Kiwis Gareth & Jo Morgan visit the Magu District of Tanzania (August 2007)

1. Kiwis Gareth & Jo Morgan visit the Magu District of Tanzania (August 2007)

2. Mwanza city the start of the journey to the Magu district. Mwanza city is the second largest city in Tanzania after Dar es Salaam. It is located on the southern shores of Lake Victoria in Northern Tanzania. The Mwanza region has eight districts which are Nyamagana, Illemela (constituting the city), Misungwi and Kwimba to the South, Sengerema and Geita to the West, Ukerewe to the North and Magu to the east.

3. Houses built on a hill in Mwanza city. Granites and granodiorite cover Mwanza city with isolating hill masses and rock inselbergs (an isolated hill, knob or ridge or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gentle sloping or virtually level plain, usually because the body of rock is resistant to erosion).

4. A few of the team of bikers Jo and Gareth have been travelling with head off into the countryside.

5. Women collecting water from ponds is one of the sights Jo and Gareth saw as they headed off to visit a UNICEF project. The water-bearers start early in the day to avoid the heat. Unfortunately the water they collect could be contaminated as it is gathered from the same places animals congregate and the same water is used for washing and drinking.

6. Traffic on the road included Tanzanians on bicycles laden down with supplies.

7. Marabou Stork birds, which are frequent scavengers, in the Magu district.

8. Residents of the Magu district carrying plastic buckets in search of water…

9. Jo Morgan nearing Kitongo Village riding the bike which faithfully served her throughout their trip through Africa.

10. Gareth, Jo and their group are being introduced to the Kitongo Village leaders on their arrival at the village to inspect the construction of a well.

11. Gareth and Jo with children of Kitongo Village after looking at the well’s construction.

12. In villages throughout the Magu district, 57% of people now have access to safe water as a result of the combined efforts of UNICEF and partners.

13. In another village (Rumeji) village women collect water from the village’s working hand pump well.

14. Clean water and basic hygiene education have helped stop the cycle of recurring diarrhoea and related sicknesses. As a result the sickness and mortality rates amongst the districts children have plummeted.

15. Gareth tries his hand at pumping water.

16. Ready access to water allows women to care better for their babies and feed them on time. They also don’t have to worry about their safety during the long walk to collect water, and have more energy and time to participate in support groups for farming and other income generating activities.

17. Having ready access to water close by also means greater amounts are available for different purposes (e.g. washing, cleaning, and agriculture).

18. On the road again to visit dry villages without any wells at all.

19. This is a typical home of a family seen along Muranza Magu Road. This family is not different from many in the rural areas of Tanzania, especially in the villages.

20. Shighala Village and Villagers with a pile of maize in the foreground. A traditional meal in Tanzania called ugali, a dough made out of cassava flour, cornmeal (maize), millet or sorghum is served in a large bowl to be shared by all with another dish of meat, fish, beans or cooked vegetables.

21. Jo talks with Christina Charahani Masalu. Christina is one of many women in Shighala Village who suffer when it comes to having to collect water especially in dry seasons. Men usually do not collect water.

22. Further on the children of Lwengwe village have also yet to taste the benefits of having a well.

23. Impressed with the difference safe water and sanitation can make to the lives of the people they came into contact with Gareth and Jo pledged to support the expansion of the UNICEF Magu project into the Makete and Pemba districts in Tanzania.