Gift of Clean Water

 Communities in Karatu District Tanzania continue to face many challenges to their safe and healthy development including: poor health and inadequate medical services and having to travel long distances to access water sources which are often unsafe. 

CPAR is working with community members to address clean water challenges by constructing rainwater harvesting tanks beside primary schools in the District – giving children – some of the most vulnerable, a healthier future. 

Rainwater harvesting is a sustainable means for community members to access a reliable and safe water source by capturing, filtering and storing rainwater – especially when unfavourable environmental conditions make it impractical to construct a deep water well. 

Although the lack of safe and reliable water impacts everyone in the community, it is at primary schools where the symptoms of this challenge are most acutely felt. 

Children in primary school are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of inadequate or unsafe water for a variety of reasons. Being in the early stages of their own physical development children are more susceptible to waterborne diseases. 

Also, children are often responsible for collecting water for the family - a responsibility which is often prioritized above school attendance, especially for girls. So, while children are helping their families to cope with water shortages, they often miss out on one of the most critical components of their childhood – education. 

Access to quality education is also affected by the availability of teachers. Karatu, being one of Tanzania's more remote districts, faces challenges in recruiting and retaining high quality teaching staff. These scarce supplies of qualified teachers must also confront the challenge of accessing safe and reliable water as many areas of the District lacking this lack safe and adequate water supplies.

 Rainwater harvesting is a cost-effective and environmentally sound solution which is having an immensely positive affect on the health and performance of students and teachers in the Karatu District. 

The construction of rainwater harvesting tanks has increased attendance at local schools as well as their ability to attract and retain qualified teachers. 

As a result of the tanks, there has also been a huge reduction in incidents of water-borne illness and stomach ailments among both students and teachers; students are now alert in class because they are not dehydrated and prone to fainting; students are happy that they don't have to travel long distances to collect water from contaminated water sources, and girls in particular are free from the excessive burden of fetching water at school.

Be a Face of Giving today and make a donation to CPAR to help build a rainwater harvesting tank.