Mtera School Water Project

Hanael, Peter, and I went out to Mtera School with a new submersible pump to install and finish the water project.  Mtera School is north of Iringa in low, hot, dry country.   Fortunately, the highway has recently been improved and now is a major north-south route with many buses. On the way, we stopped at Mgoli village which has become a bus stop for roasted goat and drinks.  I had a letter from Fran Nordhausen at St Paul Lutheran, Wyoming to deliver to their new partner at Mgoli.  Only the pastor's wife was home and she seemed a little confused why this mzungu was coming to her door and handing her an envelope.  Hanael tried to explain.

The pastor's wife wasn't sure why I was there but it will be clear when he gets home and opens the letter.

 
 Mtera School has a water system with concrete tanks that was built in 1988 and the tanks are now deteriorated. Monkeys and other animals have used them as their personal swimming pools and the water is now contaminated.  The new system was designed by UMN Engineering students in 2013 and has two 10,000 liter plastic tanks to hold clean water from the well.  This water from the tanks feeds taps for drinking and cooking.  Water will still be pumped to the old system when the tanks are full to be used for cleaning and watering.

Two tanks fill at the same time, 20,000 liters is about 5500 gallons.

Lowering the pump into the well, the blue rope is to support the weight of the pump.

Most of the 30 meters of pipe as it is lowered. The new headmaster is in the middle.  The old pipe is on the ground.

Hanael inspecting damage from a tumble off of the truck in transport.  The school was satisfied the tank is OK.

Most of the students had not returned from Easter break yet but a new headmaster and some new teachers had just arrived.   The headmaster previously was a teacher at Mtera and was a headmaster at another school.  He was very involved with our project and an encouraging sign that he will be attentive to the needs of the school.

Mtera School is near the Mtera Dam and Reservoir.  The dam is a major hydroelectric source for Iringa Region and because of this, the school has electric power.  The reservoir is also famous for fish and some of the teachers at Mtera have a side business of drying fish to sell in Iringa.  Visitors to Mtera like us take back fresh fish which is expensive in Iringa.  The fish are small and strong in taste, much too strong for me to handle.  You can see them piled in the market in Iringa.

Mama laying out fish to dry.  They can stoke a fire underneath although a dog was sleeping there most of the time.

Dried fish.  They slice the fish with razor blades to help with the drying.  These fish are cooked is stews and then served with ugali, a staple made from maize flour with a consistency like firm mashed potatoes.

Fresh fish to take home, they paid about $10 for all of these fish and Peter and Hanael split them.