Discover Tanzania is a tour company which was established in February 2005. The company has the following aims:

• to provide guests with an unforgettable vacation whether it be a safari, beach or cultural experience;

• to provide guests with the opportunity of experiencing the 'real' Africa in the southern Tanzanian mainland, an area which has hardly been 'touched' by mass tourism, and Zanzibar;

• to use hotels, guest houses, lodges and camps which are owned by Tanzanians and/or employ predominantly Tanzanians;

• to use, wherever possible, hotels, guest houses, lodges and camps which do not have an adverse effect on the environment;

• to provide financial support for schools and education projects in Tanzania.

David Thompson is the founder, owner and Managing Director of Discover Tanzania. David retired from his role as Deputy Headteacher of Stantonbury Campus in Milton Keynes, England in December 2004. During the last 12 years of his teaching career he was responsible for establishing, organising and leading an ongoing student exchange to Tanzania for students and staff at the school. As a result, he knows southern Tanzania and Zanzibar very well and has established very good links with the Tanzanian people.

David is passionate about creating a company which enables guests to experience the 'real' Tanzania whilst, at the same time, benefiting the Tanzanian people. Two examples of ways this is going to be achieved are:

• 10% of Discover Tanzania's net profit will support education projects on the Tanzanian mainland and Zanzibar. The projects to be supported are:
  
  
  • 4% Iringa Secondary School for Girls/Tosamaganga Secondary School for Boys Education Trust;
    
    
  • 2% Bewju Primary School;
    
    
  • 2% Pongwe Primary School;
    
    
  • 2% Dhow Music Acadamy;
    
    
• Guests will have the opportunity of staying with the Mgonja family in Iringa.

David's business partner in Tanzania is Christina Mgonja, the owner of the De de guest house in Iringa. Like David, Christina has been in education all her working life, being Headteacher of Iringa Secondary School for Girls for 25 years. David and Christina have worked closely on the student exchange since its inception. Between them, David and Christina have a wealth of experience of the southern Tanzanian mainland and Zanzibar and share an enthusiasm for developing tourism in this part of Africa..