LIVING WATERS UPdate - September 28, 2016

Dear all at St. Pius, 
I am writing to let you know that yesterday SWLD conveyed the materials to Makandika-chini village, where the second well project of this year's (2016) living water funds will be implemented. This village is located about 40km East of Morogoro. There are about 800 people who will benefit from this new well. The majority of them are farmers with a few livestock keepers.

Background:
Over the past few years, like many villages in Tanzania, Makandika-chini area has been affected by the impact of climate change that affected both the farms and livelihoods due to prolonged drought and unreliable rainfall patterns. Due to the prolonged drought most of farmers experienced crop failure, traditional wells dried, hunger and food insecurity occurred. As a result villagers have to walk for more than 20 km to find water to the nearby village of Mikese. Some of the farmers  have abandoned their farms and moved to the cities with the hope of getting alternative means of supporting their households by securing non-farm activities which were considered less sensitive to the impact of climate change. Unfortunately, most of them failed to get these activities due to illiteracy and lack of industrial skills; thus most of them remained jobless. Consequently, hunger and poverty prevailed in their farming households at home. Women who were left behind had to take care of children, cultivate the lands and search for water and fuel woods. Such burden was too heavy for them.
 
After receiving several requests from the villagers for help our team at SWLD made visits to assess the situation and see how we could help. For us at SWLD, water was considered as an entry point. By providing water near the households SWLD could lessen the suffering of people, particularly women. Once we received this year's living water funds we decided to include Makandika-chini in the list of beneficiary villages of the new water projects.
 
Before the allocation of this new well villagers had no source of clean water. It is envisaged that the living water will transform the lives of the people in so many ways. It will provide clean water and strengthen the health of households' members; it will reduce workload of women and increase production, water will provide opportunity for women and youth to participate in non-farm activities like brick production. It will also improve the overall quality of life.
 
Project status:
So far, we have conducted site inspection and hydrological survey that confirmed the location of the new well. We have also formed a five people water committee to foresee the new well after completion. Yesterday, we conveyed the materials to the site and digging will begin today.
 
I have attached some pictures taken during conveyance of materials to the site. I will send you more updates as we continue with this second well and the other wells.
 
Thanks a lot.
James, SWLD