Gunge Safi COMPLETE!

Great news from Gunge!!!  The irrigation project is finished, the water is flowing to the fields, and we came in under budget, thanks to the hard work of many people from Gunge and surrounding villages, our contractor, Mr. Manase, and the fabulous work of the leaders of Gunge along with ETI staff Elias Leasa and Elibariki Kisimbo.

A delegation from ETI visited Tanzania in November, and was able to participate in a huge celebration of the finished project!  There was singing, dancing, a lot of recognition for the work that the many different groups did to make the project possible, and even a visit by the Same District Commissioner to encourage the people and applaud their success.

In spite of the heat, the entire village of Gunge turned out to celebrate the completion of the water project. Clement Ngoka was the local project manager during construction. A tent was set up in front of the local church to protect visitors from the harsh sun during the presentation of awards and recognition. There were many hands that made this project possible, but at the end of the day, it was the volunteer labor that was most appreciated, and the leaders of Gunge and the nearby village of Mabilioni who helped keep the project organized and going. Without these people, it wouldn’t have happened.

Finally, we owe a debt of gratitude to ETI Intern Elias Leasa.  A recent college graduate in Business Administration, he enthusiastically took on the management of this project for ETI, and did an amazing job.  His willingness to work tirelessly to make it successful was a real mark of his character, and we feel very lucky to have this young man working with us!