Well Update: So many new smiles at the Patanumbe village in Tanzania
The Patanumbe village primary school was established in 1970 and has grown steadily since then; as of 2022 there are approximately 516 students in attendance. This well’s primary focus is the children attending this school and the women raising these children in the nearby community. We are delighted to say this well has greatly impacted school attendance, health outcomes, and the overall well-being of the entire village.
About Pantanumbe - Pre New Well
The Patanumbe community used to depend on rain catchments, open water pits, and ponds, which fill during the rainy season and dry up during the dry season. The water from these sources is contaminated and contains bacteria, fecal matter, and all sorts of other unpleasant contaminants that make people sick. According to the community members we spoke with, waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid are prevalent. The villagers did the best with the resources at hand, a lot of primitive filtration methods were used to try and make the water more suitable for drinking and cooking. Hand washing and general hygiene were not an option due to the limited water resources and time needed to collect additional water for these types of purposes.
The New Well
The village has seen a dramatic improvement in health, school attendance, and overall well-being. Women and children are no longer trekking two miles to the closest contaminated water source. Kids are spending a lot more time in school. There are fewer instances of typhoid, cholera, and overall sickness. We spoke with a few villagers post-well completion, and this is what they said.
Woman (Mrs. Agness)
“Some time back before this good water came, people used to have diarrhea all the time, malaria and other sicknesses that are result of using unsafe water. Today most of us are healthy, and malaria is going down. It is all because of good water. We believe that it will be sustainable and continue helping us.”
Teenager
“In back days, the state of water and sanitation in our village and school was dire. During dry seasons when there is no rain at all, sanitation in our school was just bad. We had to spend at least two hours or more everyday fetching water in long distances which is very tiring. Classes that are close to latrines filled with flies everywhere making uncomfortable place for study. But now, every time we look at the tank full of water and the well in general, we feel very excited, because no more flies from dirty latrines, no more two hour walking trip for water. The well supply enough water for drinking, cooking and cleaning our classes and latrines,”
Village Chairperson
“Personally, I have been waiting for these moment for such a long time. Now the wait is finally over! Not only the source is close to our homes, but water from this well also taste good when you drink, it has improved our food quality, which in turn has improved our health. You see, one can relax and make a good meal for her family compared with before when the well was not available. Our wives use to make meal while very tired. The food was neither tasty nor healthy. This clean water is very essential in our live, just as others have said. We are really thankful.”
