3 languages were spoken: Maasai, Swahili and English Last Thursday KIHO attended a sub-village meeting at Bagamoyo Maasai community, located in the Terite area, near Ruvu village, Same District.
The meeting focused on the severe water scarcity currently faced by the Maasai community of this area which includes 27 sub-villages (the so-called “bomas”), for an estimated total of 700-1,000 people (the number is not accurate, as the Maasai are a nomadic tribe: men are mainly shepherds or cattle-keepers and most of them come back home during the rainy season only).
The meeting focused on the severe water scarcity currently faced by the Maasai community of this area which includes 27 sub-villages (the so-called “bomas”), for an estimated total of 700-1,000 people (the number is not accurate, as the Maasai are a nomadic tribe: men are mainly shepherds or cattle-keepers and most of them come back home during the rainy season only).
This community has been suffering from water scarcity for almost 4 years, mainly due to inadequate rainfall and technical problems to the existing borehole.
Their current water source is Pangani river, about 8 km far from their homes. It goes without saying that the quality of this water is very poor, as this river rises from Kilimanjaro mountain (to flow into the Indian Ocean) and, before reaching them, it goes through many other villages which use it for many activities: farming, laundry, body cleansing, etc., therefore it gets more and more polluted along its flow.
The most suffering from this water accessibility problem and struggling for survival are women, as they are the hard-workers in their families. Indeed, fetching water daily is one the most common women’s activities in Maasai tribes, along with building houses and collecting firewood. Sometimes donkeys are used to transport water. One donkey can carry around 60 liters but, as its pace is slower than humans, it may take up to one day to go to the river and come back (around 5-6 hours one-way).
Their current water source is Pangani river, about 8 km far from their homes. It goes without saying that the quality of this water is very poor, as this river rises from Kilimanjaro mountain (to flow into the Indian Ocean) and, before reaching them, it goes through many other villages which use it for many activities: farming, laundry, body cleansing, etc., therefore it gets more and more polluted along its flow.
The most suffering from this water accessibility problem and struggling for survival are women, as they are the hard-workers in their families. Indeed, fetching water daily is one the most common women’s activities in Maasai tribes, along with building houses and collecting firewood. Sometimes donkeys are used to transport water. One donkey can carry around 60 liters but, as its pace is slower than humans, it may take up to one day to go to the river and come back (around 5-6 hours one-way).
However, most of the time, women first waste hours looking for donkeys as, due to water and grass shortage, they run away. Sometimes women pick the first donkeys they find on their route, that may not belong to them, thus causing tensions between families claiming for their own donkeys. On average, 3 donkeys can carry 180 liters, which must be sufficient for 1 day for more than 40 people within one boma. The water they carry is only used for cooking, cleaning babies and feeding young animals (donkeys, cows, goats).
Should not the women find donkeys, they carry 10/20 liters on their back and, in this case, the water will only be used for cooking and it won’t be enough for all family members.
The water is not used for personal hygiene or laundry, as these activities take place at the riverside.
This activity is highly time and energy-consuming for women, who must also take care of their families and homes.
Should not the women find donkeys, they carry 10/20 liters on their back and, in this case, the water will only be used for cooking and it won’t be enough for all family members.
The water is not used for personal hygiene or laundry, as these activities take place at the riverside.
This activity is highly time and energy-consuming for women, who must also take care of their families and homes.
Water scarcity affects children education also: they often go to school without taking breakfast and, after every few hours, they go home searching for drinking water, but in vain. Neither the school nor home can provide water to them, resulting in severe dehydration.
KIHO will be the spokesperson of their distress and intends to write a grant proposal for a new borehole drilling and a gravity pipeline construction in this area (without then the need of an energy-wasting pump), hoping to make a huge difference for hundreds of people.
KIHO will be the spokesperson of their distress and intends to write a grant proposal for a new borehole drilling and a gravity pipeline construction in this area (without then the need of an energy-wasting pump), hoping to make a huge difference for hundreds of people.
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