News & Events

The borehole and pump are now giving ample, good quality water. In return the Principal is using the College vehicle to supply Mwanhala clinic, about 1km away, with all the water they need.

The large 96,000 litre underground rainwater harvesting tank was completed in March and has been tested. The raised platform for the existing smaller plastic SIM tank has now been completed and this will gravity feed water to the adjacent clinic. The final stage will be to install a small solar powered pump to raise water from the underground tank to the SIM tank. The system has zero running costs and a life expectancy of over 20 years. We are very grateful to Mr Godfrey Israel, MD of the local water company, for supervising this project for FUM.

The clinic finally opened at Easter 2018 and is now providing a limited service for villagers. Full service will only be possible when there is on-site accommodation for medical staff and a reliable supply of good quality water. Our Ibambo Project 2018 aims to raise £15,000 to provide these necessities.

Accommodation The success of the 2018 Fundraising Walks enabled us to send £4500 in November 2018, sufficient to complete the staff housing.

For water the plan is to construct a large underground tank to store rainwater, similar to the tank at (fairly) nearby Nyasa clinic. This will need around £10,000.

FUM and the local authority, Kaliua District Council, agreed to share 50:50 the cost of rebuilding the dangerous open well (see below) which has a permanent underground feed from nearby Lake Sagara. Fear of crocodiles wandering from the lake means that the village is situated 500m away, uphill. Solar power will be used to pump water up to the village and then to the clinic beyond.
However this scheme has been put on hold while the government develops a wider scheme to supply an additional four local villages with water from the lake.

The clinic has some rainwater harvesting provision but it is insufficient for their needs.

Mwanhala FDC is about 1km away. Thanks to its borehole and pump the College is now able to deliver water daily to meet all the clinics needs.

The rainwater plastic SIM tank will be used to store the water delivered by the College vehicle.

The most pressing need now is to have on-site accommodation for medical staff. FUM hopes to provide this in 2018 with help from our colleagues at Friends of Nzega (FON).

New water supply The FDC has long been troubled by poor access to clean water, being dependent on unreliable shallow wells and rainwater harvesting. But that has now changed radically, with help from the local water 'boss' Mr Benjamin Brighton.

Two developments were funded were funded by FUM:

• The FDC has now been connected to the improved town water supply. Water meters have been installed so that the FDC, the Principal's and staff houses are metered separately and each pays for its own usage.
• To help reduce the metered supply costs the existing but slightly dilapidated rainwater harvesting system is being refurbished and extended. This water is available free to all at the college.

Initiatives The College principal Mr Deo Luambano has needed to be resourceful in creating money-making projects to supplement the income received from government. Sikonge offers their main hall for seminars which brings an income of TShs 30,000 (£10) on each occasion.

The kindergarten, housed in a building partly funded by Cranbrook School in 2013, has become a big success, due in great part to the skill and enthusiasm of the teacher.

Each child gets breakfast when they arrive in the morning.

Other news
The college motor bike has been repaired, a great help when visiting villages during recruitment of students. This was successful, with ten students from poor families receiving support from FUM

The college small holding has been planted and it is hoped that the rains will be sufficient to give a good harvest.

Di Cooper
FDC Co-ordinator

The borehole pump was replaced and included 'dry running protection' (DRP) to prevent damage if the borehole water level drops too low.

This turned out to be very fortuitous because due to poor winter rains the 2017 dry season was the worst for 10 years. The water table fell dramatically, often below the submersed pump. Without DRP the pump would have been permanently damaged beyond repair.

For about two months water had to be rationed but good early rains in late October soon returned the water table to its normal level. The FDC Principal Mr Mwadua has reported that the maize and other crops are now growing very well and he is hopeful of a very good harvest.

Nick Vinall
FUM Treasurer

The FDC Administration Block was destroyed by a fire that started around 2 a.m. on 26 August 2017. An electrical fault is suspected but an official investigation is underway.

The principal Mr Luambano is suspended during the investigation and the college is in the capable hands of Acting Principal Mr Shilinde.

When FUM Treasurer Nick Vinall visited three weeks later he was impressed by the determination of the College Board and all the staff to maintain teaching and the curriculum, especially for students with important exams before Christmas. As a result FUM paid the student bursaries that had been suspended soon after the fire while we awaited more information.

Additional water resources were funded to replace those destroyed as a result of the fire.

In April/May 2017 three UK doctors from UCL spent their 'elective' at Urambo Hospital providing much needed extra support there, as well as gaining hugely themselves from the experience.

FUM organised their time in and transport from Dar es Salaam on arrival from UK. They stayed at nearby Urambo FDC, hosted by the long-standing housekeeper Mama Morro who is well used to overseas visitors such as FUM Officers Jo and Richard in November 2016.

Read Adam and Jane's reports of their 2017 Elective Placement

When FUM started supporting this clinic, as well as general outpatient services the clinic provides a good range of maternity services, also Immunisation and Child Health care. HIV programmes include Testing and Counselling and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Just two enrolled nurses provide these services, compared with the government recommended roll of 15 staff, so they are kept very busy. For outreach work they have support from two community health workers.

The clinic is 45 km north-east of Urambo town, with half the road tarmac the rest rough dirt. There is one mobile phone network.

Most of the local citizens are farmers and pastoralists who grow maize, rice, groundnuts, tobacco and keep cows and goats.

The single building contains rooms for consultations, antenatal and family planning with a separate room for maternal labour and deliveries. There is a pharmacy with vaccination fridge.