A tremendous positivity

Greetings!

It is so good to be here in Tanzania, where I’ll stay for another few weeks.

There are great challenges that grow out of the environmental and economic conditions. But it is not a depressed or conflicted society here. Together, the people recognize and face tough challenges and work individually and together to overcome them. There is tremendous positivity.

I find the two items in this newsletter linked together. First, the women of the Project participated fully in the celebration of International Women’s Day last week. And the second includes the work we do as organizers and engineers towards repairing and maintaining our water sanitation systems. Read below and see if you also find a connection.

There are so many opportunities to experience the joy of working together for making life better. It is wonderful to be a part of them.

All of this is possible because of you and your support. Thank you!

With deep appreciation,

Twende!

Robert Lange

March 2022

International Women's Day

March 8 was International Women’s Day. It was heartening to see the many ways women’s actions and pride were on display. At the football stadium in Arusha there were dozens of booths where women’s groups and organizations demonstrated their activities. Many women at the display booths were dressed in matching beautiful colorful dresses. It added a festive and happy feel to the environment.

Commercial endeavors and solving social problems

Some groups produce their own products and there was a lot of creativity on display. Products included special foods, clothing, household goods, bead work and even cement and pottery charcoal stoves the women designed and manufactured.

Dealers also attended. I was interested to see a variety of solar lanterns and rocket stoves on display. Rocket stoves are small portable stoves, with no chimney but good efficiency. They don’t work for Maasai homes, but are good auxiliary stoves for many people.

Some of the groups are not commercially focused, but are dedicated to solving social problems and meeting the needs of especially challenged segments of the society.

International Collaborative participation

The Monduli District Government had a booth, and asked us to build a solar demonstration display, which we brought. We demonstrated water pumping, electric lighting, and some cooking, all done with power from the solar panels. Many men and women came to the booth and talked about the costs and effectiveness.

The District Government wanted women’s groups to be there. Two of the ICSEE Widow organizations came from Selela. The women were all dressed alike in their most festive attire. They spoke with the people about their organization, and performed songs and dances.

Meanwhile back in the villages, more widow’s groups were meeting, working to get fully back to the level of activity that had been disrupted by the drought.

It was a good day!

Water sanitation system updates

The drought had dried up several of the ponds with ICSEE water sanitation systems. The soil dam at Lepurko’s pond is situated to catch water flowing off Mount Lepurko. It had dried during the drought, but it is now full again.

Together with a strong leader from Lepurko village, dedicated village men, and the Village Executive Officer, we are working to get the chlorination system running again.

When it is operating and well-managed, the system can produce 10,000 liters of clean water daily. That translates into 250 women getting good, safe water right in their village for themselves and their children. They won’t need to travel miles to the lake in Nanja for their water.

Hands on

We checked and re-connected the solar powered pump, and plumbers helped us get the system working perfectly.

The lake at Naiti stayed full because of its location and size of the supply basin. A few years ago, we installed one of our two-stage chlorination systems, providing ten thousand liters of safe water a day.

We found recently that the Naiti system was being used only for access. The faucets where the system could be providing safe water, were providing polluted water straight from the lake. When we met with the village leaders and water committee, they said there were two reasons. One, the water smelled bad when it was treated. And two, the villagers didn’t know much about chemicals and were nervous about them. We asked them straight on. “Which of you is going to work with us to solve the smell problem and help overcome the ignorance about the chemicals?”

Chlorine is used all over the world and doesn’t smell. We just had to reduce the dose to an effective but lower level. And they could arrange a discussion with someone from the Arusha or Monduli water department, who would help them understand the chemicals.

It was essential to get the village to work with us. Kisioki and I went to Naiti five times in the next two weeks, checking that they were getting a daily ten-thousand liter supply pumped, treated with alum and then transferred for chlorine treatment.

By our last two visits the doses were perfect. The water was clear and safe, safi na salama! Chlorine tests revealed safe levels and water that didn’t smell. The new committed manager knew how he had done it; just how much of each chemical he had added and when and how.

In our planning and action visits to our water systems that have been dormant next to their now re-filled surface reservoirs, we found a new commitment to get them working well.

Managers have come forward who associate their success with the well-being of the hundreds of women who will come every morning to get safe water for their children. That is the key.

What is the lesson in this?

It is not possible to drop a new technology off with the people and walk away--watching over your shoulder to see it working, to see it be sustained.

Whether or not technology keeps going in local hands is not some sort of test, to see if it is sustainable. Making sure it does keep going well is the job, our job, the people’s job.

Success comes from community action and commitment and the ICSEE-- who brought the technology--has to be and remain a part of the community. Not only do we model a mastery of the technology but also the commitment to its successful operation and integration.

Community life improvement is not a passing thing for us or anyone. It is the job we have chosen. Thank you for your support throughout.

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