Quick Facts:
| Where in the world | Tanzania |
| How did it start ? |
Deforestation |
| How were they suffering? |
Deforestation was affecting rainfall, people walked miles to access water. |
| What did they do ? |
Mercy provided rain-water harvesting tanks on the proviso local communities stopped logging. |
| How did it turned out ? |
Water supply is improving, locals are planting trees and forests are growing back. |
The locals fell trees for fuel thus depleting the area’s forest resources. Deforestation made the region arid and as a result, people had to walk miles to access water.These endless trips to ferry water affected the time available for women to engage in income generating activities and children hardly had time to play.
The main aim of the initiative was to collaborate to create an organized solution that eliminates the struggle required to access water, which is a basic need.
The initiative offered locals Rain-Water Harvesting Tanks as an incentive to get them to cooperate to protect and conserve the environment. They received harvesting tanks on the grounds that if they logged trees in the area after signing a contract, the organization reserved the right to take back the tank. The initiative was centered on stewardship and volunteerism and the locals were educated to understand how this concept benefited them.
The initiative has directly impacted 100 people and the locals, especially women and children, no longer have to fetch water from afar.
The locals cooperate to plant more fruit trees and there is less tree logging as they now understand the ecological benefits of the forest.
There are more trees in MPF protected areas and the once arid areas now receive ample rainfall.
