Fresh water for Tinga Tinga Village, West Kilimanjaro

One of our earlier projects, it became apparent that the water supply in Tinga Tinga was intermittent, shared with the cattle, and often very filthy. Boreholes did not prove fruitful in the area; and the drilling expensive. The solution was to rebuild the pipeline (over 20kms) to an old colonial reservoir high on the Shira slope of Kilimanjaro.

Through Charity Challenge, EVPA climbed Kilimanjaro to raise funds in January 2005 and committed enough monies to complete this major and important project. By the end of January 2005 CPA had already sent out the first tranche of funds and delivered to the region 300 pipes - enough to complete an important section of the pipeline. The next batch of pipes were delivered later in the year and the villagers dug the trench to lay the pipes on a section from the old water source (located on the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro) down towards Ndarakwai - a small region adjacent to Tinga Tinga.

Delays in starting the next phase then followed due to elections, change of government and change of district commissioner. Finally in October 2007 representatives of CPA and ACEDE met at Tinga Tinga, a further tranche of funds was sent out and the second phase of the project was agreed with the village elders. This phase will lead new pipes up along the old colonial pipeline to a new and higher water source. This water source is located deep in the rain forest on Kilimanjaro and is less likely to be damaged by people, cattle and wildlife.

We are dismayed to announce that local district officials representing two district authorities covered by the pipeline continue to argue over the extension to the pipeline so the work remains on hold. ACEDE are negotiating to end this halt to the work.