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"You
can not leave us"
By
Gary H. J. Pluim, Executive Director
This compelling plea rang in our ears long after the words were spoken by Mrs. Koyondo, a respected elderly Maasai woman in Katikati, a rural village located in the grasslands of central Tanzania.
It was a hot Tuesday afternoon, April 13th, 2004. George Yap, our Program Director, and I had traveled a full day, over rough roads from the capital Dar es Salaam with Saruni, a local Maasai. Saruni obtained post-graduate education in Great Britain and he has returned to his native land to help chart a better future for the Maasai people. Saruni is manager of KINNAPA, an indigenous organization that partners with WaterCan in providing clean water, health and sanitation for the village.
One year ago WaterCan committed to helping the Maasai people who face huge challenges of poverty and finding water. They struggle daily, walking distances of 10 kilometers or more to fetch safe drinking water. They often go to a nearby muddy watering hole to get water a pond that is also used for bathing and for cattle to drink. It goes without saying that the Maasai suffer from numerous devastating water-related diseases. Many of their children die before they reach the age of five. Life expectancy for the average Tanzanian is 44 years, as compared to Canada's 79 years.
I was impressed by the basic life style of these indigenous people; they work hard and demonstrate an innate determination to survive. As herdsmen the men and boys travel for long distances with their cattle, for several months of the year, to find green grass and, above all, water.
The water survey indicates that there is water deep underground. WaterCan and KINNAPA are working together to ensure that local communities have access to clean water.
We then drove us to Amei, another Maasai settlement, approximately 150 kilometers west of Katikati. What we saw there as a result of the provision of water to that area a few years earlier was absolutely amazing. The combination of finding water and education in health and sanitation has resulted in fewer diseases among both children and adults.
The women in Amei no longer have to walk long distances to fetch often-unclean water. The villagers have formed an association to properly manage the use of the water and are fully involved in their health and sanitation programs. They have levied a very small fee for each 20-litre water can. This money was saved and they have been able to purchase a maize grinding machine, powered by a diesel engine. Now the village inhabitants come to the centre to have their corn ground into flour.
Next to the water system, the Government has built a school with a home for the headmaster. Proper latrines have also been constructed. The village children will be attending school for the first time this September.
It is our hope that through the generous support of our donors, matched by CIDA grants, we can realize similar advances in the village of Katikati. We will keep you updated as the project continues to unfold.