GAIN (www.globalaid.net) will be leading the survey, drilling and solar pump installation. They have successfully drilled 2,872 deep-capped wells  in Africa since 2002. GAIN are in the process of buying their own drill rig, which will bring the cost down by  $10,000. Their rig will be up and running by September, and Kimana will be third in line in September/October.

 KINNAPA ( www.kinnapa.or.tz),  the local organzation who will be doing the community work. This involves settling up a committee and bank accounts in Kimana, and doing gender sensitivity, hygiene and sanitation training in advance of the arrival of plentiful water. 

 We are also working with a Tanzanian member of SOAS Gideon Makara, who is Maasai and speaks perfect English. He has already volunteered countless hours of his time and experience on this project and has the local community knowledge and trust to make it is a success. Makara will be coming to Canada in September and we will have the honour to hear first hand from him about his life, this project, and the focus of his extensive volunteer work in Tanzania. 

The village is located in Kiteto district, in Manyara, Tanzania. It is called Kimana. 

From Feburary to August, there is a lake/swamp that fills up with rain.  1,000’s of cows are brought there every day to drink. It dries up every year earlier and earlier, and now is gone by August.

 From August to February, the villagers of Kimana walk with their cattle 1.5 Km to the nearest gas-powered well and pump where they wait in cue for 7 hours for the cattle to drink, walk home and do the same thing the next day, etc.

My friend Lalakwa invited my son and i to his boma in Kimana and the need first hand-parched land, dried up lake, and no shade. I heard the reality of cattle dying during the drought of 2020 that the villagers will never recover from. I heard how this has affected Lalakwa and his family’s livelihood. It seems a good place to start. We have to start somewhere. 

The next phase is to raise funds for permaculture training and planting trees. Lalakwa is ready to learn how to  grow the trees. He is the inspired and enthusiastic point person on the ground. This will also be a source of income for him and his family. Hopefully then he can train others.

$15,000CAD is what's needed to pay for surveying, drilling, training the community maintainance and upkeep, a solar submersible pump, holding tank and tank stand and materials. 

The villagers will pay a monthly fee for the upkeep of the well. 

Right now Water to Thrive www.watertothrive.org  is our main partner. They have been working in Kimana, and have so far drilled and  installed 2 wells there. They have staff and volunteers in the town of Kiteto, which is the closest largest town. 

Kinnapa which is a local organization in Kiteto that work with the local communities to impliment training and maintenance of the wells. www.kinnapa.or.tz 

I am in consulation with Admire Gwatidzo from the permaculture design team at Kufunda Village www.kufunda.org in Zimbabawe, who has installed 3 solar wells in Zimbabwe. 

I am also in consultation with Matthew Matimbwa of Tanzania Renewal Energy Assosiation www.tarea-tz.org who is experienced at working in rural areas installing solar water pumps in Tanzania. 

I am in the process of connecting with organic and sustainable spice farms in Zanzibar. 

I will be returning to Tanzania for the month of February to meet with the community, including the headman and local governing bodies, so that i  can have a deeper understanding of the needs of the village and so they can understand my intentions. 

Water to thrive’s hydrologist has confirmed that there is water to access, and is assessing the communities skills and needs in maintaining and care of the well. 

Money is needed for all steps of the process. Water to Thrive is willing to do the work to drill and build the well, and implement the training. Now they need the money to begin