Water Project for Maasai Villages in Tanzania

I started working on the project development proposal today hoping to get technical assistance to relieve the water supply issue in Lengijave (near Arusah, Tanzania). Besides heavy financial pressure, the Maasai women also have to cope with the water shortage in the dry season which runs from May to November. Everyday the women walk several miles with their buckets and wait in a queue of 200 women to get water from a dripping tap. This process often takes hours, and they walk home in the early morning. This not only deprives them of sleep, but it also prevents them from growing vegatables in the winter to supplement their family income.

Since there is no funding for the project, the goal is to develop a low-cost solution to store the rainfall in the wet season for use in the dry season. While I was in Tanzania, I began writing to friends in Taiwan and the US asking for tips on how to build a water filtering system so we can keep the water fresh throughout the dry season. The email was forwarded many times until it reached Allan in Australia who is a water development expert.

I was elated to hear from Allan and to know there is a chance of getting some help from the experts. The plan is to present the proposal to his church and see if they would fund a side trip for him to visit the villages in Tanzania when he goes to Kenya next year.

At the same time, I have been working with my contact in Tanzania to collect information needed for the proposal. He told me that there was a big fight early this week in the villages over the water. I am eager to find out more about what is happening there.

Volunteering in Tanzania, Africa

I am back in San Francisco to celebrate Christmas, but it was the recent volunteer experience in Tanzania that makes this holiday so special. It has been rewarding and humbling at the same time. I received donations and help from many of my friends and families who have empowered me to help the poor in Africa. For that, I am so very grateful.

Still having beautiful images of Tanzania in my head... the beaches, mountains, wild animals, villages and ethinic groups. I stayed in Tengeru when I was working as a volunteer there. It is a quaint farming village at the foothill of Mt. Meru. There is a market at the end of the town which adds a lot of energy to the area. I enjoyed watching the villagers going about their daily lives. Of course, I was often watched by the curious.

I had the opportunities to work with several women's groups to help them improve or set up businesses so they become more self-sufficient. We decided to fund a business opportunity for one of the groups from a Maasai village so I have been working hard on fundraising since I came back. The goal is to help them raise goats to supplement income and provide savings to further their children's education.

This Maasai community continued to practice polygamy. Many wives do not get enough financial support from their husbands who have the ownership of all the cattle in the family. Women are left with the responsibilities of building mud huts, raising children and domestic animals and taking care of chores around the house. Water is scarce during the dry season. Women often have to sacrifice their sleep and wait in queue until 3 a.m. to get water for the family.

I made some local friends who empathize with our cause and decided to join our volunteer efforts. Nothing could be better than having Africans helping Africans. It is all about becoming self sustaining.

In writing to friends about the challenges of building a water storage system, I also met Allan, a water expert in Austrailia, who somehow received a copy of the forwarded email. He is lending us his advice. I really have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season.

I also worked with several other women's groups. Lack of working capital is a common challenge. Though I couldn't help everyone with financing, I was able to offer some marketing or business advice for them. It's great to challenge myself to be creative in problem solving. I loved it!