Social

Drinking water supply in the Usambara Mountains region

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing problems for the 20 villages located in Mtae division in Lushoto district, Tanzania. Together with the Mtae Water Users Association (MWUA), several necessary measures were identified to give villages access to clean drinking water.

Dorfbewohner füllen Behälter an einer Wasserentnahmestelle

Africa

Tanzania

Lushoto

Funding period: 2020-2021

The people in the rural region of the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania get their drinking water primarily from open sources or from wells that are not sufficiently deep and do not carry enough water in the dry season, causing the spread of water-related diseases. The aim of the Mtae Water Project of Weltweit – Gesellschaft zur Förderung lokaler Initiativen (Worldwide – Society for the Promotion of Local Initiatives), Bad Soden, which is supported by the Wilo-Foundation, was to improve the inadequate water supply for the local population over the long term.

Besuch eines Wasserversorgungssystems — The association works together with international students who identify and manage the projects of local initiatives in their home countries. Photo: Weltweit – Gesellschaft zur Förderung lokaler Initiativen e.V., Bad Soden

To achieve this aim, and as the first step of the project, two volunteers (university students) collected data in the project region with support from JamiiSawa, a local partner NGO. This data was then processed by a software application and made accessible to all stakeholders in the project, including Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Bielefeld University, University of Siegen and University of Dar es-Salaam. On the basis of this data, the second project phase started in early 2021. During this phase, further tests were carried out in order to model an improved water supply system and, ultimately, determine the concrete construction measures needed to secure a reliable water supply for the 50,000 inhabitants of the region over the long term. For this final step, a seminar was hosted by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Mitglieder einer Gemeinschaftsfarm beim Pflanzen von Bäumen — In workshops and through personal support
future project managers are trained. Photo: Weltweit – Gesellschaft zur Förderung lokaler Initiativen e.V., Bad Soden

Dorfbewohner pflanzen Bäume — One measure to improve the water supply is the planting of trees in selected water sources and community farms. Photo: Weltweit – Gesellschaft zur Förderung lokaler Initiativen e.V., Bad Soden

The second phase of the project, which started in spring of 2021, focused on preserving degraded water sources by planting trees in selected water sources and community farms and, at the same time, building capacity for water infrastructure management by providing training for local water experts in the villages. During the implementation phase, the project also collaborates with SEKOMU University and the MABUGHAI Technical Training Institute, which are both based in Lushoto.

Photo Header: Weltweit – Gesellschaft zur Förderung lokaler Initiativen e.V., Bad Soden

Our funding partner

The association Weltweit – Gesellschaft zur Förderung lokaler Initiativen e.V., Bad Soden, was founded in 2014 by a group of committed individuals. It supports international students and alumni who are studying in Germany in realising projects in their home countries in collaboration with local initiatives. The aim is to organise the technical, financial and logistical support that is available in the industrialised world and make it accessible to local initiatives in the poorer regions of the planet. The support is based on three pillars: further training, networking, fundraising.

Development Goals

The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) forms the global framework for action for socially, economically and ecologically sustainable development. Our funding commitment also supports these sustainability goals. With this project, we are making a contribution to achieving the following SDGs:

What are the SDGs?