DMI Volunteer Elaine Hopkins with two pocket clarinet students (left); DMI first-year violin student (right).
Photos courtesy of Matthew Mitchell

Bridging music education and African Blackwood conservation, Daraja Music Initiative (DMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and registered NGO in Tanzania that harnesses the transformative power of music to cultivate a sustainable future.

DMI’s dual mission focuses on conservation efforts in Tanzania, because the mpingo tree – the Swahili word for African blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon), grenadilla, or ebony – is the national tree of Tanzania. This species plays a vital role in both the environment and the world of music, as it is used to make clarinets, oboes, piccolos, and some string fingerboards. However, this valuable resource is under threat due to over-harvesting and commercial extinction.

Mpingo seedling (left), young mpingo tree (middle), more mature mpingo tree (right).

Photos courtesy of Jessica Savidge (left) and Allan Blunt (middle and right)

After watching the documentary, Mpingo: The Tree of Music, clarinetist Michele Von Haugg was fueled by a strong desire to connect clarinetists directly to the source of the wood which is used to make their instruments. This inspired Von Haugg to travel to Tanzania in 2010 with a suitcase containing 12 clarinets to teach music to kids, learn more about African blackwood trees, and connect with the Tanzanian community. This newly founded music and conservation program then inspired violist Hillary Herndon to travel to Tanzania with 3 students and 14 donated string instruments, and begin the strings program in 2015. And, the rest is history!

Since 2010, Daraja Music Initiative has impacted over 300 students and 14,000 community members, and has planted more than 3,000 Mpingo trees throughout the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. This past year, DMI celebrated their 14th year in Tanzania, Africa, from June 10-July 20, 2024. This year was especially monumental due to making history and starting Africa’s first-ever Prodige Pocket Clarinet class. The DMI program lasts for about 8 weeks each year, typically running in June and July, and each summer is packed-full of with music classes, performances, community engagements, and more.

This year, the team planted 157 trees and gifted 93 trees for a total of 250 trees, taught music and conservation classes to over 75 students, secured a fantastic cohort of 20 volunteers, engaged in 14 tree performances at various schools throughout the Kilimanjaro region, shared music with the Moshi community at 6 Open Mic Nights and 4 gig performances at Courage Café and Jackfruit Café, and provided students with 4 opportunities to explore the beautiful world around them on field trips to the African Blackwood Conservation Project, Meserani Snake Park, Kilimanjaro National Park with two waterfalls (Leuwo Waterfalls and Kinukamori Waterfalls), and Lake Duluti.

DMI violin students performing at Open Mic Night held at Union Coffee in Moshi, Tanzania (left); DMI students in general music class (right).Photo courtesy of Jessica Savidge (left); photo courtesy of Matthew Mitchell (right)

And, when not teaching, team members spent time on a 3-day safari to Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, and Lake Manyara, explored around our home base of Moshi, took day trips to the nearby Materuni Waterfalls to hike and make coffee, enjoyed local Tanzanian cuisine like chipsi mayai (an omelet with fries), and practiced chamber music together.

Daraja Music Institute would love for you to join us next year as we celebrate our milestone 15th year! There are so many ways to get involved to sustain the Earth through music.

• Volunteer: Experience the transformative power of music in Tanzania with our team. Teach classes, plant trees, and perform music at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Our team is actively recruiting music teachers (general music, clarinet, violin, music history and theory, and more!), repair technicians, conservationists, and anyone who wants to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity and has a desire to sustain the Earth through music. Learn more, attend an info session, or apply to volunteer.
• Donate: Ensure a sustainable future for music. Make a tax deductible donation, donate any used or new clarinet and violin instruments or accessories, or sponsor a volunteer. Reach out to us at darajamuscinitiative@gmail.com.
• Advocate: Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to make sharing our message and story even easier. Stay connected by subscribing to our newsletter and receive a few email updates each year.

Learn more about how you can make an impact by attending an info session or visiting our website at www.darajamusicinitiative.org.