this new weekly route.

The triangular route links the east and west of the country and is a boon for business and leisure travellers alike. Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s commercial capital and the ideal starting point to explore the country’s beach paradises along its Indian Ocean coast.

Kilimanjaro is, of course, home to Africa’s highest mountain and is the gateway to unbeatable northern circuit safari adventures such as Serengeti, gorongoro Crater, Lake anyara and Tarangirte natonal parks.

Mwanza is on the shores of Lake Victoria, the world’s largest tropical lake, and offers up more safari possibilities at island national parks such as Rubondo and Saanane.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR FLIGHT ON THIS NEW ROUTE The new route from Julius Nyerere Airport, in Dar es Salaam, to Mwanza International Airport via Kilimanjaro International was launched in April and will see our first weekly flight to this thriving port city on the shores of Victoria. The route will be serviced by one of our Airbus A220 aircraft. To book your flight, call 0800 110045 or visit airtanzania.co.tz

Tanzania

BRING OUT THE BAO

How to play The aim of the game is to be the first player to empty the front row of your opponent or deprive him of all legal moves.

It’s a game of skill and strategy and requires some maths to work out where you pick up your seeds and start sowing to inflict maximum damage on your opponent.

Once you’ve picked up the rules it’s addictive fun and could well prove the lure you’ve been looking for to get your similarly housebound children away from their phones or tablets.

Most Tanzanian households will have a bao set tucked away somewhere, but you’ll find a fantastic array of beautifully handcrafted sets for sale especially along the country’s coast and its islands.

Radek Borovka / Shutterstock

W

ith governments around the world advising on social distancing to avoid the spread of Covid-19, most of us are facing the prospect of spending an awful lot of time stuck at home.

While it may be tempting to hunker down, put your brain on auto pilot and see if it is humanly possible to watch Netflix’s entire catalogue of content, there are more mentally challenging ways to pass the time.

Step forward bao. It’s one of the oldest games in the world, dating back thousands of years, and is hugely popular in Tanzania. In fact, there are in fact more than 200 versions of this “count and capture” game, played throughout Africa – where its variously known as mancala, oware, ayo, omweso, enkeshui or aweet – all with slightly different rules.

In Tanzania there are two versions of bao, which means ‘wood’ in kiswahili. The most complex and most appreciated is called Bao la kiswahili ‘Bao of the Swahili people’ while the simplified version is called Bao la kujifunza ‘Bao for beginners’.

It’s played on a board with four rows of eight pits scooped. The bowls must be big enough so 12-15 stones can fit in them. The top row contains the seeds of one player and the bottom two rows contain the seeds of the other. There are two holes, called the nyumba, that are square.

Squat your way to Hadza healthiness

Y

ou wouldn’t think there was much similarity between the lifestyles of the Hadza tribe, who have been living around Lake Eyasi in northern Tanzania for centuries foraging for food and hunting animal prey with bows and poison-tipped arrows, and today’s office workers sat at their desks in air-conditioned urban offices.

However, the two each spend a large chunk of their day – between nine to 10 hours – doing physically very little. Yet, the Hadza lack the markers of chronic disease associated with long periods of sitting such as muscular-skeletal disorders, obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and more.

Recent US research has suggested the reason for this is the Hadza squat, not sit and this ‘active rest’ maintains a level of muscle activity that keeps them trim and guards against these modern-day health risks.

If you are sitting your days away at work, then maybe it’s time to get healthy the Hadza way and get squatting. Here’s how:

1

Stand with feet a little wider than hip width, toes facing front.

2

Drive your hips back – bending at the knees and ankles and pressing your knees slightly open

3

Sit into a squat position while still keeping your heels and toes on the ground, chest up and shoulders back.

4

Start with a 20-30 second sitand-hold and look to improve on your time by 5-10 seconds each day. Once you get up to a solid 2-3 minutes without support, you can start experimenting with multiple sets, or more than one hold per day.

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Make It Matter

HELPING CREATIVITY HAPPEN Creativity is everywhere in Tanzania, but opportunity is not.

Helping to bridge that gap is Make It Matter, a new retail store in Dar es Salaam that connects the handmade work of more than 1,500 artisans from across the country to a prime domestic and international market while helping them grow a sustainable business. Mark Edwards meets shop founder Rebecca Young.

All images: Ueli Litscher

R

ebecca Young has always had an eye for talent. The Brit first came to Tanzania to mentor promising musicians, dancers and actors – a young Naseeb Abdul Juma, who would go on to find fame as bongo flava leading light Diamond Platnumz, was among them – and now, more than a decade later and having made a home for her family in Dar es Salaam, she is showcasing the cream of the country’s artisans at her shop Make It Matter.

The project, launched in 2018, soon outgrew its first retail outlet and since September of last year Make It Matter has an airy and attractive new home at creative hub The Drum in Dar’s Oyster Bay neighbourhood. The new location provides desperately needed space to display the work of close to 1,500 registered artisans.

Tanzanian talent The diversity and creativity of Tanzania is reflected in the shop’s huge choice of beading, handloom weaving, screen printing, pottery and fine art. Visitors

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will also find homeware, jewellery, accessories, upcycled art, children’s and adult’s clothing and bespoke furniture.

Changing lives New products and artisans are being added all the time as the shop’s renown grows. Young has travelled to some of the most remote regions in Tanzania to source beautiful work crafted in challenging circumstances.

Make It Matter features work by disabled artists and refugees as well as mothers and fathers pursuing a craft to support their families. The products are meaningful as much for the change they create in the lives of the artisans as for their beauty.

Young became aware of the challenges finding a sustainable market that were facing the artisans during her travels and the Make It Matter brand was born as her solution.

She says: “When artisans explained the struggles they were facing with regards to selling their crafts, it was evident that they needed a partner that could bring their product to a premium market place and work with them to build their capacity, their

Showcasing Tanzanian craftmanship: Make It Matter displays the work of almost 1,500 artisans

brands and product designs.

“Make It Matter is a solution aimed at overcoming the common set of challenges too many artisans, particularly those living in remote areas were unable to navigate alone.”

“We are much more than a shop.

The brand positions itself as a retail outlet but behind the scenes we work with the artisans and get to know them intimately in order to help them grow a sustainable

/ Make It Matter

SHE MADE IT This recent Make It Matter campaign highlighted successful women who have established themselves as artisans and are now economically empowered, sending their children to school, reinvesting in their businesses to grow their capacity both with equipment and staff.

business. The key objective is to help each artisan develop products and a business that enables them to economically gain from their craft rather than constantly be at risk of middle men and extortion. We connect them to experts in quality control, designers, we organise finance and administration seminars, we connect them to customers and clients that they would not normally have access to and for some that need capital

investment, we work with them to develop business plans and connect them to investors.�

While Make It Matter works closely with its artisans, it also tries to foster a relationship between the customer and the makers of the products they buy. The extra studio space at The Drum means Make It Matter can offer regular art classes and craft workshops teaching skills in pottery, weaving, sewing and

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/ Cashew king

jewellery making. These classes are often headed by artisans whose work features in the shop and there is also a chance to meet the makers during monthly get togethers.

There will also soon be virtual opportunities to meet the artisans as Young and her team have been through Tanzania filming the makers where they live and work. The results will reveal the stories behind the instore works while providing insight into artisan craft, heritage and culture in Tanzania.

Young says: “We are currently travelling through Tanzania filming the makers where they live and work.

We will combine mobile technology and story-telling to connect customers to artisans so that they can experience a virtual tour and meet the makers in our Oyster Bay store. So far it has been great fun and

a very creative safari.”

Such interactive elements are well suited to The Drum, which was set up

by Young to become a place where people could enjoy and engage with the performing and visual arts.

Facilities include a recording studio, an art room, a gallery space, workshops, a café and cocktail bar.

Creative community Make It Matter slots in seamlessly amid this vibrant, creative community, which is, for Young, “a real dream come true”.

More than 1,000 visitors a month are dropping into the Oyster Bay store and with Make It Matter soon to start selling online and recent focus groups testing products in Tokyo and London, the makers are making quite a name for themselves.

CREATIVES UNITE! The Drum. Set in leafy grounds just off the Masasani Road, in Oyster Bay, the Drum is a new collaborative centre for the arts in Dar that offers plenty of opportunities for the public to join in. As well as Make It Matter and its art workshops there is The Drum café with outdoor seating in the shade cast by a truly enormous baobab and a host of royal poincianas. It has a menu of freshly prepared light bites and mixologists, trained by East African bar services provider Liquid Gold, will whip up some delicious cocktails. There are often up and coming stars of Dar’s music scene among the café crowd as Drum Records, the first purpose-built recording studio in Tanzania, is also onsite. As well as music sessions, it hosts radio shows, film dubbing and audio plays.

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Drop into Make It Matter Monday to Saturday 10am to 7pm and, if you’re lucky, you may get a visual tour and meet the makers. To keep up with the latest developments follow its Facebook page @make.it.matter.tz and @makeitmattertz on Instagram.

trends

TRAVEL IN STYLE

Among Make It Matter’s huge range of handmade goods from artisans across Tanzania are accessories to ensure you travel in style and arrive at your destination fresh and fragrant. All are available to buy at the store in Masasani Road, Oysterbay, Dar es Salaam.

Batik hand-printed fan Assorted colours US$ 12

Jasmine and lime nourishing oil (60ml) US$ 15.99

Lemongrass body butter A fantastic natural mosquito repellent (100ml) US$ 14.99

Leather and canvas unisex wash bag Available in safari green, beige and grey US$ 35

Organic beeswax lip balm US$ 6.99

Save the Planet baby grow Sizes range from 0-3 months to 12-18 months US$ 14.99 Prices may fluctuate according to current US$ to TSh currency exchange.

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Dar es Salaam

SPRING GREEN your life in Dar

Dar es Salaam knows all too well the effects of climate change with floods and droughts becoming an increasing danger. Plastic littering our beautiful beaches and a towering landfill site show we can do more. Protecting our environment and the city we love is in our hands and every small change counts. The Dar Green Guide offers instruction and support for residents looking to live in a more environmentally sustainable way.

Here are some of its expert tips on how to be kinder to the planet – from cooking and cleaning to fashion and travel. For more information, visit dargreenguide.net

Keep your food fresh, local and nude!

We are very lucky in Dar es Salaam to have such a wide variety of fresh, local, healthy food available to us all year round. Let’s make the most of it.

Grow your own. If you have some garden space, try growing some of your own food using the artificial fertiliser and pesticide-free permaculture approach. There are courses available in Zanzibar. Visit permaculture-eastafrica.com Buy local. The further the food has travelled, the more carbon dioxide is likely to have been emitted by the vehicles transporting it. Plus it is good to support local Tanzanian farmers.

When buying food at local markets, ask the sellers where it came from, and tell them you like to buy local.

The less cooking needed, the better. We all eat cooked foods of

course, but if you can fill up your diet with more raw foods and less cooked foods, that reduces cooking, which usually involves either burning fossil fuels (gas) or deforestation (wood charcoal).

Minimise packaging. Plastic carrier bags have been banned by the Government, but shops are still giving out other types of disposable bags. Bring cloth bags with you every day as a reusable alternative. Try to find unpackaged “nude food”, such as the local fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices available in the wonderful open-air markets in Dar es Salaam.

Drinks. Drinking unfiltered tap water in Dar is not advisable so the most environmentally friendly option is to filter your tap water and drink that.

Remember to ask not to have straw in your drink at a bar/restaurant. airtanzania.co.tz / 21

/ Dar es Salaam

Forgo fast fashion and buy less Reduce. Buy less. Almost every product you buy has some sort of environmental impact, so try just having less. When giving gifts, instead of buying something new, consider making something out of natural or second-hand materials, or giving your time instead.

Buy and sell second hand and free-cycle. If you are always following fashion when it comes to clothes, you are always going to buy new outfits and discarding them as trends come and go.

Far better to make use of Dar’s wealth of second-hand clothes stores and build a look that is far more individual and kind to the planet. Check out Kariakoo market as well as Karume and Manzese open markets for a huge range of clothes and accessories.

There are some groups where people buy and sell second-hand goods in Dar such as Recycle? Freecycle Dar es Salaam (check out its Facebook site) for people to give away and receive second-hand items for free.

Materials. Consider what the product is made of and what energy was used to produce it? Buy products made of natural materials if possible, instead of plastic, especially if the product is for short-term use.

22 / Twiga

Built to last. Try to go for products which are durable, easy to repair if they break, and will last you a long time. Dar is booming with all manner of fundis whether you want your clothes adjusted, shoes reheeled, your bicycle fixed electronics brought back to life. Make use of them or learn how to do it yourself.

Ensure you have at least two bins in your kitchen, one for biodegradable waste and other bins for non-biodegradable waste, and teach your household members the difference. There is no need for plastic bags to line food scrap bins – simply rinse your bin out after emptying on compost heap.

Waste not, want not. Reduce and reuse. By far the best thing you can do about waste is not to produce as much waste in the first place so reduce the amount of new and unnecessary items and packaging you buy. Check out Facebook site Zero Waste Tanzania for tips on how to do this.

If you have a garden, make a compost heap where you put food peelings and scraps from this bin, leaves swept from paths and paper.

Reduce food waste. Don’t buy more perishable food than you need. Finish your food, save it for later, or find someone in your household who will eat it. For food scraps which people can’t eat, they often can be fed to chickens or other animals.

Compost. For non-edible biodegradable waste such as food peelings, garden leaves or cuttings, and most paper, composting is the best thing to do, creating valuable nutritious soil. Composting is very easy. There are free online guides or The Practical Permaculture Institutes of East Africa run occasional courses.

Re-cycle. Recycling is a good option, but only if you have already explored the reduce and reuse options, which are much better. Website recycler.co.tz is a great resource and includes lists of places in Dar where you can drop off white paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, cans, glass, clear plastic wrap/nylon, as well as a guide to what types of items are acceptable for recycling and not.

Responsible disposal. Reducing, reusing and recycling are all better than disposal in landfill. However, disposal in landfill is better than littering, burning or even worse, disposal in the sea. Never throw plastic in the sea or on the beach.

/ Dar es Salaam

Transport

Wonder foods

Don’t go, don’t go far or go less frequently. For example, would that work meeting be just as easily done via video call as in person? Video conferencing is getting more and more effective, and we have good internet connections in Dar es Salaam. For leisure, consider options that are close by, such as our wonderful beaches in Dar es Salaam.

Coconut water Maji ya madafu is Dar es Salaam’s wonder drink! Healthy, local, transported by bicycle, with its own natural packaging and environmentally friendly.

If you have to travel a short distance, walk, run or cycle. It will build fitness into your day. Join the Uwaba cycling community in Dar to find out some of the routes available. It’s a great way to beat the traffic.

Let your garden grow If you have bought a plot for your home or business, and the plot has mature trees on it, don’t cut them down. Leave as much natural vegetation as you can.

If there are no trees, plant them! The trees will provide shade and a beautiful environment for your building, they absorb carbon dioxide, and their leaves are nutrients for the soil.

Raw peanuts Peanuts are grown locally, do not need to be cooked, and give you protein. Ask the peanut seller for “mbichi” to make sure you get the raw ones.

Energy foods Potatoes, plantain, bananas, cassava, local corn/maize, ugali and millet are probably the best sources of energy in Tanzania from an environmental viewpoint.

Potatoes, plantain and cassava can be cooked in a pressure cooker, reducing fuel use.

Even inside your home you should create clean air with plenty of plants.

If you would like contribute to the Dar Green Guide, ask questions and share tips with other environmentalists, visit the Guide’s Facebook site.

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Romantic Spots

The most

ROMANTIC SPOTS in East Africa If you’re looking to take your relationship to new heights, East Africa is blessed with a bevy of locations ideal for a romantic getaway. Here four writers choose their favourite spot to whisk away a beloved.

The Manor

Ngorongoro, Tanzania Chosen by Sandra A Mushi

R

omance appears to be in the air on the drive to opulent lodge The Manor with even the birds appearing to sing their sweet songs especially for you.

Driving through the small town of Karatu, you turn off the main road onto a dirt track that winds its way through the Shangri-La estate, one of the oldest coffee estates in East Africa located in the lush highlands of Northern Tanzania. It has such a long history that some of the coffee plants are over ninety years old and the green beans are sold under the Ngorongoro Mountain Coffee brand.

Some sections of the track are lined with tall trees creating an archway as you pass under them with the coffee bushes stretch

out either side. After half an hour of driving through this stunning landscape, the vegetation gets thicker and passing through the highland forest on the outskirts of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you arrive at the entrance to The Manor.

Step back in time As an interior architect, the first thing that tickled me was the design of the place. The Manor looks and feels like it has jumped out of an old romance novel. The architecture and interior design style are an interesting blend of colonial architecture and Cape Dutch cottages and made me feel like I had stepped back in a time.

As a writer I am greatly inspired by nature

and people. I was then tickled pink by the big smiles of the lodge staff that welcomed me and my companion with drinks.

We took a stroll in the The Manor’s heavenly garden with its vibrant flowers and plants clambering over a majestic arbor, which – I guess romance really was in the air – remained me of a wedding arch. The garden also affords amazing views of the coffee hills.

The Manor does not have that rustic feel that most lodges in the wilderness have, instead it is soft, intimate, warm and tranquil with the most amazing views. Visitors are spoilt for choices when it comes to activities. Couples can ride horses around the surrounding hills and can follow it

airtanzania.co.tz / 25

/ Romantic Spots up with a butler-served picnic on the Manor grounds. One can also arrange for a couple’s massage.

I will be lying if I say that I did not write during my stay as I just needed to release all the inspirational juices that were stirring inside me. I found an armchair by the fireplace to be the perfect place to pin down a poem as I sipped on a mug of Ngorongoro Mountain Coffee.

Dar-based Sandra A Mushi is the author of a collection of stories and poems entitled ‘Stains On My Khanga’ and is also the principal designer at interior design agency Creative Studios. Visit creativestudios.co.tz for details.

Bushbaby Lodge Harare, Zimbabwe

Chosen by Cecilia Kamputa

W

e watched in awe, sipping on our vanilla-flavoured vodkas, as the sun slipped past the canopies of the trees, seeming as if it had burst into a ball of a multicoloured fire. It painted the sky in purple hues while the golden rays played hide and seek through the leaves of the Msasa trees. It felt like we were – as US author Jodi Pilcout put it – “witnessing the hand of God” in the beautiful sunset which was more beautiful because it was fleeting. Soon the sun had set and the sky had taken on an inky blue shade.

We stayed outside, mellow from our imbibing, lying on the cool earth, lulled by the soothing hum of the savannah while gazing at the stars akin to diamonds strewn on black velvet.

This was our place, our romantic getaway, far from the hustle and bustle

of the capital, and this was our second time here, having been pulled back by the magic of the place.

BushBaby Lodge is around 30 kilometres east of Harare and is nestled in the Msasa wooded hills that overlook Mutenje Valley.

Among the many accommodation packages on offer is one for honeymooners, with three nights for a couple in either the stone-walled and thatched cottages or the cream-coloured, tiled chalets.

Bird song It will be a peaceful break. The silence of the place is punctuated only by mellifluous bird songs and, as you’d expect, the cry of the bush babies. On warm nights, one can sit on the veranda star gazing, barbecuing and drinking. It is a beautiful place to be awakened by bird song before taking part in game drives or animal sanctuary guided tours as well as guided nature walks or swimming.

The Tamarind Group

Cecilia Kamputa is a regular contributor for Twiga and other publications in Zimbabwe. Find more examples of her work at cecikamputa.journoportfolio.com

26 / Twiga

/ Romantic Spots

children played. The gardens ran down to the edge of Lake Naivasha. We had seen the freshwater lake sparkling in the morning sun from a viewing point at the top of the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley on the journey from Nairobi, but now we were by its banks as the sun was beginning to set.

Unforgettable sunset

Lake Naivasha Country Club Kenya

Chosen by Mark Edwards

W

hen you’ve just experienced your first bike ride safari in Hell’s Gate National Park during which you pedalled past zebras and giraffes, had skittish impala skip across your path and took part in a face-off with some less-welcoming wildlife that prompted you to Google ‘do buffalo attack cyclists?’, then whatever happens next has to be pretty impressive to measure up.

The Lake Naivasha Country Club, the subsequent stop on our day trip from Nairobi, took things to another level. I was surprised we got in. The club has been a part of luxury

Tamarind dhow Mombasa, Kenya

Chosen by Victor Mtwara

E

ach evening, except Sunday, a traditional jahazi (dhow) sets sail from a jetty alongside Mombasa’s acclaimed Tamarind restaurant. The jahazi serves as Tamarind’s floating restaurant.

And if you are looking for a way to wow the love of your life then I can think of nothing more romantic than booking a table for two on board Tamarind’s lovingly preserved Nawalilkher.

life in Kenya since the 1930s. It was once the staging post for British Airways’ colonial precursor Imperial Airways and now is a glamorous hotel commanding 55 lush lakeside acres and we had just spent five hours on bicycles in the heat and dust of Hell’s Gate, most of which was still on our clothes and faces. However, the liveried doorman charmingly chose to ignore this, saluted us on arrival and, despite not being guests, we were allowed in to tour the grounds.

And, my goodness, what grounds. We passed through the cloistered porch out into the gardens where zebras and bushbuck roamed as guests took drinks and

As the dhow slowly sets sail for the sheltered waters of Tudor Creek and the shimmering lights of the Mombasa skyline, our sunset voyage begins with a welcome, but far-from-medicinal, dawa.

Once dinner is served there’s plenty of opportunity to whisper sweet nothings while sampling the mixed hors d’oeuvres, sipping the freshly made soup, devouring the lobster, prawns or grilled steak or even when politely polishing off the tropical fruit salad for dessert. And a glass or three of nicely chilled white wine certainly helps you believe that, on this particular night, you can charm the birds out of the trees.

Some dreamy romantics may consider the dhow’s tables a little too close together or the music a decibel or so too loud. But

It’s a time of day that draws the lake’s hippos from their aquatic slumber to venture onto land for food.

There were signs warning that venturing onto the jetties after 7pm was done at your own risk and could involve an encounter with one of the reliably cranky hippos, but by then we could see the beautiful effect the slipping sun was having on the surface of the lake. So, while listening out for the tell-tale snort of an approaching river horse, we ventured to the end of the boardwalk. It was worth it.

The surface of the lake now glistened like mercury and the spectral branches of its underwater forest of dead trees were silhouetted against the last rays of the sun.

I let my eyes bathe in the beauty of it. That I was sharing this moment with someone I consider one of East Africa’s other most beautiful sights made the moment doubly delicious. Our time together would be fleeting like this sunset’s perfect moment, but the memories will last forever.

Mark Edwards is editor of Twiga. Contact Mark on markedwards@landmarine.com

these minor quibbles aside, a dhow cruise is a truly memorable experience and will, without doubt, impress your object of desire.

Victor Mtwara is a writer and publisher from East Africa. He has lived in Kenya since 2012.

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competition

WIN

WIN A MEAL FOR TWO

AT INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING CHEF’S RESTAURANT To be in with a chance of winning this delicious prize, answer the questions below and email them along with a picture of yourself holding Twiga 5 to competition@landmarine.org

by June 30. Good luck!

1

What was the name of the Grace Matata song used by Unicef Tanzania?

2

3

C

hef Fred Uisso has been integral part of putting Tanzanian cooking on the international map, winning a string of prestigious competitions in the US and Europe. He also shares his culinary skills at home with his TV programme Mapochopocho and his new free Chef Uisso Cooking College app, released on Google Play, for budding Tanzanian chefs. Then there is his restaurant Club Afrikando, one of Dar es Salaam’s most in-demand dining spots and the place where this edition’s Twiga competition winner and their guest will enjoy an unforgettable three-course meal.

What is the English translation of Shanga, the name given to the disabled arts collective in Arusha?

What are the three airports served by ATCL’s newest domestic route?

COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Choice of meal and date of restaurant visit is dependent on availability at Afrikando. One entry per person.

Entrants must be 18 years or over. The decision of the organisers will be final.

The competition is not open to employees and their relatives of Afrikando, Air Tanzania or Land & Marine Publications Ltd. The prize does not include flights or travel to and from the destination.

Last issue’s

WINNER Congratulations to Andrea Solnes Miltenburg who wins two nights’ bed and breakfast at Utengule Coffee Lodge, in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands. Well done and thanks for flying Air Tanzania.

airtanzania.co.tz / 29

Mumbai bars

THE HIGH LIFE in Mumbai

With land prices at a premium, more skyscrapers are shooting up in Mumbai than anywhere else in the world. Many of these high-rise buildings are luxury hotels that crown their towering presence with a rooftop bar that offers incredible views across the City of Dreams’ skyline, coastline and the Arabian Sea. Here’s our pick of the best of these exclusive elevated offerings.

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/ Mumbai bars

ASILO

KOYLA

jsmcorp.in

koylaethniccuisine.com

You don’t have to be a guest at the city centre St Regis Hotel to enjoy the sky sanctuary of Asilo. Just grab the lift to the 40th floor – it’s the highest rooftop bar in Mumbai – and plump yourself down in one of ridiculously comfy giant white sofas.

The chic outdoor seating area is the result of a recent renovation and there are now also five private dining lounges for exclusive get-togethers.

As well as the views over the racecourse, the sea, and the spangled city lights, guests can also feast on some delicious food and drinks.

Chefs here cook over red-hot lava stones to bring out the most exquisite flavours in Asilo’s range of grilled dishes and there is a huge selection of cocktails that blend fresh fruit and spices to choose from.

Mumbai’s first rooftop restaurant offers a mellow, intimate vibe as well as plenty of mouth-watering North Indian cuisine and panoramic views of the sea and the surrounding bustle of hip suburb Colaba with its high-end fashion stores and plentiful restaurants and cafes. Dishes here such as the biryani, kebabs, kofta (meatballs), pulao and tandoor smell as good as they taste thanks to the Mughlai tradition of using fresh, whole spices and the place is a favourite among the city’s foodies.

Seating is under a shamiana, an Indian ceremonial tent, and it’s the perfect place for an intimate romantic dinner or a Sunday afternoon lunch with the family. There is even a sheesha bar if you fancy smoking a hookah pipe.

St Regis Hotel, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel

Kamal Mansion, Apollo Bandar, Colaba

Chill out amid the white, space-age décor and sip a sundowner as the day ends in a blaze of glory across the cityscape 32

THE MARINA ROOFTOP CAFÉ

PJ Ramchandani Marg Road, Apollo Bandar seapalacehotel.net

It might not have the height of the other restaurants on this list, but the nautically themed Marina Rooftop Café doesn’t need it to secure its heart-stopping views as part of the historic Sea Palace Hotel it looks directly out onto Mumbai harbour with uninterrupted views of the Arabian Sea. Alfresco dining here is a hot ticket. Not only do diners get to look out onto the city’s iconic Gateway of India monument, but they are also collectively kissed by the breeze coming in from the sea – a cooling treat in often stifling Mumbai – and entertained by regular live music shows.

The multi-national menu includes North Indian, Chinese and Italian cuisine, there is an exhaustive list of premium spirits, beers, cocktails and wines available at the bar. Tables are candle lit in the evenings and there are few more romantic locations to entertain that special someone in your life.

/ Mumbai bars

AER

DOME

fourseasons.com

lhg.com

If you fancy rubbing shoulders with the stars of Bollywood, luxurious nightspot Aer is the place to head for. Mumbai A-listers head en-masse to this restaurant, which occupies the 34th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai in the city’s emerging Worli district. Chill out amid the white, space-age décor and sip a sundowner as the day ends in a blaze of glory across the cityscape and the ocean beyond. Soak it in while enjoying late night cocktails, the champagne Happy Hour, tapas-style food ideal for sharing and live music or DJ sets each night.

The all-white Dome is a snowy peak on the eighth floor of the chic InterContinental Hotel. From its lofty perch it affords fantastic views at night of ‘the Queen’s Necklace’, the name given to the braid of streetlights that run the length of coastal road Marine Drive. Sunsets are also spectacular and you can choose a sundowner from a huge range of cocktails and premium wines. Most guests aim to get to the Dome by 6pm to watch the burnt orange glow of the sun spread across the sea. Food is mostly small bites and appetisers. Try the artisanal pizza squares with unusual toppings such as Tuna Tataki and Pulled Tandoori Ran. The sleek open-air bar is perfect for the cooler months, but when the heat really builds the actual dome is an enclosed air-conditioned area with its own bar.

Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai, Dr E Moses Rd, Worli

Space age chic at Aer

InterContinental Hotel, 135 Marine Drive

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Spas in Tanzania

SO NEAR, SO SPA

Image: E Lenz

Wherever you travel in Tanzania, you can ensure you return home feeling relaxed and refreshed thanks to a spa treatment or wellness session.

There’s a huge choice of stand-alone salons as well as spas within hotels and resorts to choose from.

From getting your swimming muscles massaged in view of the Indian Ocean to treatments for aching feet after hiking Kilimanjaro, here are the spas to savour in Tanzania.

Karama Lodge & Spa

This eco-friendly lodge is sequestered in the foothills of Mount Meru and its 22 log cabins, each thatched with coconut palms, offer a tranquil, nature-steeped escape for guests.

Expeditions to the 4,565-metre summit of Mount Meru are among the lodge’s catalogue of organised activities. Those who return nursing aching limbs from their exertions can head for the spa, which – on top of its aromatherapy, deep tissue, and reflexology – offers special treatments for climbers.

Aching feet are given an exfoliating scrub and then soaked and pampered with a mask and cooling gel while there’s a soothing, deep tissue massage for tired legs.

Image: E Lenz

Arusha karama-lodge.com

Healing Beauty Spa Dar es Salaam healingbeautyspa.com You can feel the day’s stresses ease away on first entering Healing Beauty Spa. The serene minimalism of the décor, scent of aromatic oils coupled with peaceful piped music combine to settle the soul. The huge range of treatments on offer can then transport you to another level of bliss. The choice of massages includes the use of stress-relieving Intonga sticks, hot stones, hot candles and eco-friendly oils aromatherapy while the skin is buffed by a locally sourced selection of body scrubs. There are also facials, steam baths and pedicures available. For a longer stay and a selection of complementary treatments, the spa offers bronze, silver and gold packages.

They make excellent gifts for loved ones and start at Tsh 175,000. airtanzania.co.tz / 35

/ Spas in Tanzania

Mtwara Old Boma Hotel, Mtwara mikindani.com Built as a German fort in the late 19th century, this historic building has been lovingly restored as a first class hotel and a vocational training institute providing free hospitality education to selected students from the local community. It’s set overlooking the calm waters of Mikindani Bay and guests are perfectly placed to enjoy the pristine beaches and marine life here.

That is you should feel the need to leave the confines of the hotel as it has a restaurant flanking an inviting outdoor pool, a terrace bar for sundowners and its very own spa.

Staff members at the Afya Spa have been trained in the latest treatments in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam and are there for guests whether they are after a vigorous massage or simply desire some well-earned top-totoe pampering. Treatments include hourlong relaxing and Swedish massages as well as shorter sessions that focus on the neck, back and shoulders and the feet.

Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam The Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/Tanzania The Spa at the Hyatt continues the sense of peaceful escape this high-end 182-room hotel – with its ocean and harbour views – offers from the bustle of Tanzania’s commercial capital.

The large treatment room allows for couple’s massages and also contains a free-standing claw foot bath for luxurious soaks fragranced by rose petals. You’ll find more soothing scents among a choice of oils and elixirs to soothe all five senses. In addition, guests get to experience centuries-old therapies from East to West that have been reinvented for the modern age – all of them tailored exactly to your personal choice and desire. Through original and personalised treatment techniques, The spa provides balance to the skin, relaxation to the body and wellbeing to the mind.

Mrembo Spa Zanzibar mrembospa.com To enter Mrembo spa is to step into the world of Swahili beauty. Located in the heart of Stone Town, Mrembo – Kiswahili for a beautiful, sophisticated woman – offers a range of traditional treatments to pamper visitors. Among them is Singo – a fragrant body scrub made of ylang ylang, jasmine, rose and sweet basil which has traditionally been used by Swahili women on their wedding day – and Mbarika, in which rejuvenating hot castor seed leaves are applied to the body. Massages and body scrubs make use of locally sourced, totally natural oils, flowers, herbs and spices. It’s worth sticking around beyond your treatment because Mrembo’s shop sells locally made handicrafts, fashion items and music and its complimentary spiced tea is thought to be among the best on the island.

Waghill Lodge & Spa Mwanza waghill.co.tz Wag Hill is a boutique eco-friendly hotel 30 minutes’ drive from Mwanza town and set on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Victoria. Lodges on stilts stand by the riverside, the area is surrounded by gently rolling hills and sunsets here are serenity itself. Add to all this the presence of Waghill’s own spa and you have the ingredients for the perfect chilled escape. The spa room has recently undergone a major refurbishment and offers luxurious and holistic treatments including manicures, pedicures, massages and other treatments using its own signature products.

Treatments can take place here or in guests’ rooms.

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Disabled arts collective

ARTISTS WITH ABILITY OVER DISABILITY Three wonderful initiatives in different Tanzanian cities share a philosophy to change attitudes towards disability and make beautiful art out of the objects most of us throw away. Twiga takes a closer look at the life-changing work of each of them.

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/ Disabled arts collective

Shanga

Arusha Coffee Lodge Elewana, Arusha shanga.org

T

he Shanga workshop – located in the grounds of the Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge in the foothills of Mount Meru – is home to the only glass-blowing facility in Tanzania. Another distinguishing factor is that the majority of its glassblowers are deaf. They move in a synchronised silent ballet amid the sizzle of hot glass and the roaring furnaces powered by recycled cooking oil, producing a spectacular range of homeware and beads.

The glassblowers are part of team of more than 60 people with a range of disabilities producing high-quality handmade products at Shanga. Many of them have faced terrible hardship in their lives and the social enterprise provides a safe haven, giving them permanent employment and training opportunities in crafts such as weaving, beading, paper-making and metal work.

Recycled materials are used wherever possible. In 2019, more than 150 tonnes of material were diverted from landfill and used in creating Shanga products.

The results are as unique as they are beautiful. Among the more than 600 products available at the Shanga store at Elewana – the luxury lodge acquired the brand in 2017 – are mother and baby elephant cushions made from recycled cotton business

focus on their abilities,” she says.

“By visiting our workshop, you will have the opportunity to support the staff and their families and join their conservation efforts by choosing a souvenir or gift with a story.”

shirts; Shanga artists’ interpretation of Tinga Tinga painting, jewellery combining Maasai and Shanga glass beading; and mobiles, wind chimes and dream catchers made from glass beads, recycled aluminium and soda bottle tops.

Shanga can trace its origins back to 2007 when it began as a single stall selling beaded necklaces at an Arusha Christmas fair. Now it has

LOVE IT: Shanga means ‘beads’ in Kiswahili and you can buy mobiles, wind chimes, dream catchers and jewellery made from its blown glass beads. You’ll also find cushions made from recycled cotton business shirts, recycled aluminium and soda bottle tops; shopping bags made from newspaper and cardboard and decorative Dalle de Verre glass work made into furniture and windows. The full

become an institution in the town and built an international renown with famous fans including the human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, who was recently photographed wearing a Shanga necklace. Visitors from all over the world come to visit the project, meet the inspiring staff, see their work, try their hand at some of the workshop crafts and purchase the one-off products.

Ruth Willat, Shanga’s marketing and business development consultant, says this support is crucial.

“This amazing group of people have chosen to embrace life and

range of products is available for purchase and order at the gift shop.

BUY IT: Visit Shanga outlets at the gift and workshop at Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge; The Green Room, in Dar; Marhaba T-Shirt Shop, in Zanzibar; Savannah Willow, in the UK. You can also browse the Shanga catalogue online at shanga. org. Bespoke products can also be created to order. Email orders@shanga.org to discuss your needs and ideas.

DO IT: Meet the Shanga staff and try your hand at the different crafts with a free visit to the workshop from 9am to 4.30pm every day of the year.

Glass work and beads are a feature of Shanga’s output

40 / Twiga

/ Disabled arts collective

Neema Crafts

Iringa neemacrafts.com

N

eema Crafts began in 2003 with a trio of young deaf men making recycled paper from elephant dung under the auspices of the Anglican Church of Tanzania.

Among them was Josephat, who is profoundly deaf and was born with a curvature of the spine. Tanzania can be a tough place for those living with disabilities and Josephat was reminded every day of the stigma attached to his condition by the cruel sign name, ‘hunchback’, which was given to him as a young boy.

However, despite previously never had any artistic or practical training, Josephat excelled at Neem, becoming the workshop’s most talented paper maker. His prowess earned him a new sign name, ‘strong and able’, among the 115 other artisans working across six workshops the project has now grown to support.

Josephat’s encapsulates what Neema Crafts is all about: giving people with disabilities the opportunity to discover their natural talents and create a new identity. More than 200 people with disabilities have been helped to find their way off the streets in the project’s 15 years with

71 artisans now owning their own homes through proceeds from the project and outside donors.

The Neema Crafts artisans have also proved adept at learning new skills over the years. As well as the paper making, the project has built a reputation for its screen-printed bags, cushions, lampshades and its sustainably sourced teak lamp-bases.

These products are available to buy in The Neema Centre shop, which, along with its café – run by deaf staff – has become a popular tourist destination in Iringa. The site also includes a therapy unit for disabled children, a conference centre entirely staffed by deaf people and a welcoming guesthouse jointly run by the local Mother’s Union.

LOVE IT: Popular Neema Craft products include hand-woven scarves, fabric notebooks, leather handbags, hand-woven throws, place mats and chopping boards.

BUY IT: The full catalogue is available to browse and buy online at shop. neemacrafts.com Visitors can also drop into the Neema Centre and, from May, Neema Crafts products will be on sale at The Green Room, Dar es Salaam.

DO IT: Neema Crafts offers opportunities for designers and artisans to work alongside its craftsmen and women on volunteer placements. It is especially looking for fashion and textile designers, screen printers, carpenters and furniture designers, weavers and paper makers. For more details or to donate, email info@ neemacrafts.com Neema artisans excel in screen printing, textiles and furniture design

airtanzania.co.tz / 41

/ Disabled arts collective

Chuma Art Workshop

Dar es Salaam facebook @ chumaartworkshop

C

huma Art Workshop is a story of hope. It was born out of the embers of another art collective, Wonder Workshop, which for 11 years trained a team of physically disabled men and women from across Tanzania in skills such as welding, carpentry, paper and bead making at its Oyster Bay premises.

When that venture folded in 2017 four of its artists who specialised in welding and metal art continued as Chuma, creating ingenious scrapmetal sculptures from discarded car parts such as hub caps, spark plugs and dashboard dials. Many of the sculptures are inspired by Tanzania’s rich wildlife, with subjects including warthogs, rhinos, cats – with dashboard dials for faces – and elephants. They range in size from the ornamental – ideal for a home mantelpiece or hanging on a wall – to massive sculptures to raise your garden game to another level.

Large examples include the giraffe (right) that towers over the gated entrance to the workshop and the wall hanging of the front half of a raging rhino made to look like the horned beast has just burst through your living room. Chuma itself is also growing in size. Requests for work are coming in from across the country and internationally. Last year

the team worked on a huge dinosaur commissioned by the National Museum, in Dar, which stands proud in its gardens.

There have been challenges. This year the workshop has had to deal with the death of founding artist Simon Nyaulingo. A passionate supporter of Chuma, his legacy continues to drive the team to empower its artisans and place recycling and community development at the core of its vision. Five new artists were trained last year. Soon the workshop will be unveiling a new shop and line of products, including a furniture collection.

LOVE IT: Chuma sculptures cover a massive menagerie, but bestsellers include some surprisingly cute warthogs, carved wooden wheeled lion toys and a pair of bouncy sculpted giraffes.

BUY IT: Online orders are promised for the near future. Until then, you can drop into the Chuma Art Workshop in Oyster Bay from Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm and on Saturday from 9.30am to 2.30 pm. Chuma products are also available to buy at Green Market, in Paje, Zanzibar; at Make It Matter, in Dar’s Oyster Bay; the Shanga shop in Arusha and at artisans’ markets in and around Dar. Bespoke items can be ordered via email at chumaartworkshop@gmail.com

The sculptures are mostly inspired by Tanzania’s rich wildlife with works including warthogs, rhinos, cats – with dashboard dial faces – and elephants

DO IT: Chuma organises regular workshops to meet the artists and to create your own artworks.

Message the Facebook site @chumaartworkshop for more details.

Chuma sculptures are created using upcycled car parts

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Hotel review

A BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN THE HEART OF MUMBAI The skyline of skyscrapers in Mumbai can lead you to believe that the only accommodation options are soaring luxury hotels.

However, if you are after something with a bit more history and small enough that everyone knows your name, Abode, Mumbai’s first boutique-style hotel, could be for you. We take a look at this haven in the heart of Colaba.

Location Colaba was once the old British quarter of Mumbai (then Bombay) under rule of the Raj, but in recent years it has undergone a very Indian transformation. The area has reinvented itself as a centre for urban cool with fashionable boutiques taking over the Raj-era buildings and hippie-chic bargains to be had among the street stalls of the Colaba Causeway – just how low the price gets depends on your bargaining skills. The area is packed with hip restaurants and bars, such as the famous Leopold Café and the

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Style quirkily retro Café Mondegar, and key sights such as Taj Mahal Palace hotel, the Gateway of India, and Marine Parade are a two-minute stroll away. The surrounding streets provide a round-the-clock rumpus of life – light sleepers are provided with ear plugs by the hotel – with streetfood stall Bademiya always attracting a crowd and the designer cafes, indie galleries and sidewalk art stalls of Khala Goda just a five-minute walk away. If you want to be in the thick of Mumbai life, Abode is the place to stay.

The building began life in 1910 as the private residence of David Sassoon, one of the city’s most industrious entrepreneurs, but it was transformed into Abode in 2013 by international design studio Young Designers.

Australian architect and interior designer Sian Pascale, who founded the studio, has created a place of calm and solace cocooned from the surrounding Colaba chaos with elegantly layered touches that nod to the heritage and culture of the city. So the Abode logo draws on local Rangoli patterns while terracotta chai

/ Hotel review

BUY FROM ABODE Abode can seem like a home from home for many guests, a feeling compounded by the array of beautiful artefacts and furnishings peppered throughout its rooms. Many of these items have been produced by local designers and a selection, from hand-woven scarves to tribal jewellery, are available for sale to guests.

For items that can’t fit in your suitcase, Abode will take care of shipping around the world.

stocked library shelving inspired by Bombay roadside bookstores give the place a homely feel. All the features come together in the lobby with bronze-tinted mirrored panels reaching from the floor to its soaring ceilings where a 19th century chandelier drips down over cosy banquettes.

Rooms

pots and pistachio sweets inform the hotel’s colour palette. Elsewhere lush houseplants and locally sourced flowers are artfully dotted about the cool, custom-designed Bharat tiled floors (from a local tile-maker whose methods have not changed in 100 years). Striking examples of colonial and art deco hardwood furniture – sourced from the city’s second-hand markets and loving restored – evoke the time of the Raj and the fabrics used for soft furnishings have been sourced from vintage saris Quirky touches such as custom-built bedside tables made from chaat (popular Indian street food) stands and eclectically

Abode’s 20 rooms range from Basic (US$ 55 per night with a shared, spotless toilet) through Superior and Luxury rooms to US$ 210 per night suites. The latter are so spacious and stylishly appointed that they are regular backdrops for fashion photo shoots in the city.

Superior and Luxury rooms feature double-height ceilings, picturesque views of Colaba and, in many, an antique claw-foot bath for a decadent soak after a day exploring Mumbai. Every room also features restored vintage furniture, original artwork, custom-designed cotton linen, robes and towels and natural bath products. Other in-room perks include free wi-fi, air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and a direct-dial mobile phone that guests can use to keep in touch with the hotel as they roam around the city.

Food and Drink Each morning of their stay guests get to enjoy a full seasonal breakfast in the lobby. There is a buffet of fresh fruits, juices, locally baked breads and pastries, yogurt, organic muesli and nuts. Hot food includes eggs cooked whichever way you want them and a choice of two daily Indian dishes.

The beautiful lobby then becomes a café during the day where guests can enjoy coffee, spicy chai, fresh juices, cakes and street

snacks such as chilli cheese toast and masala grilled sandwiches. High tea is served in the afternoon with a selection of Indian teas and English scones. The café is not open for dinner, but some of the city’s finest restaurants are literally on Abode’s doorstep, including Copper Chimney, with its north Indian dishes flavoured by its secret spices, and Delhi Darbar, which has been serving Mumbaikers for more than 60 years. If you fancy a night in, many of the restaurants will deliver to Abode for in-room or lobby eating.

Facilities Abode is a guesthouse more than a hotel, but there are plenty of touches to make guests feel pampered. These include a small spa treatment room where some of the best local practitioners offer services to refresh and indulge. Among them are fantastic massage therapists trained at the Mumbai-based school for the blind.

There’s no gym on site, but Abode has got any guest covered who wants to maintain their fitness regime during their stay. It has partnered with one of the best local gyms to offer a complete workout or expert classes from boxing to pilates. Regular yoga and meditation classes take place in the lobby or staff can book you a place on boot camps at the nearby Cooperage Football Stadium and will provide you with a map with beautiful running routes across Mumbai from 2 km up to 20 km. If you’d rather stay trim in your room, yoga mats and Swiss balls can be provided.

CONTACT For more information or to book a stay, visit abodeboutiquehotels.com

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Sound and vision

Faysal blogger

“My heart burns for a pleasant climate and lush green environment.” That’s what I think about when people ask me what it is like living in Arusha. Located in northeastern Tanzania, the city is a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro. Being a major tourist hub, the city is filled with endless opportunities for thriving entrepreneurs and young professionals, such as myself, looking to explore a bigger market.

Commonly known as the Geneva of Africa, Arusha has both traditional and modern feel. The city offers several festivals celebrated by the locals, and at the same time it is experiencing new developments in infrastructure and accommodation. The rise of diplomatic connections has made the city so multicultural and attracted people from all walks of life.

Growing up here has made me more open to socialise and have a diverse group of friends. It has made me eager to learn about other countries, giving me an open and inclusive worldview, and develop the desire to explore places I have never been.

The most beautiful part about living in this city is the ease of getting to where you want to go. Depending on where you live, you’ll probably be in walking distance to local cafés, art and crafts galleries, eateries, monuments, museums, and places for brunch.

Unlike other developing cities, the biggest problem my city faces is economic segregation. Arusha is an expensive place to live in and it drives many people out to other big cities such as Dar es Salaam to follow their dreams. There is quality education and health care here, but it is only affordable to the minority living the city’s affluent neighbourhoods enjoy greater access to opportunities and resources.

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FILM REVIEWS

Faysal Alao is a vlogger and tour operator from Tanzania living in Arusha. He uploads regular videos about his experiences and everyday lifestyle on his YouTube channel, ‘Lifestyle of Faysal’. You can also keep up with him on Snapchat @faysal_alao and Instagram @callmefays

BOOK REVIEWS

Returning to Arusha has brought me an new ease of life

MUSIC REVIEWS

BY MARK EDWARDS

GUSANISHA / G-Nako featuring Maua Sama A staple of any club night and house party in recent months, this slinky slice of Afro hip hop has made it to number one in the Tanzanian charts.

Rapper G-Nako, part of Arusha hip hop crew Weusi Kampuni, has been making music since 1998, but here he teams up with one of the country’s newest stars in singer Maua Sama. The ‘Iokote’ hit maker adds her sultry vocals to this track. You won’t be able to avoid it so best you get with this dancefloor favourite.

MY SPY / STX Entertainment It’s not unusual for the stars of action films to make the move into more family-friendly fare. Hunks such as The Rock, Vin Diesel, Sylvester Stallone have all swapped the “aaarghs” for “aahs” at some point in their career. Now the similarly door-filling David Bautista, who made his name as a wrestler before starring in action films such as Avengers: Infinity War, has done the same with My Spy. He plays a hardened soldier-turned CIA agent who must watch over a young girl after he is assigned to protect her own family. When the precocious youngster finds out about his story, she threatens to blow his cover unless he teaches her to be a spy. It’s a fun, undemanding film and the gruff Bautista proves surprisingly adept at comedy.

MY LIFE, MY PURPOSE / Benjamin William Mkapa Benjamin Mkapa was Tanzanian’s third president and the first in the country to be voted into power in a multi-party general election. His 10-year tenure saw him undertake substantial change such as the privatisation of national assets, securing international debt relief and restructuring the public service. So this memoir proves a fascinating insight into salient moments in Tanzania’s evolution as well as the making of the man himself. There are revelations about his childhood, his political maturation, his time as president, his continuing involvement post-retirement in international development and peace mediation. Beyond Julius Nyerere, few senior Tanzanian leaders have evaluated their careers in writing, so Mkapa’s book is a welcome addition and will prove essential reading for aspiring leaders and those that want to learn about their Tanzanian heritage.

News extra

Star Wars star bringing more African-made films to Netflix

Harmonize’s first release since leaving Diamond Platnumz’s record label is an 18-track monster. It seems the Mtwara singer would like a share of his former boss’s large audience with the spread of songs here allying a more international sound to his established ability to fuse Afropop with Singeli and Bongo Flava. There’s a string of guest stars helping out, including Phyno, Yemi Alade, Mr Eazi, Falz and Jamaican reggae stars Morgan Heritage on the irresistible Malaika. Other highlights include the sinuous slide of ‘Your Body’ featuring Burna Boy and dancefloor banger Rumba, which has Nigerian rapper Scales and Tanzanian DJ Seven lending a hand. Despite the bank of high-profile collaborators Afro East is still Harmonize’s show and his heartfelt vocals on the slower, more romantic tracks are sweet indeed.

MULAN / Disney The Mouse House continues its live action adaptations of its biggest animated films – Jungle Book and Dumbo are recent examples – with the release of Mulan. The 1998 original about a young Chinese woman who disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father was a huge hit, but the remake has had a troubled genesis. The project was first mooted in 2010, but it was not until 2017 and the casting of the Chinese-American actress, singer and model Liu Yifei in the title role that it came together. She is joined by a cast including Jason Scott Lee, Gong Li and martial arts star Jet Li. The results are surprisingly grown up for a Disney film. The songs have been excised – the instrumental versions can still be heard on the soundtrack – and the film aims for majestic, sweeping sophistication, which for the most part it achieves.

THE DEATH OF VIVEK OJI / Akwaeke Emezi Nigerian writer Emezi made quite a name for herself in 2018 with her award-winning debut novel Freshwater, which was rooted in Igbo cosmology in its depiction of a young woman coming to terms with her many selves. Her follow-up, The Death of Vivek Oji, is again targeted towards young adults and has a young protagonist, but one that turns up dead on the very first page. What follows is the tumultuous, heart-wrenching story of one Nigerian family’s struggle to understand a child whose spirit is both gentle and mysterious. Vivek, who is prone to blackouts, is raised by a distant father and an understanding but overprotective mother. As an adult he finds solace with the vivacious daughters of the Nigerwives, foreign-born women married to Nigerian men. But Vivek’s closest bond is with Osita, his worldly cousin who seems to be harbouring a dark secret. As events spiral to a heart-stopping act of violence, Emezi revisits themes of family, identity, and multiple consciousnesses in another page-turning thriller.

Silvia Elizabeth Pangaro / Shutterstock.com

AFRO EAST / Harmonize

Actor John Boyega, who was born to British-Nigerian parents, was part of a cast that ushered in a new age of diversity into the blockbuster Star Wars franchise. Now he is involved in an initiative to bring more of an African influence to another giant of the movie world: Netflix.

The 29-year-old – who played stormtrooper-turned-resistance fighter Finn in the last three Star Wars films, including last year’s The Rise of Skywalker – has signed a deal with Netflix to develop films focusing on African content. UpperRoom Productions, Boyega’s own production company, now has the backing to make non-English films that will focus on West and East Africa.

Currently, three features are included in the multiyear deal, two from Nigeria and one from Egypt. Netflix has said UpperRoom Productions “will develop film projects based on stories, cast, characters, crew, literary properties, mythology, screenplays and/or other elements in or around African countries”.

Boyega announced his delight at the deal on Twitter, saying: “I am thrilled to announce that my production company, UpperRoom Productions, will be partnering with Netflix International, to develop a slate of non English feature films.”

Netflix has already started begun increasing its content from Africa. The streaming company released Queen Sono, a South African drama series about a female spy taking on a dangerous mission while facing struggles in her personal life, earlier this year and there and two more African – Zambian animation Mama K’s Team 4 and South African teen drama Blood and Water.

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Fred Uisso recipe

Start your day right with this healthy and hearty breakfast Images: Emanuel Feruzi

Master Chef Fred Uisso is a multi-international award-winning chef with his own TV show, restaurant and cooking app. Here at Twiga we are delighted he is also now the magazine’s new cookery columnist. The owner of Afrikando restaurant, a hugely popular dining destination in Dar, begins with a guide on how to make the most of the first meal of the day.

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Sponsored by

/ Fred Uisso recipe

B

reakfast is the most important meal of the day and it has to be hearty. All the happiness of the day depends on a good breakfast and it is so much better if somebody else made it for you. Ha ha!

A good hearty breakfast needs to include a combination of starch, protein and vitamins, but in moderate portions.

In my 30 years in the culinary business, I have discovered that breakfast needs ingredients such as cheese and potato to make you feel fuller for longer. Both will also tempt you to drink plenty of water during a day, which is very good for the body. A breakfast like this will keep a busy person going until the evening’s dinner.

This healthy, low-budget recipe makes use of garden products which are healthy and cost effective. As we say in Kiswahili, “Pambana na hali ya”, which means “use with love what you have at that moment”. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 6 200 g white potatoes 6 100 ml full or skimmed milk or 50 g of milk powder 6 Two tablespoons of margarine 6 Two table spoons of olive or sunflower oil 6 Sea salt 6 Five cherry tomatoes 6 One teaspoon of curry powder 6 One carrot 6 One lemon or lime 6 One large red onion 6 One egg 6 Two cloves of garlic 6 A pinch of black or white pepper

Directions: For the mashed potatoes Peel and dice the potatoes. Finely chop the red onion. Boil the diced potatoes together with half of chopped onions until they become soft. Add salt to taste.

Mash the potatoes. Add milk and margarine and mix them thoroughly. Perfect!

For the tomato stew Blend or grate two of the tomatoes. Chop the garlic clove.

Melt a tablespoon of margarine in a pan. Pour in the blended tomatoes and stir thoroughly. Add a teaspoon of curry powder and chopped garlic and let it simmer for at least two minutes. Add a teaspoon of lemon/lime juice to the stew and stir for 30 seconds then add salt to taste. So easy!

For the fried egg My preference is to fry the egg on just one side. Heat up some oil in a pan. Break the egg and place in the pan without disturbing the yolk. Fry until the clear liquid goes white. Period!

For the rest of the tomatoes Season the remaining tomatoes

with salt and lemon/lime juice.

Put some oil in a pan on a high heat. Pour the tomatoes and shake the pan to bring the flame in to the pan until tomatoes turn a dark brown colour. It’s over!

Plating: To make a mouth-watering dish you need to place it on the dish with style as you can see my pictures. It makes you hungry just looking at it, doesn’t it? I’d love to see the plates you create.

Accompany the meal with a glass of fresh watermelon and orange juice, ideally at room temperature. Eat your breakfast slowly to ensure you digest it well and follow it with a cup of black lemon tea with honey or white tea masala. You are now free to start your day’s activities happier and healthier.

KEEP UPDATED For the latest on Chef Fred Uisso, follow him on Facebook @chefuisso and Instagram @clubafrikando and @freduisso People living with chronic diseases should consult their health experts about their food intake for the safety of their health.

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Air Tanzania staff profile MARGARET WALDEN

‘Cabin crew have to stay calm, even when they are delivering a passenger’s baby’ She’s delivered a baby at 30,000 ft, saved a co-pilot’s life and been a presence of calm and comfort to Air Tanzania passengers for more than 30 years. Margaret Walden, now a cabin crew instructor with the airline, talks to Mark Edwards about turning her dream job into a career.

I

n her 36 years and counting service for Air Tanzania, Margaret Walden has always delivered – quite literally on one very special occasion. In November 1989 the then 27-year-old was part of four-strong cabin crew on a flight between Dar es Salaam to Dubai for the national carrier when she was called on to ensure the safe birth of a passenger’s baby while at an altitude of around 30,000 ft.

Cabin Crew are trained not to panic in any emergency, but as the warm and funny Walden tells me from her Dar es Salaam home, she had actually been looking forward to such a situation arising for a few years so she could put her into practise what she had learnt.

Training “At Air Tanzania all cabin crew were given first aid training,” she says. “I was taught how to save a life and deliver a baby, practising with dolls, so I was always hoping that this would be the flight when it was going to happen.”

Before arriving in Dubai the Boeing 737 was scheduled to make refuelling stops in Djibouti and Muscat. It was during the 2 1/2

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hour flight between the two countries that Walden noticed a situation developing. She takes up the story.

“I was looking after the economy class passengers. Among them was a young lady from Pemba travelling with her relatives.

She was very energetic and slim and I couldn’t see a bump so I had no idea she was pregnant.

“However, after 90 minutes I noticed she was visiting the bathroom frequently. As a mother I could see she wasn’t OK, but she said she was fine and just needed a drink of water.

“Around 40 minutes before we were due to land in Muscat she went to the bathroom and stayed there for a long time.

“When I went to check on her I could see water running under the toilet door, which was not locked. When I went in and I could see she was sitting on the toilet seat and I could see the baby’s head had already come out. I was worried about the toilet’s suction flush so I said as calmly as I could for her to get off the toilet seat. I pulled the curtains and moved passengers further down the plane – luckily, we were not full – and I made her comfortable and told her to push.

“I was not the most senior cabin crew member on duty that day, but I was there and I knew what to do so I led the way. The baby was big and healthy – it came out sucking its thumb – and I wrapped it in blankets.

“There was no doctor on board so I used a razor from our first aid box to cut the umbilical chord. The mum had no energy left after the birth so I removed the placenta and put it in a sealed bag.”

When the aircraft finally landed – the pilot kept it circling until the baby was delivered – Air Tanzania management were at the airport to congratulate Walden and she made the headlines of the next day’s papers.

Walden’s heroics were, she says, just part of the collective duty of care of all Air Tanzania

For more information about careers with Air Tanzania please visit our website at

www.airtanzania.co.tz

of the shopping and the whole team would be put up in specially selected five-star hotels for a few days.”

anecdotes. “The trainees love to hear my stories,” she says.

The fortunes of Air Tanzania have ebbed and flowed during Walden’s 36 years, but she is delighted she has been around to see the recent renaissance of the airline under President Magufuli, with its flights, fleet and market share having rocketed.

The baby story is a favourite, but Walden can also regale the new recruits with the time she was on a flight into Entebbe which encountered a storm so bad she jokingly said to herself “when I get down on the ground I am going to hand in my resignation”.

crew. She says: “We are taught to work as a team and act as one. We all worked hard and were proud to represent the national carrier.”

“Magufuli gave us a big up,” she says “so much thanks to the President. It’s wonderful to see a new generation getting involved.”

However, she never let her fear show to the passengers and kept them calm. As she says: “If I show I am scared how can I expect others not to be.”

Dream job

Walden now gets to train that new generation. Since 2016 she has been working as a cabin crew instructor, teaching new recruits to maintain exemplary levels of grooming and service.

There was also the occasion she came to the aid of a Mexican co-pilot who was “going grey” with food poisoning on a flight from Mtwara to Dar. Walden called for an ambulance to pick them up on landing and accompanied him to the hospital. He recovered, crediting Walden with “saving his life”.

If I show I am scared then how can I expect others not to be

It was always Walden’s dream to be a flight attendant so the day she passed her Tanzanian Civil Aviation training exams and became a member of Air Tanzania’s cabin crew aged 22 was one of the happiest of her life.

She took to the high life straight away, enjoying the opportunity to explore more of her own country as well as travel internationally. In the 1980s the airline’s network of international destinations included Nairobi, Bujumbura, Muscat, Dubai, Bombay (now Mumbai) and Djibouti. In the early 1990s that was expanded to include Frankfurt, London and Johannesburg thanks to a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines.

“I loved to see different cultures,” Walden says. “Dubai was always a favourite because

The students seem to enjoy being taught by Walden with her wealth of experience and

The airline is never very far away, even at home. The 58-year-old grandmother is married to Air Tanzania pilot Captain Joseph Ibanda, who has been working for the airline since 1987, and they have four children. “We understand each other,” she says.

Air Tanzania is also Walden’s choice when she is travelling outside of work. “If the airline goes where I need to go, I always use them,” she says. Every other passenger onboard those flights – especially those approaching their due dates – should be very glad she is.

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Mafia Island

10 reasons why you should:

make Mafia Island your next trip’ While Zanzibar has become a hugely popular tourist destination, Mafia Island, part of a neighbouring Indian Ocean archipelago, remains largely unknown. Such anonymity suits its ecological importance. Large swathes of its southern coastline and surrounding waters are protected by the Mafia Island Marine Park with an unbroken reef that rings the island and is home to rare wildlife such as whale sharks and sea turtles.

1 The intrepid ecotourists who do make it here have a playground of natural wonders to enjoy as well as some heavenly accommodation. Among the options is boutique hotel Kinasi Lodge, which borders the marine park and has its own stretch of stunning beach. Here its managing director, Peter Byrne, give 10 reasons why Mafia Island should be your next getaway.

There is a Kiswahili word, ‘Kipekee’, which is an exclamation at the sight of something exceptional, out-of-the-ordinary and unique. If you wish to get away from the crowds and explore something new and experience nature and local culture that has not been disturbed by urban or industrial development and mass tourism, Mafia is the place.

No hustle, no hassle, just old-fashioned island life.

Here’s my top ten.

History

Mafia island has an extraordinary history. It is thought to be the island of Menouthesias mentioned by Claudius Ptolemy (AD 90-168) in his Geographia, the western world’s first atlas. In those days, the island was ruled by the Sabaeans, the tribe of the Queen of Sheba, who in biblical times are said to have held dominion all down this coastline. Many seafaring nations came for trade or conquest to Azania, as the east coast of Africa was known originally.

Mafia was once owned by the Sultan of Oman, also the power in Zanzibar, and was sold to Germany in 1890 along with a section of the Tanganyika coast from the Rufiji Delta to Kilwa. After World War I the island was ceded to Britain and became part of the Coast Province.

Chole Island and a site near Kanga have German buildings from the early 1900s.

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Marine life

The island’s outstanding marine life led to the creation of Mafia Island Marine Park. The unique shallow waters here provide ideal habitats for more than 460 species of fish and over 50 types of coral. An 800-metre buffer zone is in place around the whole park, protecting it from any detrimental practices, but local fishermen and tourists are permitted inside. The latter, who can enter after paying a daily fee of US$ 20 per person per day (US$ 10 for children three to 15 years), can take advantage of the opportunities for world-class diving and snorkelling among the rich reefs here. There is something for divers of all levels of experience and training is offered by a number of dive centres on the island.

Seasoned divers will love the east coast where the coral rock has a deep drop-off. airtanzania.co.tz / 53

/ Mafia Island

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Giants of the sea

Whale sharks, the biggest recorded fish in the world’s oceans with adults measuring up to 18 metres long and weighing in at more than 20 tons, love Mafia Island. While most are migratory, there is now an established resident population in the island’s waters with numbers having almost doubled since 2012 to 180. The best time to see them is between October and March when they venture close to the shore to feast on the plankton pushed out with the silt from the Rufiji River into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Whale sharks may have thousands of teeth, but with a diet limited to tiny micro-organisms, humans are definitely not on the menu and one of the most unforgettable experiences the island offers is to swim alongside these gentle giants of the sea.

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Natural beauty

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Birdlife

The interior of Mafia is carpeted in lush vegetation with coconut palms, baobabs, cashews, mangos and papaya trees abounding. The coastal forest of Mafia, which covers the eastern side of Mafia from Chole Bay northwards, has a number of indigenous and exotic flora and fauna species retained in the area.

The island’s coastal mangrove forests and tidal flats attract huge numbers of coastal birds.

Avian migrants from the Northern Hemisphere including the crabplover come here for their wintering.

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Wildlife

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Beautiful beaches

The forests are also home to bush babies, wild pigs, blue duikers, genets, vervet monkeys and Pteropus fruit bats. Hippos have also been seen in the region and more than 100 protected turtle nests will hatch each season.

The north-west quarter of Mafia’s coast includes kilometres of beautiful white beaches, bays and islets for kayaking and picnicking and you will often be the only one there enjoying such paradisal surroundings.

Utende Beach, at the heart of the Marine Park, is a superb deep-water beach where boats can easily anchor while the south east of the island is dotted with small sandy coves, which are worth the effort of a hike to reach. They are also the favourite nesting spot for the island’s marine turtles between June and September.

On the western corner of the island is Ras Kisimani, a vast complex of sand peninsulas and inlets, which are amazing for beach picnics and you’ll also find the ruins of one of the original trading towns of the Swahili coast. Dating back to the 12th century it was once the biggest settlement on the island, funded by lucrative gold and ivory.

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Boats moored in the crystal clear waters of Mafia Island

Island hopping

The smaller islands of the Mafia archipelago are reachable by boat from Mafia Island’s one-street capital Kilindoni. Mange is an atoll on the far western edge of the archipelago. It

is a stunning place with a sand island – cay – exposed at low tide and an excellent coral reef for snorkelling and good diving on the deeper channel side.

Jibondo is about 30 minutes away by boat and is the archipelago’s bestknown fishing village with shark and octopus caught here famed across Tanzania.

Bwejuu Island sits between Ras Kisimani and the Rufiji Delta and is a lovely sand-fringed, palm-covered island surrounded by sand bars and snorkelling reefs.

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Welcoming people

Mafia has a population of around 50,000, most of whom are involved in fishing or farming to make a living. It’s a way of life in tune with nature, but unaffected by modern life. Visitors will find locals extremely friendly, self-confident but humble and always up for a laugh. A lasting memory you will take away is how cheerful and playful people are.

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The smaller islands of the Mafia archipelago are reachable by boat from Mafia Island’s onestreet capital Kilindoni

A craftsman working on a wooden face mask federico neri / Shutterstock.com

Active adventures

Mafia Island is a natural playground and there are many fun ways to explore it. You can sail on traditional jahazis or outrigger ngalawas with local fishermen (the sunset cruises are incredible), venture into the mangrove forests by kayak, meet the locals and explore the local farmlands and villages on mountain bike expedition and hike among the mangrove, inter-tidal flats and woodland.

For more information on Mafia Island, visit mafiaisland.com To find out more about Kinasi Lodge head to kinasilodge.com

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Wheels car review

Land Rover Defender

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH…

T

here were many who were sad to see the end of the iconic Land Rover Defender.

Clearly the vehicle was way past its sell-by date when Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) opted to call it a day in 2016 after 67 years of production.

But instead of just immediately replacing the Defender with a new model, JLR hesitated for a while and took some time to decide what to do. And late last year, we finally got to glimpse JLR’s new model.

It’s fair to say that JLR has chosen to take the new Defender upmarket and wave goodbye to the

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old model’s quirkiness; targeting a slightly different and certainly more civilised audience.

Inspection On close inspection, the Defender shares much with the slightly larger and more refined Discovery. Yet it still manages to acknowledge its links with the past model – even going as far as to include the very curious Alpine light windows in the roof. But that’s about where it ends, as elsewhere the Defender is bang up to date.

Buyers can choose from four design packs: Country (the classic and basic Defender look), Urban

High tech

(which adds slightly flashier details such as 22in wheels), Adventure (with its go-anywhere underbody protection and side-mounted storage boxes) and Explorer (featuring a roof ladder and roof rack).

All images: Jaguar Land Rover / Wheels car review

This is a serious off-road vehicle and one likely to be chosen by the military, farmers and the like

Classy inside Mud plugger

Unlike many SUVs – and maintaining links with its predecessor – this is no school-run soft-roader.

The Defender comes with permanent four-wheel drive and stuff like hill-start assist as well as a range of other serious bush-bashing features. All Defenders are fitted with an eight-speed automatic box as standard.

Switches Gone are the funny switches, daft knobs and odd dials that so characterised the old Defender. These have been replaced with a thoroughly modern and mostly minimalist interior that includes a 10in

touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, plus digital instruments that show a broad range of information.

In summation, this is a serious off-road vehicle and one likely to be chosen by the military, farmers and the like. So, buyers will get a very capable and rugged machine, but it’s not cheap. And the question is, can the Defender capture a share of East Africa’s still growing off-road market?

Up against well-established, wellbuilt and highly regarded Toyotas, the Defender is going to find the going tough. But, hey, that’s what it’s built for.

MARKET RIVAL The new Defender has a potential rival and in the shape of the Grenadier – a car backed

by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, owner of chemicals giant INEOS. This came about and after JLR ceased production of the Defender and without fully committing to a new model. Ratcliffe saw a gap in the market, which JLR has now returned to fill.

The retro-esque Grenadier retains many of the old Defender’s much-loved idiosyncrasies and is set for launch in 2021. Ratcliffe’s idea is for a no-nonsense stripped back, utilitarian 4x4, engineered to overcome all conditions and for those who depend on a vehicle as a hardworking tool, wherever they are in the world.

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Mbeya

24 hours in…

MBEYA

Most people use Mbeya as a gateway to the rich natural wonders of Tanzania’s southern highlands such as Lake Ngozi, Kitulo National Park and Matema Beach. However, the town is well worth a visit in its own right. It was born out of the gold rush of the 1920s and still thrives today due to its status as a major trade and transit junction between Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. Here’s our guide on how to make the most of your day in Mbeya.

MORNING Start your day right with a visit to The Ridge Café, centrally located in Market Square. It’s Mbeya’s only speciality coffee shop and serves a range of 100 per cent Tanzanian Arabica beans sourced from smallholder farms in the southern highlands and Kilimanjaro and given their signature roast in Mbeya. The premium service extends right up to the pouring with The Ridge’s baristas some of the best you’ll find in East Africa.

The Ridge Café in Mbeya came second in last year’s East African Latte Art Competition with its Dar branch winning top prize. Caffeine hits range from espresso through macchiato to lattes and you can also pick up a choice of fresh juices and pastries.

With breakfast sorted, it’s time to take in a bit of culture at the African Movement of Art & Crafts. The short walk from The Ridge Café also offers the chance to take a look at the Sokoine Stadium, the town’s 20,000-capacity sports venue that is used mostly for football matches and is home venue for Mbeya City

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FC and Prisons FC (who are made up of guards rather than inmates).

The African Movement of Arts & Crafts is one of a cluster of brightly painted and appealing local businesses. It sells souvenirs with a story: bright fabric earrings made by the owner, quality wood and soapstone carvings, basket-ware, wooden bowls and batik wall hangings. Find it to the left of the Hair Saloon.

AFTERNOON Follow the crowds to Soul Food 501 for a healthy, hearty lunch. This popular place in Jacaranda Road, off Lupa Way, serves a buffet from 12.30pm to 3pm Monday to Friday and at weekends cooks to order.

Featured buffet dishes are always changing, but popular dishes include grilled tilapia, chicken makange, T-bone steak, chicken wings and fried banana. You won’t go hungry. There is also a well-stocked bar with its signature cocktails a highlight.

In the afternoon take a short drive out of town in the direction of the airport to visit Ifisi Zoo.

Top: The Tazara railway and (above) Mbozi Meteorite found in Mbeya

Ostriches are among the free-roaming animals at Ifisi Zoo

/ 24 hours in… Mbeya

There is more than eight km of open land ringed by rolling hills for animals such as zebra, ostrich, hyena, bushbuck and kudu to roam If the word ‘zoo’ fills you with images of cages and confined animals, this place will come as a pleasant surprise. There is more than eight km of open land ringed by rolling hills for animals such as zebra, ostrich, hyena, bushbuck and kudu to roam. There are plenty of birds, reptiles and monkeys to get up close to and the family-friendly place – it’s run by the Mbalizi Evangelistic Church – is a great afternoon out.

Top: Mbeya train station. Bottom: Breakfast favourite The Ridge Cafe

EVENING There’s not a huge amount of choice if you fancy a night out, but by far the best is New City Pub & Lounge, a nightclub at the eastern end of town, which hosts regular concerts out in its parking lot.

Featured acts include bongo flava stars from Dar es Salaam. Check out its Instagram page for upcoming events. There’s also a pool table and a restaurant that serves Tanzanian food.

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Travel information

Before take-off Taking your first flight is certainly exciting, but can also become a source of stress for those who are unfamiliar with the rules, procedures and customs of flying. To prepare yourself for your first flight, it is therefore important to get information on everything you need to do before and during your journey. Here is a useful pre-departure checklist.

1

Before departing, it is important to check the airline’s website for its hand luggage rules: weight, sizes and types of objects you can take on board. For example, as regards liquids, you are advised to carry these in your hand luggage, only in transparent, reseal able, plastic containers, not exceeding 100 ml. In this section, you will find information regarding the hand luggage permitted on your flights; if you have connection flights, we advise that you also check the websites of other airlines.

2

Arriving at the airport in advance (at least two hours for domestic flights and three hours for international flights)

will enable you to check in and board your flight calmly, without anxiety and without unexpected last-minute issues.

3

Check in online, if possible.

If travelling with hand luggage alone, you can check in online and print or download your boarding pass which you must take with you directly to security checks. This will enable you to save precious time once at the airport and to go to the gate calmly. For further information, please visit the dedicated page.

4

Set your mobile to flight mode, as well as other devices connected to the internet that you are taking on board.

Cabin crew will remind you of this step before take-off. With flight mode set, you can still take photos of your unforgettable journey and you can also enjoy the in-flight entertainment system! To find out more, please visit the dedicated section.

5

If you suffer from motion sickness… you will only find out about it during your first flight! To prevent sickness from ruining your first flight on a plane, we advise you to take natural remedies, such as, for example, ginger tablets or gum to chew. Ginger is believed to have a anti-nausea properties. Otherwise, ask your doctor to prescribe you antihistamines with a sedative effect.

6

Enjoy the view! By choosing a seat near the window, you will see breath-taking landscapes and you can take photos of the exquisite white clouds you will be flying above.

Try to take a nap. Sleeping on the plane will make time pass faster and you will arrive at your destination calm and rested.

7

8

Lastly, especially during take-off and landing, the change in pressure inside the cabin may cause discomfort in your ears. To prevent this discomfort, you are advised to stay awake during these manoeuvres and to chew gum or wear earplugs.

AIR TANZANIA FLEET National carrier Air Tanzania is justifiably proud of its revamped six-strong fleet. Here we take a close-up look at our aircraft with technical data and specifications.

BOMBARDIER DASH 8-Q400 Number of aircraft available: 4 Bombardier Seat capacity: (3 Bombardier) Business Class 6, Economy 70 (1 Bombardier) Business class 10, Economy 68 Number of flight-deck crew: 2 Range: 2,063 km (1,362 Nm) Typical cruising speed: up to 360 knots (414 mph or 667 km/hr) Wingspan: 93 ft 3 in (28.4 m) Length: 107 ft 9 in (32.8 m)

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AIRBUS 220-300 (CS300) Number of aircraft available: 2 Seat capacity: Business Class 12 and 120 Economy Class Number of flight-deck crew: 2 Range: 6,112 km (3,300 Nm) Typical cruising speed: 470 knots (541 mph or 871 km/hr) Thrust per engine at sea level: 23,300 lbf / 103.6 kN Wingspan: 115 ft 1 in (35.1 m) Length: 127 ft (38.7 m) Interior cabin width: 129 inches (3.28 m)

BOEING 787-8 DREAMLINER Number of aircraft available: 2 Seat capacity: Business Class 22 and 240 Economy Class Number of flight-deck crew: 2 Range: 13,621 km (7,355 Nm) Typical cruising speed: 488 knots (561 mph or 903 km/hr) Thrust per engine at sea level: 64,000 lbf / 280 kN Wingspan: 197 ft 3 in (60.12 m) Length: 186 ft 1 in (56.72 m) Interior cabin width: 18 ft 0 inch (5.49 m)

Flying between COMORO - AFRICA TANZANIA - TANZANIA AFRICA - INDIA AFRICA - AFRICA

hours ahead of your flight time for domestic flights and three hours for international flights.

Family travel

Passports and visas A valid passport or travel document that is valid for at least six months is required to enter the United Republic of Tanzania.

Visitors will also require a valid visa upon arrival. There are a range of visas available depending on the nature and frequency of your visits, but a single entry visa can be obtained on arrival in Tanzania subject to the fulfilment of all immigration requirements. There is a US$ 50 charge for the visa.

For a full list of visas available and for countries for which special terms exist, visit the Air Tanzania website.

Check-in Check in online, if possible. If travelling with hand luggage alone, you can check in online and print or download your boarding pass, which you must take with you directly to security checks. You should check in two

Fares for infants and children As a general rule, children up to two years old are not required to have their own seat and are allowed to travel on parents’ lap.

An infant tickets costs 10 per cent of the regular fare. Depending on the destination, taxes and fees may apply. Please note that only 1 baby per adult is accepted. You can choose to buy a seat for your baby at the reduced rates for children if any children’s rate is applicable.

If your child is older than two years or turns two while you are travelling, you will have to book a separate seat for him or her and book the children fare for the entire journey. If a child travels with an accompanying adult in the same class of cabin, the child should be seated in the same seat row as the accompanying adult. Where this is not possible, the child should be seated no more than one seat row or aisle away. Reduced rates apply for children aged two to 11 on most routes, depending on the travel class. Children turning 12 years en route need to be booked as adults for the entire journey.

Expectant mothers Our priority is always your safety and that of your unborn child.

To avoid unnecessary risks to you and your baby, we recommend

Free allowance

30 kg 23 kg 2PC @ 23 kg 2PC @ 23 kg

that all expectant mothers consult a doctor before booking their ticket and inquire about their fitness to fly the length of the trip they intend to take.

Depending on the stage and circumstances of your pregnancy, you may be required to present certain medical forms before flying. For your own safety and the well-being of your child, Air Tanzania will not accept expectant mothers who are pregnant from their 36th week or beyond.

UMNR (children travelling alone) If you’re planning for your child to travel alone, we’re here to make sure they enjoy their trip and that they are well taken care of throughout their journey.

When you book our unaccompanied minor service, your child will be received at the originating airport, taken care of during transit and while on board the aircraft. He or she will be handed over to the person designated by the parents/ guardians upon arrival at the final destination.

Cost To avail the unaccompanied minor service, an adult fare needs to be purchased for the child. Please contact us to book the flight and the service.

Infant fare checked baggage allowance Infants travelling on an infant fare are allowed 10 kg as baggage allowance.

BUSINESS

Air Tanzania has a free allowance for passengers’ baggage across economy and business class. For full details and rates please see our website www.airtanzania.co.tz or contact booking enquiries 0800 110045

ECONOMY

FREE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE

Free allowance

40 kg 30 kg 3PC @ 23 kg 3PC @ 23 kg

Child fare baggage allowance Children and infants travelling on a child fare are eligible for the same baggage allowance as adults.

Wheelchairs If you need wheelchair assistance at the airport, you must advise Air Tanzania of this at the time of booking. You can request wheelchair assistance through our Call Centre or at Air Tanzania Sales offices.

Inflight Wi-Fi On board Wi-Fi Enable Wi-Fi on your laptop, tablet or smartphone, and select AirTanzaniaWifi You will need to launch your web browser, which will display the log-in web portal. From the portal, simply select your preferred price plan.

Portable electronic devices (PEDs) You can use your e-readers, tablets and smartphones from gate to gate – including taxiing, take-off and landing – without a risk to safety.

Note that on-board Wi-Fi is only available on certain aircraft. Please follow cabin crew instructions at all times.

For Booking & Enquiries: 0800 110045 www.airtanzania.co.tz

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Air Tanzania destinations

DISCOVER

Regional and international routes

Bukoba Mwanza Geita Kigoma

Musoma Arusha Kilimanjaro

TANZANIA Katavi

Tabora Dodoma Iringa

Zanzibar

Dar es Salaam

Mbeya

INDIAN OCEAN

Active routes Upcoming routes

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For Booking & Enquiries: 0800 110045 | www.airtanzania.co.tz

UK

London

CHINA

Guangzhou Mumbai

INDIA

Bangkok

THAILAND

NIGERIA

Lagos UGANDA

Entebbe Kigali Bujumbura

KENYA

Nairobi

RWANDA

BURUNDI

TANZANIA

DRC

Lubumbashi

Dar es Salaam Comoros

ZAMBIA

Lusaka ZIMBABWE

Harare

Active routes Upcoming routes

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Air Tanzania contacts

WHERE TO CONTACT US E-COMMERCE Location: ATC House, Ohio Street.

Email: tce-commerce@airtanzania.co.tz

CONTACT CENTRE Location: ATC House, Ohio Street.

Email: contactcentre@airtanzania.co.tz

0800 110045 Toll Free (Tanzania only) Tel: +255 022 212 5221

For the latest flights, information and to book online, visit:

www.airtanzania.co.tz

Follow us on:

@AirTanzania

@airtanzania

airtanzania_atcl

Air Tanzania ATCL

AIR TANZANIA CONTACTS DAR ES SALAAM (HQ)

TABORA

KAMPALA

Location: ATC House, Ohio Street P.O Box 543 Office (JNIA) Tel: +255 222 117 500 Email: darairport.station@airtanzania.co.tz

Email: tabora.station@airtanzania.co.tz

Location: Park Royal Mall, Room 208, Buganda Road.

Email: uganda.station@airtanzania.co.tz Email: bbesalestc@airtanzania.co.tz Tel: +256 414 289 474 / +256 393 517 145

ARUSHA Location: Boma Road Email: arusha.station@airtanzania.co.tz Tel: + 255 272 545 296

MBEYA

SONGEA Location: African Benedict Office Hanga- opposite TRA Songea Email: songea.station@airtanzania.co.tz Mob: +255 712 796 421

KIGOMA

Location: Jacaranda Road, Lupa Way Street Email: mbeya.station@airtanzania.co.tz Mob: +255 768 834 017 / +255 744 680 680

Location: Lumumba Road, opp. Mambo Leo Pharmacy Email: kigoma.station@airtanzania.co.tz Mob: +255 742 580 580

COMOROS

IRINGA

Location: Immeuble MATELEC Moroni, Grande Comores Email: com’airgsaatc@gmail.com Tel: +269 3714857 / +269 4464857

Location: Asas House, Dodoma Road, opp. TCC. Email: Iringa.station@airtanzania.co.tz Mob: +255 753 574 986

BUKOBA Location: Kawawa Rd. Block 1 Email: bukoba.station@airtanzania.co.tz

Location: Postal Building, Kijangwani Email: zanzibar.station@airtanzania.co.tz Mob: +255 785 452 585

KILIMANJARO

ZIMBABWE

Location: KIA Email: arusha.station@airtanzania.co.tz

Location: 24 Shamwari Complex, 157 Sam Nujoma Street, Ext Belgravia, Harare Email: hresalestc@airtanzania.co.tz Tel: +263 424 796 286/7 Mob: +263 773 119 462

ZAMBIA Barnetts Building, Shop 3, Hailie Selasie Avenue, Longacres, Lusaka.

Mob: +260 956 610 250

DODOMA Location: Mtendeni Street Block Q P.O Box 83 Tel: + 255 262 322 272 Email: dodoma.station@airtanzania.co.tz

MWANZA

Tel: +255 282 501 059 Email: mwanza.station@airtanzania.co.tz

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ZANZIBAR

ENTEBBE Location: Entebbe International Airport, Room no 095.

Email: uganda.station@airtanzania.co.tz Email: bbesalestc@airtanzania.co.tz Tel: +256 716 680 250

BUJUMBURA Location: Air Burundi, 13 Avenue Du Commerce, B.P 2460.

Email: harieth.rutihinda@airtanzania.co.tz Tel: +257 610 139 48.

INDIA Location: 204, 2nd Floor-A Wing, Kanakia Wall Street, Andheri East, Near Chakala Signal, Mumbai 400059.

Email: Res.tc@airtanzania.co.in Email: Sales.tc@airtanzania.co.in Tel: 022-4882-5811/12 Help Desk WhatsApp Number: +91 93158 35057

JOHANNESBURG Location: West Tower, 2nd Floor, Nelson Mandela Square, Maude Street, Sandown, Gauteng, South Africa 2146 Email: southernafrica@airlinepros.com Tel: +27 11 881 5945

Issue 05 / April to June 2020

YO U R F R E E A I R TA N Z A N I A M AGA ZINE

T R AV E L / TA STE / TALEN T

Guide to going green What you can do to save your city and the planet Twiga A I R TA N Z A N I A Issue 05

Wanderlust

Our pick of the most romantic places in East Africa

Raft of crafts A look inside handcrafts hub Make It Matter

The next chapter

Grace Matata's new direction