Welcome to Tanzania

Welcome to Tanzania

Tanzania is a beautiful country even though it is starting to get overrun by tourists in places. On the drive to Karatu from Arusha in the north, you pass rugged Massai cattle pastures, the Great Rift Valley at Lake Manyara and then the rolling hills that surround Karatu itself. In places it looks a lot like Ethiopia which makes sense given the Rift Valley passes through both.

Rugged Tanzania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first difference I notice in Karatu this trip is the new Japanese built highway or tarmac as its referred to locally. It gives tourists a quick ride to the Ngorogoro Crater though locals who mainly walk, don’t benefit much.

We visited CPAR water projects at primary schools today.

Lunch break at Haraa School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are rainwater harvesting systems that collect rain off the school roofs in the rainy season and store it in huge 30000 litre tanks for use year around. It’s a centuries old idea that is ideal for the local climate. Pit latrines and hand wash stations are part of the package in addition to hygiene education. Simple effective solutions. 

We met with many of the students and they truly are quite remarkable. These are rural kids, children of subsistence farmers. When we asked them what they want to be when they grow up, they told us “daktari” (doctor), president, pilot and politician.

CPAR's Nderingo and Martina, a future daktari (doctor)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The water projects will help them reach these goals as clean water and good sanitation improves attendance, reduces illness and improves learning. Already at Qara Samaray primary school, the number of students reaching the District top rankings has doubled.

Outside the water tank