Gunge Safe Update 2

The Gunge Safi Project is ready for construction!  With the rainy season beginning in November, it is time for Manase Construction and the people of Gunge, Tanzania, to begin work building the structure that will capture water and bring it to the 800 acres that feeds these people.

In anticipation of a signed contract, the people have already been traveling to a nearby area to gather large stones to use.  They will then transport them to Gunge, where they will go in large 1 meter x 2 meter baskets called gabions, placed like a wall in the river.  When the gabions are stacked two high, they will effectively divert a portion of the water into a canal, and send it to the fields.

This is difficult and dangerous work for the volunteers.  It requires spending long hours swimming in a river with a fast current, in cold weather, and with occasional crocodiles and hippos.  In addition, there will be crews of volunteers on the ground, passing the large stones along like sandbags to the river.

You might ask, “why are these people so willing to do this for no pay?”  The answer lies in one man we met. He is the last of the original families that settled Gunge in the 30s to escape being drafted into Hitler’s army to fight the British in this part of Tanzania.  These families escaped in the night to save their lives, and Gunge became a place for refugees for many years.  Sadly, little development has ever been done there.  These people have built what they have with their own hands, and are some of the most resourceful and hard working people we’ve ever met.  When we heard their story, we were moved to action, and we hope you will be too.

The construction is expected to last approximately 6-8 weeks, and is still short $3,000 in funds.  If you would like to support this project so we can finish by November 1, go to the “donate” page to make a donation.

Thank you for your generosity!