Increasing clean water access in Tanzania through community-managed boreholes
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$8,110
A rural infrastructure project in Tanzania, installing maintainable water pumps built by locals to provide year-round access to clean water.
- Region 🇹🇿 Tanzania
- Sector Clean Water
This project is the brainchild of Benedicto Hosea, a Tanzanian social innovator and founder of Mboni ya Vijana, a youth-led organisation based in Zeze village, Kigoma. Growing up as the son of subsistence farmers, Benedicto witnessed firsthand the challenges of water scarcity and environmental degradation in his community. Motivated by these experiences, he pursued education in land management and sustainability, which inspired him to establish Mboni ya Vijana in 2012 to address these pressing issues. 
Under his leadership, the organisation has implemented a community-managed approach to borehole drilling, utilising simple hand-drilling techniques and rope-operated manual pumps. This method is cost-effective, low-maintenance, and suitable for use in remote areas without access to electricity. To date, Mboni ya Vijana has drilled over 160 boreholes across Tanzania, providing access to clean water for thousands of residents, particularly in rural communities where waterborne diseases are prevalent.  
Benedicto’s vision extends beyond water access; he aims to empower communities through sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and youth engagement. His work has garnered international recognition, including speaking engagements at the UK Parliament and receiving the Queen's Points of Light award in 2019. Through Mboni ya Vijana, Benedicto continues to foster self-reliance and resilience in Tanzanian communities, demonstrating the transformative power of grassroots initiatives.
Why this matters
In rural Kigoma, safe water remains out of reach for many. Communities often rely on open ponds or rivers, which are frequently shared with livestock. These sources are prone to contamination, leading to outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea.
Women and girls typically walk up to three hours each day to fetch water, time that could otherwise be spent in school or earning an income. These journeys can also expose girls to harassment and harm. The lack of water access also affects local clinics and maternal health, with facilities unable to maintain basic hygiene during childbirth.
As population pressures grow, this gap only widens. The need for safe, local, and low-maintenance solutions is urgent.
Why Kwanda is funding more water pumps
Each water pump provides year-round access to clean water for 1,000 to 1,500 people. This reduces the burden on women and girls, improves school attendance, and strengthens public health. It also supports local clinics by enabling safe childbirth and basic sanitation.
Because the boreholes are hand-drilled and fitted with simple rope pumps, they are cost-effective to install and easy to maintain. Community members are trained to service and repair each water point, ensuring long-term functionality. Local labour is used in the drilling process, strengthening skills and ownership.
With each installation, the community gains time, health, and agency.
Technical stuff
The Details
- Working pumps 3
- Residents gaining water access 3,600
Updates
From the field
Project resumed with new funding to support six drill sites
Posted 25 May 2025
We will resume this project in partnership with Benedicto Hosea, as it was highly impactful. However, due to the soaring equipment costs in the post-pandemic era, we had to pause our efforts.
The good news is that costs are now back down to regular levels, and our villagers have recently earmarked £10,000 to fund up to six new drill sites.
We’ve successfully installed the well and water pump.
Posted 6 Jul 2022
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The drilling of the well and installation of the pump is now complete.
There were minor delays due to sand flow in the ground but this has been circumvented and the pump is now in use by the students at Bugaga primary school.
This clean water will:
Eliminate the time students spent walking up to 7km to fetch water. This time will be spent in school.
Irrigate the schools' flower and vegetable gardens and provide nutrition to the school beneficiaries.
Reduce water-borne diseases and absent days of students on their periods.
Drilling has begun at the site.
Posted 3 Jun 2022
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Good news! Drilling has commenced at the site, and is now approaching a week of drilling down in to the hard rock.
The water table has been reached at a depth of 14m however the drilling will be concluded at a depth of 29m. The current drilling rate is 3m a day so we should be ready to install the hand pump in under a week - providing access to clean water for the school.
We'll be drilling at Bugaga primary school in Kasulu.
Posted 20 May 2022
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Good news! We've identified and surveyed a new drill site at Bugaga primary school in Kasulu, a school in clear need of a clean water source. Here's the report from Benedicto:
The school has more than 1000 pupils coming to school with gallons of water due to a deficit at the school. It makes water access difficult leading to poor hygiene and sanitation for students and the school. Water comes from the stream 3.4km away. Drinking water is an issue, and teachers are not settled on water searching.
Benedicto and his team have surveyed the site, identified a water table at 17m deep and recommend drilling 38m deep.
Drilling starts next Monday, and I'll be sure to keep you updated.
Re-survey has confirmed the hard rock found
Posted 6 May 2022
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The re-survey has been completed, and we can confirm the site at Nyarubanda secondary school will not be a productive drill:
There is very little water underground.
The rock resistivity will block the accumulation of new water, and so the current reserve of water may be depleted completely.
How are we fixing this?
The ground team is now looking to re-direct efforts to another location with suitable terrain for drilling.
I'll keep everyone in the loop as things develop!
Hard rock found whilst surveying the Nyarubanda school site
Posted 27 Apr 2022
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Some more bad news. During a site survey, the team on the ground discovered impermeable rock, which is blocking water from accumulating in the ground.
As we can't be 100% sure the site is non-drillable, Lake Tanganyika Basin Management Board has been consulted to help re-survey using modern and sophisticated machines to verify what was found.
Delays in drilling at Nyarubanda secondary school
Posted 23 Apr 2022
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Due to supply chain issues, we've been encountering some delays in beginning the drilling process.
Fortunately, the supplies were received today. Benedicto (project lead) will be revisiting the school tomorrow for a final inspection of the drill site to ensure it's still a viable site for drilling.
Checking in on the Lalambe well
Posted 6 May 2021
We have received a further update from our recent clean water well project in Lalambe, Tanzania.
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The Lalambe well is complete and now in use
Posted 2 Apr 2021
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As the well is in a remote area with very poor connectivity, Benedicto has been unable to send images but will do so as soon as possible.
However, Benedicto did manage to speak to the Headteacher of Lalambe Primary School, who said how grateful the school and village are and how much it will impact their progress. He sent the following quote from one of the girls there.
Deborah, a standard 7 pupil at Lalambe Primary School, said:
This pump is fantastic, it saves us so much time. Previously we wasted hours getting water from the stream. Now I can spend more time on my studies and I am more confident I will do well and follow my dreams. Thank you Kwanda and thank you God for this opportunity.
The Lalambe well is 90% complete
Posted 26 Mar 2021
Due to the remote location, Benedicto and the team on the ground have been experiencing connectivity issues, so they could not share updates as they began building the well.
However, they pushed through with the work and have mostly completed the well. They have to leave the concrete to fully set for three days or so before the community can start using the well properly. As the picture shows, they’ve tested it, and it’s working well!
Funds received by Benedicto.
Posted 16 Mar 2021
We’re excited to be working on yet another well project in Tanzania.
Just a quick update to let you know that the funds have made their way to Benedicto - the project lead - in Tanzania. We’re awaiting a second update on when drilling will begin.
The well and water pump is complete!
Posted 16 Dec 2020
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Drilling is nearing completion
Posted 2 Dec 2020
The team at Titye are now down to 27m and have reached the aquifer. They'll continue for another 3m to ensure water throughout the year.:quality(85))
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The well is at 9m so far
Posted 30 Nov 2020
A progress update on the well drilling ...
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The image tagged to this update shows members of the drilling team alongside students from Titye Secondary School.
Drilling of the well starts on Wednesday
Posted 23 Nov 2020
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