Women and Water Sanitation and Health Centre

Mweteni-village, one of the tree villages in the Bwambo ward, is located in the North East of Same district in Kilimanjaro region. It's a typical rural area characterized by the rocky Pare-mountains. There is no public transport and is tough to access. The communities face an acute shortage of safe and clean water for a long time leading to the increase of water related diseases, poverty, long walking distance (2 to 5 kms) and excessive time spent on fetching water. Land in Mweteni-village is primarily used for agriculture. Households also keep livestocks but in small numbers. Mweteni-village has a total population of 9.361 people of which approximately 1/3 rd lives outside the subvillage settlements

Current status

The TWG has build the framework of the WatSancentre. For the installation of the ICT-infrastructure the TWG reserved a part of the grant from WfWP and made arrangements for power in the centre and delivering of the ICT-equipment. The costs of ICT and a part of the building costs are already covered. To finalise the building of the centre the TWG needs another 3.000 euro. It's needed for the finalisation of the building (floors, doors, ceilings and windows), transport and the construction of a demonstration toilet. Due to a lack of funding WfWP can currently not provide the extra financial support needed. Therefore we hope to find other funding as soon as possible to finish this centre.

The physical WatSan centre will facilitate TWG to built on their capacities and that of other women(groups) and to facilitate TWG as a community based organization.
The objectives of the WatSan centre are:
- A meeting place for TWG and other women groups in the area
- Education on water, sanitation and hygiene for 5 communities
- Training on maintenance of water installations
- Gender awareness
- Facilities for ICT-communication in order to strengthen these women groups by enhancing their communication ability.
- As an eco-toilet will be built for demonstration purposes, people will be trained in the use, maintenance and construction of such toilets.

A safe, proper and convenient physical building for TWG and other women groups in the area, wherein facilities are provided that enable the centre to become a valuable meeting place; to provide training on WatSan practices to the villages, educate people on good use of WastSan facilities and hygiene practices; demonstrate the use and maintenance of eco-toilets and to provide ICT-communication in order for people to have better access to the outside world.

Goals

• A physical and suitable meeting, education and ICT-centre
• Improved capacity for Tegemeo Women Group and its members
• Improved capacity for other women Groups in the surroundings
• To be able to provide trainings on WatSan to residents
• To better coordinate projects at a local level

TWG started as a group of Women that took the initiative for a water- and sanitation project in Mweteni village. As owner of this project TWG during the years of preparation built up a network and working relations with the district government of Same and the village government, TGNP (Tanzanian Gender Networking Programme), other women groups in East-Africa and international organisations. After taking initiative, TWG became partner of the WfWP.

After years of preparation of the Mweteni water- and sanitation project, TWG started implementation of her project in April 2011. For the implementation of phase 1 of the project, A4A provided a funding. For the implementation of phase 2 arrangements are being made with the district- and national government. The project is an outstanding example of implementation and up scaling of the Tanzanian National Policy Plan.
TWG has empowered themselves and built capacity to coordinate the bottom-up process in the community and to engage with the village and district authorities in the developing an integrated and community owned project.

The physical WatSan centre will facilitate TWG to further strengthen their capacities and that of other women(groups) and to make TWG a community based organization. This PR of the TWG will open eyes of more women and men in the surroundings and stimulate their development.