Biharu Assessment Trip Summary

Biharu Assessment Trip Summary – PDF Download

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Case for Support

Case for Support – PDF Download

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Meet The Community

Biharu is a friendly and welcoming community that resides in rural northwestern Tanzania. The region’s primary languages are Ha and Kiswahili. Biharu is an agricultural community that cultivates maize, beans, cassava, sweet potato, pulses (legume seed), groundnuts (peanuts), and palm oil trees. Fresh vegetables can be found in the open-air market when the farmers return at dusk, and the fresh pineapples on roadside stands are amazing.

Engineers Without Borders Greater Austin funded 35 handwashing stations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Project Overview

The EWB-GA Tanzania team has partnered with the community of Biharu and a non-governmental organization (NGO), MANLUKU Youth Development Initiatives, to rehabilitate the community’s existing water system. Originally designed to serve 3,000 people, the system can no longer provide an adequate volume of water for the 12,000 citizens of the Biharu Ward. The water source is gravity-fed over 7 km with no available water treatment.

The Biharu Water Board oversees the local water system, including collecting fees and maintaining the water system. EWB-GA will work closely with the board to provide the training and resources necessary to ensure the project’s sustainability.

The community’s only water source provides an inadequate volume without filtration or purification.

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Current Project Status

The pandemic has prohibited the team from visiting the community, though some tasks have been implemented remotely. EWB-GA has successfully:

• Conducted a hydrogeologic survey to identify potential sites for water well drilling in partnership with Jovial LTD
• Completed water quality testing in partnership with the United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Water – Kigoma Zonal Water Quality Laboratory 
• Provided support for the purchase of 35 handwashing stations for the community at the request of MANLUKU
• Collaborated with MANLUKU to administer a world-renowned assessment tool, the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) survey, to the community*
• Visited Biharu in August 2022 to assess the system and meet the community

*The results of the HWISE survey administered in May 2021 determined that 95% of surveyed homes were water insecure. 

The Tanzania project team is made its first trip to Biharu in August 2022.