Giving Ughandi B Water
We began our project four years ago in August 2005 after visiting Ughandi ‘B’ village in rural Tanzania. After my second visit we returned home to discuss what would be the best way to help the community. The obvious choice was to install water pumps, there being only one working pump in the village to cover a population of a little below 3000. Ughandi ‘B’ has five sub villages and covers a vast area so we determined from this that a survey would be the best way forward. The communities of subsistence farmers grow crops such as maize and sunflowers twice a year during the long and short rain seasons, but the area is essentially semi dessert. They also have small herds of cattle, goats and local chicken. During my first visit I noted that often cattle would roam across farmers land and contaminate any hand dugs wells in and around the river bed. Many women and children were collecting water from such places for drinking. Whilst I knew we couldn’t deliver clean water to the whole of Ughandi ‘B’s’ population, I knew it was far better to do what was possible for the community than to turn our back on them. There began three years of fund raising which was something neither of us had undertaken before. However I believe if it’s in God’s plan all things are possible.
Two years ago we commissioned Sema to undertake a survey of Ughandi ‘B’ and its five sub villages to find two possible water sources. Abstraction of water through a borehole is a risky business so we felt it necessary to be present during this time. Two sites were found at Elimu and Maliasili sub villages. More money was raised through family, friends, churches and charities until by the end of 2007 we had enough put aside for drilling. Due to heavy rain drilling could not take place until January 2008; however both sites gave a good yield. Later that year we were able to purchase two pumps and in August 2008 exactly three years after we launched the project installation took place. Our representative at this time was Abraham Ng’eni who’s family live in the village.
A year on and Richard and I have recently returned from Ughandi ‘B’ having seen both pumps working. During our visit we set up a contract of trust giving the water ‘user group’ sole responsibility for maintenance of the pumps. Two pump attendants will collect money from families who use the pumps and this will go into an account to cover maintenance costs and attendants wages.
We watched as women and children filled bucket after bucket of clean water. It’s impossible to describe how that feels, but it makes all the time and effort we put into the project worthwhile.
The story of Elimu and Maliasili boreholes, from conception to completion.
The communities of subsistence farmers grow crops such as maize and sunflowers twice a year during
the long and short rain seasons, but the area is essentially semi dessert. They also have small herds of
cattle, goats and local chicken.
During my first visit I noted that often cattle would roam across farmers land and contaminate any hand dug wells in and around the river bed. Many women and children were collecting water from such places for drinking
Two years ago we commissioned Sema to undertake a survey of Ughandi ‘B’ and its five sub villages to find two possible water sources
Abstraction of water through a borehole is a risky business so we felt it necessary to be present during this time
Two sites were found at Elimu and Maliasili sub villages, but granite rock required a diamond cutting machine. We used a company called DDCA
Money was raised through family, friends, churches and charities until by the end of 2007 we had enough put aside for drilling
Due to heavy rain drilling could not take place until January 2008; however both sites gave a good yield
Community collecting water as the borehole is being flushed out
Richard and I visited Ughandi ‘B’ (August 2009) and had the privilege of seeing both pumps working
During our visit we set up a contract of trust giving the water ‘user group’ sole responsibility for maintenance of the pumps.
We watched as women and children filled bucket after bucket of clean water. It’s impossible to describe how that feels, but it makes all the time and effort we put into the project worthwhile.
