Nanjota Water Storage Project – Tanzania

Location
Nanjota Village, Masasi District, Mtwara Region, Tanzania

Community Description
The village of Nanjota is located in Mtwara Region, Tanzania. The Mtwara region is one of the hottest and driest of Tanzania with temperatures around 90 °F year-round and an average of 40 inches of rainfall a year.

The village is home to over 6,000 people as well as primary and secondary schools. There is no electricity or running water anywhere in the village.

Problem Addressed
Water is an incredible issue for the Mtwara Region of Tanzania. The rainy season offers a wealth of water, but most families stop collecting when they run out of empty buckets, which means that none is stored for the drier months.

During the dry season, the villagers use water pumps that cost fifty shillings per forty liters, or travel to wells dug in the farmland to collect dirty water.

Six or more villages use Nanjota’s two pumps with the result being one or the other is in need of repair. An alternative is needed that is within the majority of villagers’ means.

Project Description
This project is to build water storage jugs and related rainwater catchment systems throughout the village as an integral part of a demonstration, education, and training effort.

This project will build thirteen 600-liter water jars and install ten feet of gutters for each water jar.

Water jars are a low-tech and sustainable solution that uses easily accessible resources. They are concrete tanks that collect water for household use, but unlike the plastic cisterns, water jars are inexpensive and simple to manufacture.

The jars are made by sewing together burlap bags into a jar shape, which is then filled with sand. A plaster mixture of sand covers the form, which is removed once the cement sets. A lid is also made to discourage mosquito breeding.

The water jar is built under the drip edge of the roof. Twenty feet of PVC pipes will be cut into fourths and be used as an inexpensive alternative to tin gutters.

Covering all eight sub-villages of Nanjota, the construction will take place at the homes of all eight water committee members, three masons, the village chairman, and the village executive officer. These 13 families will then have the ability to store more water and will increase health through hydration and decrease the amount of time and money spent at the well.

A major component of this project is the education of local craftsmen on how to build water jars. Trainings will be hosted in each of the eight sub-villages in Nanjota.

Any villager can attend these trainings and then request a water jar from a trained individual, or build one themselves, thus promoting sustainable development and capacity-building within the community.

Water Charity funds will be used to purchase the cement and construction materials as well as pay a small fee to the three masons who will conduct the initial trainings.

Project Impact
1,000 people will benefit from the project.

Peace Corps Volunteer Directing Project
Stephanie Chilcote

Comments
This is the first time Water Charity has worked with and supported this technology. It is anticipated that this demonstration will lead not only to its proliferation locally but also to other regions and countries where the benefits will be seen.

Dollar Amount of Project
$555.00

Donations Collected to Date
$555.00

Dollar Amount Needed
$0.00 – This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Michael and Carla Boyle, of Nelsonville, OH, USA.

This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.