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Toledo International Youth Orchestra

United Republic of Tanzania

TIYO traveled to the Toledo Sister City, Tanga, Tanzania, in late June - early July, 2009. The orchestra visited the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Zanzibar, Arusha and sights inbetween.

Completing the mission of their trip, the musicians met first with a tribe called Ngongo where a young musician named Msafiri Zawose, taught about traditional African and Tanzanian music. Next was a visit to a music school on Zanzibar where they learned about music education in Tanzania. TIYO left 10 donated violins to the school. TIYO gave their first performance at a palace of nineteenth century royalty. While in Tanga, they met with students at the Toledo Secondary school. Students shared cultures and traditions in broken English and attempts at Swahili. Students demonstrated their respective musical instruments and TIYO once again left 10 donated violins.

TIYO also performed in Tanga and on July 4th at the US Embassy in Dar es Salaam.

Sight seeing included dolphins in the Indian Ocean, bartering with many street vendors for souvenirs, and a day and a half saffari which included the Ngorongoro Crater and many different animals in the wild.

The Tanzania trip was held in conjunction with a medical mission. TIYO achieved another mission to financially support Tanga's newest school, Toledo Secondary School, with the addition of a new music classroom (see pictures below). Through the Sister Cities program, a Toledo fire truck was delivered to Tanga last year.


The TIYO team which traveled to Tanzania

See more pictures here! Read essay by Haley
Read essay by Lee Ann Read essay by Hunter

Tanzania Fun Facts

  • Population: Over 40 million
  • Currency: Shilling
  • Electrical supply: 230v 50hz
  • Official Languages: Kiswahili (Swahili) and English
  • Weights and Measure: Metric
  • Size: 3 times the size of New Mexico
  • Weather during June/July: dry and highs of 83
  • Political capital: Dodoma
  • Commercial capital: Dar es Salaam
  • Tanganyika (mainland Tanzania) gained independence in 1961
  • Zanzibar gained independence in 1963
  • United Republic of Tanzania (Tanganyika plus Zanzibar) formed in 1964

What's in Tanzania that will sound familiar:

  • Serengeti National Park (near the border with Kenya)
  • Lake Victoria (shared with Kenya and Uganda)
  • Mount Kilimanjaro
  • Zanzibar (the island southeast of Tanga)

Visit the official website for Tanzania
 and come back here for more pictures from the trip.
Tanga Fire BrigadeToledo Secondary SchoolHeadmaster of the Toledo Secondary School
New Music Room
May, 2010 Front ViewAwaiting the floorMay, 2010 Rear View
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