World Water Day - We're 5 Steps Closer to Clean Water at Njiro!
It’s World Water Day and we have so much to celebrate! We’re sharing our progress at Njiro where a clean water solution for 1,700 people is under way!
Identify the Need. After completing a successful well project in the village of Pangaro serving 1,200 people, Empower Tanzania staff identified the next village to empower: Njiro. (To learn about the whole scope of the project, click HERE.) Our staff on the ground in Tanzania collected information by consulting their network of people, other NGOs, and government officials to identify the dire need at Njiro.
Raise the Funds. Last November in Davenport, Iowa, 500 party-goers raised $56,000 in one evening at the annual Water Party. Because of this event and the expertise of our staff, we were able to move forward at Njiro almost immediately!
Engage the Local Community and Celebrate. Government officials and community members have committed to providing labor and will train locals to fix mechanical problems, should they arise. Just like in our past water projects, a local management committee will be established to maintain the well and keep it safe.
Begin Work. In order to fix the well at Njiro and increase capacity and convenience for community members, well mechanics have engineered a new system, procured water quality tests, purchased necessary equipment (solar pump, solar panels, control equipment, tanks, pipes, and valves), and planned proper civil work (foundation, new building, valve boxes, etc.) necessary to complete the project. The well mechanics and staff in Tanzania is putting to use past training received by Empower Tanzania.
Dig Trenches. In the last two weeks, community members in the village of Njiro have undergone the hard work of digging trenches that will ultimately house pipes to distribute the water at various points throughout the village.
Next Steps: Work will continue and we hope to see clean water accessible to the people of Njiro very soon! More pictures of the work being done currently at Njiro:
To learn more or support such projects, follow along on social media and/or consider a donation. We wouldn’t have such tremendous results without the support of our donors.