Water for Schools in Zimbabwe - ATK Chicago

On April 18th, members of the Chicago office global management firm A.T. Kearney will be participating in the LiveEarth Run for Water on the Lake Michigan waterfront. The Chicago office is teaming with other ATK offices to raise money in order to fund a Safe Water Project benefiting community schools in Zimbabwe. Please help the Chicago office meet their goal by sponsoring their Run for Water.

The communities of Mhondora and Muzhezve are in a poor region of Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland. They have very little water and children have to walk several kilometers to fetch water.

The project will support 12 school-based communities with wells, 11 with nutrition gardens and 2 with small livestock. Rotarians from the local Rotary club will accompany Pump Aid and assist in the well sitings and installation to ensure community ownership.

Wells will be dug by residents selected by Pump Aid and Tree Africa. They will be located in community schools' grounds and supervised by experienced staff from the organizations who will ensure working and construction of the well's elephant pumps. The pumps are assembled by residents trained by Tree Africa's technical partner, Tree Aid to ensure sustainability in maintaining the pumps in good working order.

Partner Tree Africa will train residents in nutrition gardens and small livestock rearing on a sustainable basis. Residents will also be trained in maintenance of pumps and other equipment.

The project provides essential empowerment with clean water and sustainable food production for their own consumption as well as for sale. These are essential components in the fight against AIDS/HIV, Cholera (which is an issue at the moment) and child mortality for over 600 families in each community.

Tree Africa has a close working relationship with the Ministry of Education office for the area and also works closely with their Better Schools Program to teach sustainable production and the essentials of good nutrition. The school-based communities include:

Mhandora Primary School - 600 beneficiaries
Dondishava Primary School - 800 beneficiaries
Manyewe Primary School - 600 beneficiaries
Benhura Secondary School - 1100 beneficiaries
Musena Primary School - 580 beneficiaries
Bunbe Primary School - 850 beneficiaries
Donain Primary School - 650 beneficiaries
Donain Secondary School - 600 beneficiaries
Munyati Primary School - 600 beneficiaries
Tafara Primary School - 1150 beneficiaries
Jompani Secondary School - 800 beneficiaries
Jompani Primary School - 300 beneficiaries

This project replicates a model that has been developed elsewhere in Zimbabwe with great success. All planning has been completed and partners are in place. This latest project is awaiting funding to commence.

Goals overview
• 12 resident dug wells in school-based communities
• 11 school based community nutrition gardens
• 2 school based community livestock herds
• Training in pump maintenance and sustainable food production
• Replication of sustainable technology in homes

Proposed budget for each school is approximately $15,000 US