Zimbabwe Water Projects
District 6170's Story of Providing Water in Zimbabwe
History Our district's journey into the world of providing water for Zimbabwe has been a highly successful and enjoyable one for every Rotarian involved in our district. Starting in Rotary year 2005-2006, PDG Linda Schuck made provision for a water project as a goal for her year in office. Discussions and action continued during PDG Ian Cosh’ year as governor, 2006-2007, with additional money earmarked for ongoing water projects. However, PDG Susan Aldridge provided specific leadership during her tenure as governor, 2007-2008, by appointing a task force to investigate and seek a matching grant that would connect our district directly to a water project somewhere in the world in a more consistent and direct manner. One critical point she stressed was to launch a multi-year effort in order to establish a track record and build on those efforts. Each District Governor since that time has renewed this commitment including PDGs Jim Davis, Carlton Davis, and Bill Simmons. PDG Barbara Finley provided ongoing support in her role as RDFC, Nancy Baxter in her role as MG Chair & Joe Fish in his role as District Administrator. District Governor Gaylen Schuck, as well as DGE Dan Allen and DGN Pam Gibson, have voiced their support of our historic commitment to provide water in Zimbabwe. We are poised, in another few years, to boast of having had nine district governors in succession who have made a strong commitment to provide water in Zimbabwe. PDG Ian Cosh and engineers Dru Dodson and Roger Stanage made a critical exploratory visit to the Rotary Club of Bulawayo South in November 2007 to investigate potential projects and sites and enter into dialogue with fellow Rotarians in Zimbabwe. The following narrative gives the highpoints of what has turned out to be a highly successful partnership that has been wholeheartedly supported by District 6170 and by our Rotary partners in District.
Matching Grant Number 1. Total for the project $19,000 Four projects Matching Grant Number 2. Total for the projects $24,700 Four projects Matching Grant Number 3 Total for the projects $25,000 Two projects Matching Grant Number 4 Total for the projects $21,012 Two projects Grand Matching Grant Total $89,712
Matching Grant # 1. (Completed) Project 1. SOS Kensington Site—this project was designed to turn an unproductive piece of land into a market garden to provide an independent livelihood to adult orphans. A borehole was drilled and a pump provided so allow these grown orphans to have employment in market gardening. Cost: $7,500 Project 2. Zimcare Trust—Simanyane Centre, Newton West—this project involved the repair of the water infrastructure so that 30 developmentally disabled adults can take care of the vegetable garden, which provides food for 35 developmentally disabled children attending the school and 7 teaching staff. Cost: $1,600 Project 3. St. Bernard’s School, Pumula—this project focused on building a cistern to capture roof water during the heavy rain season and to provide a pump and tank so that school children will have water for sanitation and gardening. Cost $5,500 Project 4. Tohwe School, Matobo District—this projects involved the provision of an electric pump and water distribution system so that the school now has water 24/7 supplied by gravity feed from tower mounted tanks. Cost $3,000 Matching Grant #2. (Completed) Project 1. This project at Inyathi Mission Secondary School called for the provision of safe drinking water for 585 students and teachers and the provision of water to grow a vegetable garden. The scope of the project involved a geophysical survey, a borehole to be drilled, a supply line to be installed with an electric pump, and piping to be provided to fill an existing water tank. Cost $8,200 Project 2. St. Bernard’s Secondary School continued to be a priority. After the underground cistern built in matching grant 1, project two provided for the installation of an efficient water capture and distribution system to provide for the sanitation needs of 975 students and staff. Water for a vegetable garden is also being planned. Cost $3,100 Project 3. Zimcare Simanyane Center was assisted in equipping an existing borehole with an electric pump and the installation of a distribution system to extend the market gardening area for 30 developmentally disabled adults and 35 developmentally disabled children. Cost $4,900 Project 4. SOS Kensington Site—the ongoing development of this project from MG 1 involved the installation of a steel elevated tower and the provision of a 5000 liter storage tank with electric transfer pump to complete the drip irrigation system. This finalized the support needed to give the adult orphans a self-help market gardening capability. Cost $7,100 Matching Grant #3 (In process) Project 1. Sacred Heart Girls High School has 400 girls. It began as an orphanage and grew to become a high school. The nearest school for girls was 25 km away so the need for a closer option was critical to these girls’ education and quality of life. The Ministry of Education approved the school and two classrooms have been built. This project will provide the water for the girls to make the school viable Work to be done: 1.The borehole site has to be surveyed 2.A borehole must be dug and an electric pump installed 3.Water to be pumped to a 30,000 liter storage reservoir on a nearby hill 4.Water will gravity feed to the school Cost $16,370 Project 2. Nhlambabaloyi School is Ntabazinduna area has a need to link two boreholes in order to provide safe drinking water for 650 students plus staff at the secondary and primary schools. One powered by diesel and on is powered by electric pump to an elevated reservoir. The project calls for the building of an elevated tower for the water tank. A submersible pump has to be fitted to the existing borehole and a mono diesel pump to the other borehole. Cost $8,630 Matching Grant #4 (In process) Project 1. To provide the Mayembi School 65 kms west of Bulawayo with a borehole to provide water for the school and to provide water to start a nutritional garden. One third of the primary school children are orphaned and vulnerable. The school furniture is very old and dilapidated. The project will provide a borehole, pump, tower, and 92 double desks. Cost $18,316 Project 2. The Fort Rixon trust’s mission is to protect the environment through educating 1,000 rural children each year. The project will provide educational equipment to allow them to teach adults and children how to build latrines, how to grow nutritious vegetables and how to protect the water supply. Cost $2,696 Some FAQs: — The well at SOS Kensington Independent Youth Site was 230 feet and yields 1268 gallons per hour. Supplying 3 families and the potential to expand — Simanyane—80 feet deep and 1373 gallons per hour provides water for 30 developmentally disabled adults and 35 developmentally disabled children — Tohwe High School and local clinic —128 feet deep and provides water for 420 children and 50 at the local clinic — Inyathi High School—115 feet deep, 1268 gallons per hour, extra water for 585 children & staff & supplies veggie garden — No maintenance issues so far!
Rotary Club of HSNP $3,000	Rotary Club of Monticello $250
Rotary Club of Oaklawn $2,000	Rotary Club of Morrilton$250
Rotary Club of Hot Springs Sunrise $250	Rotary Club of Conway$100
Rotary Club of Conway-Morning $100	Rotary Club of Pine Bluff$500
Rotary Club of Warren$ 1920	Rotary Club of Arkadelphia $1000
David Benson, President's Rep at District Conference $100	Rotary Club of Polk County/Mena $300
Rotary Club of Arkadelphia-Sunrise $1800	Rotary Club of Warren $1000
Rotary Club of Malvern$1000	Rotary Club of Russellville $500
Rotary Club of Camden$500	Rotary Club of Conway-Morning $332.80
Rotary Club of Russellville $500	Rotarian Christi Hughes $25
Rotary Club of Hot Springs Village $1000	Rotary Club of De Queen $200
District Governor Jim Davis $2500 (Challenge to the Magnolia Club to Match)	Rotary Club of Polk County/Mena $350
Rotary Club of Magnolia $5000	Rotary Club of Russellville $500
Rotary Club of Crossett $250	William A. "Bill" Simmons DG $20
Rotary Club of Dardanelle $300	Dan Allen, DGN $20
Rotary Club of Bryant $510	District 6170 $153
Ichiro Fudai from Japan $130	Rotary Club of Hot Springs National Park $3000
Rotary Club of Camden $500	Rotary Club of Conway $108.05
Rotary Club of West Pine Bluff $500	Rotary Club of Polk County/Mena $350
Rotary Club of Fordyce $283	Ian Cosh, PDG $100
Susan Aldridge, PDG $100	William A. "Bill" Simmons, DG $100
Joe Fish, PDG $95	Rotary Club of De Queen $250
Rotary Club of Arkadelphia - Sunrise $500	Rotary Club of Polk County/Mena $871
Margot Fray, In Honor of Sharon Cosh $300	Rotary Club of Polk County/Mena $871
Total is $31,796.85
(Funds dedicated to the Zimbabwe project over and above this year's goal of $12,500 will be dedicated to matching grant projects in 2009-2010) Goal for 2008-2009 Rotary year for Phase 2 was $12,500 and has been attained. At present contributions toward Phase III are $13,572.85.