- Preparatory Measures for the Establishment of Cooperative Associations For Environmental Hygiene, since 2021 (CAFEH-Kwimba)
- Development of an eTap, since 2022
Preparatory Measures for the Establishment of Cooperative Associations For Environmental Hygiene, since 2021 (CAFEH-Kwimba)
The water security of many villages in the Mwanza region is severely affected by climate change. A large part of the water infrastructure is based on decentralized shallow wells that are only a few meters deep. Standing surface water or water holes are also used. In the course of climate change, however, the availability of the surface groundwater decreases sharply and these wells and water holes repeatedly dry up for several months. Unregulated sewage and waste management directly affects the quality of the water and leads to the occurrence of a wide variety of diseases. The use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture also means that nutrients and chemicals are freely absorbed by people through drinking water.
The projects carried out in the past have had great success in localizing the problem and contributing to an improvement in the local infrastructure. On the other hand, there is a lack of quality in sustainable management and maintenance. The long-term operation of the WASH infrastructure is not guaranteed due to high fluctuation in the project areas, a lack of financial reserves and a lack of know-how in some cases. Individual communities and villages cannot solve these (partly structural) challenges because they have neither the personnel nor the economic strength. Through the implementation of a special-purpose association and the associated organizational structure, it should be examined whether a sustainable operation of WASH infrastructure can be made possible within communities and villages of different sizes. In numerous meetings with the stakeholders, a possible statute could be drafted. MOUs were also signed with all affected kitongojis (neighborhoods) of the villages of Malya, Isabilo and Kitunga. The commitment of the residents is clear from the high deductible in the costs. The contact to the political level and the direct exchange with the local population is of great importance in order to be able to realize the scientific results in concrete improvements in the WASH sector.
The entry of the CAFEH-Kwimba in the Tanzanian register for cooperative associations should take place within the calendar year 2023.
Electronic Taps (eTap), since 2022
In order to be able to design projects sustainably beyond the ecological and social approach, cost recovery is essential. Fundraising calls within communities is a popular but ineffective tool. A faucet that works on the basis of prepaid cards should guarantee the income of water committees and associations in a reliable way. The consumer only has to place his prepaid card on the provided RFID interface and select the required amount of water with a button. The CPU then sends an electrical impulse to a solenoid valve, which then opens. As soon as the flow meter has recorded the requested amount of drinking water, it closes again. The amount is then debited from the consumer’s prepaid account. A prototype is scheduled for completion in summer 2023. This is followed by a test and further development phase lasting several months. Completion is expected towards the end of the year. Financial support is provided entirely by the Karin Witte Foundation.
