Increasing clean water access in Tanzania through community-managed boreholes
Go back:quality(85))
- Relevant Data
- Region 🇹🇿 Tanzania
- Sector Clean Water
- Working boreholes 3
- Total number of residents gaining access to clean water 3,600
This is a proposal to collaborate with Mboni ya Vijana on a long-term initiative to fund the drilling and installation of manually operated boreholes in water-scarce rural communities across Kigoma, Tanzania. Building on our past success in collaborating with Mboni ya Vijana, this partnership can deliver reliable, community-managed water access to schools, clinics, and villages, improving public health outcomes.
Who is Mboni ya Vijana?
Mboni ya Vijana—meaning “Eyes of the Youth” in Kiswahili—is a youth-led, community-based organization founded by Benedicto Hosea in Kigoma, Tanzania. The organisation focuses on sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, and rural water access.
Why is this work necessary?
In rural Kigoma, access to safe and reliable water remains severely limited. Many communities depend on unsafe sources such as ponds and streams that are often shared with livestock, leading to widespread waterborne diseases, including cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea—particularly affecting young children. Women and girls bear the brunt of this burden, often walking up to three hours daily to fetch water. This time-consuming task reduces opportunities for girls to attend school and limits women’s participation in income-generating activities. The journey to collect water can also expose girls to risks of harassment and violence, especially in remote or isolated areas.:quality(85))
The solution
Mboni ya Vijana employs a cost-effective, community-managed approach to borehole drilling. This method uses simple hand-drilling techniques and rope-operated manual pumps. It is practical, low-maintenance, and functional without electricity—ideal for remote settings.
:quality(85))
Key aspects of the approach:
Metrics we'll track:
Impact and outcomes
The installation of each borehole by Mboni ya Vijana has the potential to transform community life significantly. Girls can attend school consistently, improving educational outcomes and long-term opportunities for economic independence. Women reclaim hundreds of hours yearly that can be invested in small businesses, farming, or family care.
:quality(85))
Perhaps most importantly, the participatory nature of the model—where communities are trained to manage and maintain their own water systems—builds local skills, ownership, and long-term resilience.
Updates
From the field
We’ve successfully installed the well and water pump.
Posted 6 Jul 2022
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))
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.
:quality(85))
:quality(85))
The Lalambe well is complete and now in use
Posted 2 Apr 2021
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))
:quality(85))
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))
:quality(85))
The well is at 9m so far
Posted 30 Nov 2020
A progress update on the well drilling ...
:quality(85))
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
:quality(85))