The project intends to provide safe water by constructing 30 improved traditional wells to 4 villages in Songea district where over 3000 people will benefit from the project. The only source of water they use now is local dug wells which are open and

Narrative

1.0 PROJECT PROFILE

Project Title:Safe water to four villages in Songea district
Community: The community in four villages in Songea district (Mshangano ward)
Implementing partner: Ruvuma Mission to The Poor and Disabled(PADI
Donor: Blue Planet Run Foundation (BPRF)
Project Location:Songea District, Mshangano wards in Chandarua, Mhumbezi, Mitendewawa and Mkuzo in Ruvuma Region

2.0 Introduction:
PADI is a registered Non-Governmental organization (NGO) established in 1999 with registration No. So: 10140, dated 22nd Nov 1999. PADI mainly deals with provision of clean and safe water, entrepreneurship skills training, loans to small businesses and farmers, sensitizing communities to support vulnerable older people (OP), disabled and poor people at a grassroots level for the purpose of poverty alleviation in rural and urban areas. PADI’s office is located at Songea Municipal Workshop near the Angaza office.

•PADI started its first water project in 2003 in peripheral wards to ensure people in those wards access to clean and safe water. In 2003 PADI managed to construct 11 wells in Mletele ward. The project was funded by Peace Corps Tanzania Office and a private donor from USA. The project was supervised by Mr Timothy Hogan in collaboration with PADI.

•In 2005, we managed to construct 8 additional wells more in Mletele, Motogoro and Mshangano wards. Help Age International funded the project through Songea Older persons forum.
•In 2007 PADI managed to construct 14 water wells ( 1 bore hole and 13 improved water wells) in Mjimwema-Liwumbu,Makemba, Chandarua and Luhira.This project was funded by Run For Africa an American NGO.
•In Nov.2007 to Jan.2008 PADI managed to construct 7 improved traditional wells in Namanyigu Village (Mshangano ward) funded by Help Age International
•From 16th Sept. 2008 to 30th Nov. 2008 PADI has managed to construct 34 Improved traditional wells funded by Blue Planet Run Foundation (BPRF) in Mshangano ward.

2.1Goals and objectives of the project

•To provide clean and safe water sources to Mshangano ward community in four villages ( Mkuzo, Mhumbezi, Chandarua and Mitendewawa villages).
•To minimize mortality and malnutrition in the elderly, children and other community caused by common water-borne diseases like diarrhoea and cholera.
•To minimize the disturbances to women’s especially elderly women’s daily lives by reducing their labour burdens of walking long distance looking for multiple wells to search for clean water especially during rain seasons.
•To provide training on improved wells maintenance to ensure the wells will be cared for and function far into the future.
•To promote intergenerational linkages between youth and the elderly ( as the project implementation will involve both groups-young and older people)

3.0 Project location area and Population.
Area is Mshangano ward Songea Municipal in the following villages. Mkuzo has been supported with 9 wells supporting over 710 villagers, Mhumbezihas been supported with 7 wells supporting 1000 villagers, Chandarua has been provided with 8 supporting 950 villagers, Mitendewawa 7wells benefiting 365 villagers while Mlete B,Luhira and Matogoro have been give 1 well each supporting over 450 beneficiaries.
1
1
100 Villagers
50 villager

6 songea Matogoro Songea Municipal Matogoro kati 1 300 villagers
Total 34 3925 Villagers
* Total population benefiting from the project is 3925 people of which 2042 are women and 1883 men
Of which 1766 are children

4.0 Planed Activities:
?Surveying water sources
?Conducting sensitization meeting to village leaders and villagers prior- start implementing the project.
?Each village to formulate Water Maintenance Fund(WMF)
?Each village to formulate the Water Monitoring Committee (WMC) of 10 people each bearing in mind gender balance
?Collection of building material(sand and stone)
? Transportation of the building materials
? Sand cement bricks making
?Digging the wells and constructing
?Training how to care and maintain the wells (one day training)

5.0 Activities and involvement of different stake holders in the project.
Project implementation started on 16th September 2008 and ended on 30th Nov.2008.
The involvement of the community in well construction was very positive. These has been evidenced by the valuable support we have received from various stakeholders including the Songea Municipal council, water Technician, community,PADI leaders and Staff. In other hand the community in the project area were fully participating in the project implementation tirelessly. We really appreciate their contribution in supporting the project activities. All activities which were planned to be done have been done. Good cooperation between the government, community and our organization has enabled PADI to manage to construct 34 (four wells more).

There were different stakeholders working at in different levels during project implementation as follows:

1 Municipal Council:
The Songea Municipal Council has played a very big role by providing a lorry to facilitate 1/3 of the transportation of building materials including cement, stones, bricks and other building material to the site to the site. The contribution made by the Municipal enabled the project to construct 4 more wells than had originally been planned for. The increased number of wells was the result of money that had been budgeted for transportation being directed towards additional construction. The Municipal council contributed transportation of building materials with total value of Tsh.1,200,000 or 7% of the total value of the project.

2 Villagers: Villagers in Mkuzo, Mitendewawa, Mhumbezi, Chandarua plus the three additional villages (Matogoro kati,Luhira and Mletele B were fully involved in the project implementation,

i)they collected sand and stones , transported building materials to the site in some areas where the lorry cant easily reach, made bricks , prepared meals for the Well technician ,cleared the site, helped to dig and construction of the wells. Their involvement in the project can be valued at Tsh.5,600,000 or 32% of the total project cost(in kind ).
water Monitoring committees WMC (one from each village).
iii) Six Water Maintenance Fund (WMF) one from each village with average of Tsh 40,000 (USD.209) of each fund have been formed as contribution from the community.
3 PADI staff : PADI staff in collaboration with Water Technician were involved fully in the project implementation and monitoring. A total of 36 people received a one day training on how to care and maintain/ repair the wells (two people for each well) in order to ensure the project sustainability. The contribution was-in-kind valued Tsh.600,000= or 3% of the project total costs.

5 Water Technician:The water well technician played a very important role in mobilizing the community in collaboration with the Municipal Social Development Officer, village leaders surveyed the right site to construct wells and providing technical advices in building the wells and training over 60 people on wells and water maintenance fund (WMF) monitoring.

6.0 Project contribution summary:
1.FUND REQUESTED FROM DONO USD 8,880 (58%)
2.VILLEGERS CONTRIBUTION 4,903 (32%)
3.PADI CONTROBUTION 490 (3%)
4.SONGEA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL 1,045(7%). The total project costs was 15,318 (100%)

7.0 Impact of the project:
Several people were interviewed after the construction of the wells. Some commented that we are now receiving clean and safe water which is ensuring us the availability of water, time used in fetching water is minimized, water borne diseases infections also have been reduced by over 90% . Before this support most of the families faced a problem of dysentery especially during rain season like now. For more than a month now our families in Mkuzo village with more than 700 villagers no one has reported or complained of any sort of water borne disease attack. Before this support during rain season especially from November and December each year as soon when rains beginning over 30 people have been reporting to the Health centre for treatment. This has been evidenced by the following testimonies:

i. Rufina Nungu (over 70 years old) a widow living at Mkuzo village in Mshangano ward is among of more than 700 villagers who are benefiting from the project. Jenifer had the following comments:
“ Our Village is far away from Songea Town centre, we had no dreams to get such service(we have been provided with 9 wells). We have been using water from local dug wells which were not safe to our live at all especially during rain season. Most of us(women) we spend almost more than 30-60 minutes to get clean water after searching multiple wells due to the fact that rain water run off do spoil water. Your support has helped to restrict some of the dangers that we used to face and time saved is enabling us to use for other productive work. Thank you very much for your support, our health is now protected from water borne diseases”.

ii. Mr John Komba over 50 years old is among over 1000 of Mhumbezi villagers, 7 wells have been constructed , John had the following to say:
“Within the short period of the support we have received, my family and I we are no longer suffering from water borne diseases also we are enjoying clean water as we are no longer sharing the water with dogs, pigs and other wild animals are not accessing water we are using”.

iii. As we are continuing to widen our services demand for the services from the community is also increasing. It is evidenced by several requests received at our office from different villages including:
• Mpitimbi A
• Mpitimbi B
• Lyangweni
• Mtyangimbole( see attachment letter 1-2 ).
8.0 Key outcomes of the project:
i) More than 3925+ people accessing safe and clean water.
ii) Walking distance per day looking for multiple wells with clean water is minimized
iii) 60 people have received technical skills on how to care and maintain the wells.
iv) 34 improved traditional water wells constructed
v) 6 water maintenance fund (WMF) are formed in each village
vi) 6 Wells Monitoring Committees(WMC) formed

vii) The project has promoted intergenerational linkages between youth and the elderly as the project is involving all groups/age in project implementation.
10.0Recommendations.

i) We would like to convey our sincere gratitude to:
•Our donor, Blue Planet Run Foundation (BPRF) for their appreciable donation which enabled us to build 34 improved Traditional wells serving more than 3925 people.
•Songea Municipal Council for providing a lorry for transportation of building materials(their contribution has enabled the project to build 4 extra wells.
•PADI staff in collaboration with water technician for the day to day project monitoring services.
•BPRF Team for assisting us on technical know how, to use online on proposal submission and report.
ii) The need of support for Improved Traditional water wells is really increasing as
we continue expanding our services (it is evidenced by various requests we have received at our office through letters and face to face communication from over ten villages).