Background

The Shimbwe Ward consists of two big villages (Shimbwe Chini na and Shimbwe Juu).

The ward has a population of about 15 thousand, with an increase of 5.1% (according to the 1978 census).

The local people are subsistence farmers, cultivating bananas and vegetables for food, and coffee as their main cash crop. Their average income from the coffee is about 30 pence per day.

The inhabitants collect their drinking water from streams. Unfortunately the water is contaminated, so many people, particularly children suffer or die from water-borne-diseases, such as amoebiasis, typhoid fever, parasitic infestation, etc.

Up to date, Shimbwe Development Trust continues to  support the ongoing  construction of Shimbwe Secondary School, which opened in 1998. It is also supporting the construction of a water project. The Main Water Intake has being completed, and the construction of the Water Reservoirs is in progress and approaching completion.

Benefits of the Projects

• Knowledge acquired by both parties will be a window to many opportunities.

• The provision of safe clean water will make a lasting transformation in the quality of life of the people, as:

• Water borne diseases will be eliminated forever; therefore people will become healthy.

• Less money will be spent on medicines; therefore the cash will be spent on other commodities.

• People will have more time and energy, therefore work harder on their smallholdings. As a result productivity of crops will increase, hence better economy for the country. This will in turn improve the peoples standard of living

• Life expectancy will increase, as children will survive to reach adulthood.

• Children will be able to spend more time on their homework and leisure activities.