Greek expatriate and second-generation entrepreneur Dimitris Mantheakis joined “Our Global Voice” with Dimitris Kontogiannis on Voice of Greece, sharing the fascinating story of his family and the Greek presence in Tanzania.
He spoke about the St. Constantine School in Arusha, a cornerstone of the local Greek community’s efforts to preserve their ties with Greece. Through student visits, new guest facilities, and future plans to host Greek students, the school continues to serve as a cultural bridge. Mantheakis also highlighted ongoing efforts to recruit a Greek teacher, in collaboration with the Greek Ministry of Education.
Tracing his roots, he recounted how his grandfather left Crete in the early 20th century aboard a coal freighter, seeking work to support his family. He first arrived in Port Said, Egypt, and then moved on to East Africa, where he worked on railway projects led by a Greek engineer educated in Germany. There he met and married his wife, who had roots in Cesme, Asia Minor.
In 1919, they attempted to return to Cesme, only to narrowly escape the Asia Minor Catastrophe, thanks to a warning from a Cretan-born Turkish policeman who was a friend of the family. They fled to Chios and eventually returned to what is now Tanzania—but their hardships were far from over.
Following independence, Tanzania entered the Soviet sphere of influence, leading to widespread nationalization. Many Greeks lost their assets and emigrated to South Africa, Australia, the U.S., or returned to Greece. However, in the 1990s, the Tanzanian president acknowledged the mistakes of the past and invited Greeks to return. By then, their once-productive estates had turned into forests.
Mantheakis emphasized the deep respect Tanzanians have for Greeks, noting that they were never viewed as colonizers, but as people who valued freedom, learned the local language, and lived in harmony with the community.
Today, Mantheakis runs a business in gemstone mining, jewelry production, and export, along with agricultural ventures. He remains a committed member of the board of St. Constantine School, one of the country’s top educational institutions, where only five Greek children are currently enrolled. Despite the dwindling Greek population, he and a few others continue to work tirelessly to preserve Hellenism in Tanzania.