Access to clean, safe water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sanitation is a widespread problem across the East Africa region. In every SND ministry, Sisters are making efforts to expand access for their students and the neighboring communities. SNDs at Notre Dame Primary School in Njiro, Arusha, Tanzania recently received a grant from the Conrad Hilton Fund for Sisters. With this grant money, they drilled a borehole and installed storage tanks, piping, and filtration to various parts of the school.
While the city of Arusha does have public utilities, the service is poor and unreliable. Some studies show that more than 50% of residents in Arusha rely on secondary water sources (primary well/borehole water) due to intermittent public utilities. Like elsewhere in East Africa, Tanzania faces considerable periods of drought due to the increasing length of the dry season, pollution of natural springs, and population density in urban areas. Sisters were not able to maintain the vegetables and livestock on the farm. Sanitation efforts were compromised, resulting in severe illness among the Sisters and students.
Sisters have noted that since the system was installed, they have enough water to meet the basic needs for hydration, cooking and cleaning. They are now able to better maintain a household garden and livestock in order to improve the diet of the children. Sr. Olive Katusiime reflected on her experience, saying,
“In the mission of serving others, we cannot provide everything but through collaboration with the people of good will we are able to bring great change and develop lives for the common good. The project has made a great difference in the lives of the people we serve. It is of great help to us and those around us. The beneficiaries, the stakeholders and the Sisters of the congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame Holy Spirit East Africa Delegation are very grateful for your timely help and support in realizing their dreams to make the life of the students and the people they serve more affordable and comfortable.”
Sr. Olive Katusiime
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