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Provide Clean Drinking Water for School Children in Tanzania

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“One of the things that has been a problem at the school and in the community at large,” she continues, “is access to safe drinking water. Water is essential to the health of the people, but we are at a very high altitude, so water clean enough for drinking, bathing, washing clothes — even watering their subsistence gardens — has been lacking.”

“Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.”

Albert Szent-Gyorgyi (1893-1986)

Some of the students at Sr. Renalda’s school in Tanzania

I hope this letter finds you well and staying safe. How difficult and troubling these times are! Between the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the unrest in our cities, many of us are under immense stress and uncertain about what the future will bring. Because of that, please know that you and those dearest to you remain in the thoughts and prayers of all of our Missionaries. You hold a special place in our hearts and so we encourage you to continue to care for your own needs and those of your loved ones before sharing your financial resources in support of our missions. At the same time, if you are able to help those in Sr. Renalda’s mission, you will be making a tremendous difference in the lives of those who are suffering.

A couple of months ago, I received a letter from Sr. Renalda Kiria — a Missionary Sister who is living and working in Njombe, Tanzania, in East Africa. There, Sr. Renalda is in charge of a girls’ high school located in a very rural part of the region. All of the students come from families who might not otherwise be able to provide education for their children.

“The people here are extremely poor,” Sr. Renalda explains, “so there is a long history of child labor in this region. Since the families are so poor, children — at a very young age — are often forced into labor. Additionally, the parents know the value of education, but they simply cannot afford to pay tuition or other school fees. When we founded this school, we did it so that girls particularly could get the education they deserve. Not long afterwards, the rates of child labor dropped. Parents want their children to be able to break free from the cycle of poverty.”

Piping and fittings to be installed for the new water supply system.

“One of the things that has been a problem at the school and in the community at large,” she continues, “is access to safe drinking water. Water is essential to the health of the people, but we are at a very high altitude, so water clean enough for drinking, bathing, washing clothes — even watering their subsistence gardens — has been lacking.”

“There are sources of water around — shallow puddles that might be filled after the seasonal rains . . . but the water there is filled with bacteria and parasites. Women and children travel long distances to fetch water during the dry season, but most of the time they fetch the water from questionable sources. The result is waterborne diseases which most of the time claim precious lives. Each of us is aware that something must be done.”

Students watch as a water pump is installed.

“The local community has donated a tract of land on which a we can begin drilling a borehole well so that the people will have a source of clean water. But getting the land is just the beginning. We also need to hire a company to bring in machinery which can drill deep enough to access the aquifer. If we can drill a borehole deep enough, then we can tap in to the natural pure water table that is far below the surface. If we can do that, what a difference it would make to all of us living in this area! Is there some way you can help us?”

You and I both know that there is no life without water — and each of us needs to do our part in conserving the water we have. In our own communities, we can encourage local officials to implement water conservation measures such as limiting lawn watering to one day a week. We can also take showers instead of filling a bathtub — saving hundreds of gallons of water per person each month!

I am also hoping that you will send a donation to help us raise at least $42,000 for Sr. Renalda’s mission as well as other water projects throughout East Africa. Just in Sr. Renalda’s mission, they will need to pay for the drilling of the borehole; installing pumps; a solar connection; erecting water storage tanks — and an assortment of other items. I really do not know how much you can send, but can you please reach out in some way? Thank you for whatever you can do.

 

Your Missionary Friend,

Denis P. Pringle
Director of Development