Project Leads: Ethan Ross and Paule Nguetsop
Background
The community’s challenge is that the river and other surface water sources that provide water during most of the year dry up heavily during the dry seasons. As a result, community members have little choice but to walk long distances to collect their water from other sources. Often women and children are the ones who are left to bear this burden, limiting their ability to do other work or go to school.
Game Plan
| First Assessment | The first assessment trip was held in August 2016. EWB-USA Rutgers travelled to Tanzania for the project’s first assessment trip. The team evaluated the community’s current water sources and assessed for potential new sources. They also signed the project partnership agreement with both KAVIWASU and the community leaders. |
| Second Assessment | The second assessment trip was held in August of 2017. The EWB-USA Rutgers team was able to find finalized locations for the borehole well and met with the drillers. We also were able to partner with the landowners and sign agreements to use the well on their land as public property. |
| Implementation | This trip will hopefully take place in January 2018 if it is not too far into the wet season. We will be working with the drillers of the well to ensure that the drilling goes smoothly and we will run further surveys with the community to ensure that we are serving their needs. |
| Implementation | In August 2026, the Tanzania team traveled to Tloma Awak, Karatu, Tanzania to begin the next phase of the project’s water access initiative. During the implementation trip, the team worked alongside local partners and contractors to drill and case a borehole well to approximately 170 meters at a site located near Kilimani Primary School. The well has since been capped and secured as the project moves into its next phase, which will focus on installing an electrical pump and storage system. Beyond the technical progress, the team had the opportunity to meet with community members and the water committee to discuss water access, distribution, and long-term maintenance. The team also visited Kilimani Primary School, spent time with the students, and checked on the rainwater catchment system implemented in May 2024, which was still functioning and being used. This trip was an important milestone in the team’s continued effort to support reliable and sustainable dry-season water access for the Tloma Awak community. |
Special thanks to the Brook Family Foundation for their generous grant contribution to the Tanzania project. We greatly appreciate the support!
