Project Launch: 12-27-18

The development of a water system could drive every initiative in the area. While there are several other projects in the village, all have been negatively impacted by the lack of safe water available. Village savings and loans clubs do not meet as scheduled because women spend a lot of time fetching clean water. Even agricultural activities have also been affected as women farmers only spend two days a week in their fields and other days looking for water.

Drilling of borehole in Mtema Village will enable wome women little time on fetching water thereby freeing time to do other productive activities such as farming, village savings and loans as well as doing small scale business which will improve their economic status. The availability of safe water facility will promote girl child education in this community, as they will no longer ignore classes so that they go and stand in the queue waiting for their turn to draw water. It will also improve health status of pregnant mothers and children and reduce cases of water born diseases such as cholera and diarrhea.

The drilling of an additional borehole in this area will surely make a huge difference in people’s lives. Nyankhombo (Rescuer) will see Mtema Community Based Child Care (CBCC) opened again as it has been shut down due to severe water problems which rocked the area. 

Project Update: 4-24-19

The Nyankhombo (Rescuer) project is evidence of World Connect’s quick handling of projects having been reviewed, approved and funded within 3 weeks in December 2018.  The project has drilled a borehole in the community of Group Village Headman Mtema where previously, women spent hours drawing water from the only borehole in the community. A total of 1200 people now have access to clean portable water thereby reducing the spread of waterborne diseases. The community has elected ten members into the borehole management committee who will be responsible for managing the borehole using community contributions. The quick implementation of the project has set apart World Connect from other organizations that have worked in the area with Chief Mtema saying, “Is World Connect a Christian Organization? I am wondering how they managed to bring water into my community in four weeks! We have had proposals submitted to other organizations failed to rescue us. This is true community development that empowers communities based on their needs"

Final Report: 7-7-19

Within a month of receiving a grant from World Connect, local leaders oversaw the drilling of a new borehole in Mtema community, which is providing clean and potable water to 1200 people (480 men and 720 women). The provision of a sustainable water point in this community has resulted in a meaningful increase of women in socio-economic activities, including four new village savings and loan groups that have been formed since women are no longer spending so much time queuing for water. Also, 15 girls between the ages of 9-14 have been re-enrolled in school, as they too no longer need to skip classes due to persistent water problems. Lastly, the community is expected to benefit from a three year $150,000 Churches Action for Relief and Development (CARD) food security irrigation project that will be implemented courtesy of the borehole.