WATER - OR THE LACK OF - A MAJOR PROBLEM

After many sheltered years in plentiful Ireland (well, except for money until the Celtic Tiger roared), I was shocked when I moved to Australia to realize how some developing countries have real water shortages and that no amount of money really can change a climate. The only real option is to be careful with water and educate the masses.

With that as a background, I probably should have been prepared for the water shortages in Africa. After all, Africa is renowned for disease, famine and drought. I was well aware of the two former issues, in fact many of my friends, family and colleague had given me the “AIDS” talk, and I’d have been dumb not to expect the hunger issue. And yet, for some reason the drought issue didn’t really occur to me.

As I think I mentioned last week, Tanzania (and Kenya) have been officially declared drought-zones. It’s hard to explain the enormity of the problem – I’m here and I can barely take it in. For the last week, as we heard that water was becoming a problem, I didn’t really understand how big the problem was. But when it translated into a power problem, we all became aware VERY quickly!

The issue is that we work off hydro-electric power which is generated from Mount Meru, Tanzania’s third largest mountain which is just behind the school. Now that we are in desperate times, we have to conserve power in order to converse water. Last week, it was decided Arusha would be without power for two days a week (staggered across the city) for around eight hours. WE all groaned a little but we have a couple of generators here so we dealt with it. As the enormity of the problem came to light this week, the government realized this measure wasn’t enough to make a difference. So now, there is no power from 7am – 7pm every day.

This leaves the school, and for that matter every business in Arusha, somewhat in a quandary – how to get power. Our generators (largely diesel operated I believe) just aren’t good enough to power the entire school every single day. We need more! Fortunately we had a little money to buy some – but there aren’t any available!!! So now we play the waiting game – we’re hoping to get another one or two soon. Without them, it is very difficult to run a school which is becoming pretty big – no water, no lights, no bells, no computers, no plugs…. Cooking is difficult with the water situation but fortunately we don’t require power for it as it’s done over fires (I’ll have to get a photo of that).

Gemma addressed all the staff today about how dire the problem is in the country, warning that it would last up to two years. She spoke about conserving water and teaching students to do the same; while washing hands, using drinking water, using the toilets etc. It brought home the seriousness of the situation as the entire staff came to terms with how we would cope with this situation for possibly two years!

One of the girls in the office commented on how ironic it seems that in other parts of the world there have been hurricanes and such an overload of water, while people are literally starving for it. And how true that is.

And of course, the water and power shortages affect us before and after school; getting water for showers, cooking food, everything really! But you deal with it because you have to and well, it’s Africa, and that’s what happens here. It’s a reality for the locals and now it’s a reality for us Mzungu!!! Most of us were after an authentic experience and that’s certainly what we’re getting. I hope it always makes me appreciate just how fortunate we are in the Western world but then I think that many, many times a day now! It does make me wonder though how long the developed world will enjoy such a privilege. As the planet heats up and climates change, it seems inevitable to me that this is just the tip of the iceberg… as it were!
Ants on a Molehill – the new climbing frame
Today our workmen