The Rotary Club of Tahoe Incline has been awarded a $96,000 grant from The Rotary Foundation to construct a system to collect rainwater at St. Joseph Hospital in Kagondo, Tanzania. This area in the NW part of Tanzania receives very heavy rainfall during the two “rainy seasons”. However, during the “dry seasons that follows the bore hole (well) often goes dry causing the hospital to use stream water for cleaning purposes. Unfortunately stream water contains both human and animal pathogens that can expose the patients to high risk of infections.
The collection system will consist of 13 storage tanks with a capacity of 50,000 liters each connected to aluminum gutters and pipes from the corrugated metal roofs of the hospital. The total capacity of these tanks of 650,000 is calculated to be sufficient to meet the hospital needs even in the worst drought conditions.
The Rotary club of Tahoe Incline will serve as the international partner to the Rotary Club of Bukoba that will supervise the construction of the system. The major funding of the project will come from the Rotary Clubs of Tahoe Incline and San Luis Obispo and individual Rotarians. Our funds will be matched by The Rotary Foundation and Rotary Districts 5190 and 5240. Construction is expected to be completed in six months.
Wend Schaefer, M. D.
Rotary Club of Tahoe Incline