Girls’ and Boys’ Water Sanitation and Hygiene(Wash) Tanzania
Girls
Just before my departure last year from Tanzania and continuing still to date, ABCDreams UK worked in collaboration with a newly formed local NGO, ‘Binti Msafi’ on the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Tanzania.
This organization was set up earlier when my acquaintance was secretary to the leader of the opposition before he was jailed (for being the leader of the opposition!).
Binti Msafi is fully registered and supplying sanitary pads to three secondary schools in and near the village, including the school supported by ABCDreams UK, Lyasikika Secondary School.
We had hoped to serve the girls of the school this past October 11th – the International Day of the Girl. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we had to move this to the beginning of next year (2024).
In November , 2022 we supported a Binti Msafi visit to the school as follows (based on 1 pad packet of 6 pads @ Tsh4000):
No. female students in 2023: 166 students @ Tsh4000 per student per month for 3 months:
166×4000×3=1.992m shillings
Current £1 = Tsh2930
Total GBP: £680
We had organized a repeat visit for International Day of the Girl, October 11th this year but this has now been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances (CEO Irene’s mother died two days prior!).
We hope to organize another visit in early January for a further 3 months.
Boys
As reported in 2020, I admit to an underestimated total overall cost. I took advice from our local Rotary colleagues in Moshi, Tanzania, with experience in building school toilets. In their estimation, we could build two blocks of 6 cubicles each for a little more than the price quoted in the local district Bill of Quantity for one block. Because I added a urinal for the boys and a personal hygiene room for the girls this increased the original estimate by 16%.
It is not uncommon in Tanzania to leave a construction project unfinished when the funds run out. Everyone remains positive that further funding can eventually be found. This is the case with an unfinished girls’ dormitory onsite. The unfinished science labs reported in 2020 are now complete thanks to recent gov’t grants.
I remain grateful for the enthusiasm and commitment of the Rotary organizations that contributed to this Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) Tanzania project.
The summary estimate of expenditures for completion*
| Item no. | Detail | Qty | Unit cost | Tsh | GBP @Tsh3200/£1 |
| 1 | Cement (total) | 40 | TSh17,500 | TSh700,000 | £219 |
| 2 | White cement | 5 | TSh35,000 | TSh187,250 | £59 |
| 3 | sand | 3 | TSh250,000 | TSh750,000 | £234 |
| 4 | Labour (1st Instalment) | 1 | TSh 1,000,000 | TSh1,000,000 | £312 |
| 6 | Plumbing goods/pipes | 1 | TSh120,000 | TSh120,000 | £37 |
| 7 | toilet pans | 6 | TSh20,000 | TSh120,000 | £37 |
| 8 | Materials Transport | 1 | TSh50,000 | TSh50,000 | £16 |
| 9 | Plumbing sub-contractor | 1 | TSh120,000 | TSh120,000 | £37 |
| 10 | Alternate water supply | 1 | TSh220,000 | TSh220,000 | £69 |
| 11 | Weatherguard paint | 3 | TSh75,000 | TSh225,000 | £90 |
| 12 | Brushes/rollers | 1 | TSh32,000 | TSh32,000 | £10 |
| 13 | Bitumen/skirting | 2 | TSh50,000 | TSh100,000 | £32 |
| 14 | Labour (Final) | 1 | TSh 1,000,000 | TSh 1,000,000 | £469 |
| Total | TSh4,794,250 | £1,909 |
JdR October 2023