This is a good day!
Kerri and Jillian (EdPowerment's program managers) arrived for their year in Tanzania just in time - Maji Tech's engineer, Niko, finally was able to install the solar pump for the Kilimahewa Water Project and water flower through the pipes. Here are just a few pictures - more to come on our redesigned website in two weeks.
While I was there in August, my husband and I met with the water community - we were expecting the pump to be installed then, but as they say in Swahili, pole sana (so sorry). Nevertheless, the excitement of the community was clear. They haggled about access, security payments, and other aspects of sharing and overseeing this most precious commodity. The bibis (grandmothers) hijacked much of the meeting, telling the others exactly how much this meant to them, who had never had access to clean water in their 80 plus years - expressing their gratitude repeatedly.
In one unforgettable gesture, one woman brought a small beaded container of 8 beaded coasters. She distributed them among the people in the group. Each villager then came up and gave us a coaster as a gift of appreciation. What a thoughtful and telling way to demonstrate their sincerity and joy.
These pictures tell the story better than words.
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