Context/Project Rationale:
Communities around Kilimanjaro enjoyed water supply from the mountain ecosystem for so long. However; increasing droughts, temperatures raise and population in Kilimanjaro region have exacerbated the problem of water scarcity in the society resulting from drying up of sources like natural springs and surface streams. This has resulted into poor water supply services in many parts of the region including Mwika village and affecting socio-economic systems of the church, learning institutions as well as the community at large. The community incurs high costs to get water in many times of the year. This proposed project therefore, intends to address the water availability and access challenges by enhancing the adoption of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting (RRWH) and amplifying the role of solar energy as an adaptive mechanism in the area.
This project expects to harvest rain water from 15,000 m2 catchment area to fill a 120,000 liters concrete below ground cistern tanks with 900mm to 1200mm annual rainfall in the project site. Then, solar shall be used to pump water from concrete tanks to fill 20,000 liters upstairs water tanks. From upstairs tanks water shall flow by gravity to where it is needed. Two water tapes shall be installed outside to provide water to neighbor households who will be registered and pay water user fees. The details shall be discussed and agreed during project inception. In general, this project intends to benefit 1,741 people out of which women and men ration will be 920:821. Neighbor to the church compounds there is a primary school which has a population of 250 people with 134 men and 116 women and will benefit water from this project.
About the Proponent
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) in Mwika Kilimanjaro is one of the religious institutions committed to serving the community and contributing to a just socio-economic transformation. The church has recently recognized the negative effects of the changing climate on human and natural resources which may lessen the quality of services offered by the church like health and education. To address this challenge, this church is proposing to adopt the Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting technologies to ensure uninterrupted water supply systems. The project is important for strengthening church services as well as contributing to sustainable development and resilience building to the neighbouring communities.

Project Objective
The project seeks to enhance rooftop rainwater harvesting technologies and amplify the role of solar energy as an adaptive mechanism towards socio-economic and water access.

Specific Objectives
? Adoption of rooftop rainwater harvesting technologies for community water resilience
? Ensure reliable and cost-effective water supply that will suffice church, school and nearby households
? Contribute in the efforts in improving natural resources management as well as socioeconomic transformation.
? Contribute in the reduction of greenhouse gases through the use of solar powered water pumps.