Africa-Press – Tanzania. WATER has become a thorny matter in some parts of the country, whereas people go days without filling a bucket while others face rationing.
The problem has brought the central and local governments on high alert. The Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (Dawasa) called out residents to preserve each drop as shortages persist in the Upper Ruvu and Wami River due to a decrease in water levels caused by drought.
However, the Minister of Water, Jumaa Aweso recently assured Tanzanians that his office is pursuing all remedies to curb the situation.
Moreover, the Minister said that they have been carrying out major institutional, financial and technical reforms to acquire a sustainable water supply.
He said there are about 2,115 rural water supply agencies comprising of 1,362 accountants and 1,611 technical staff in the rural areas.
Amid all the occurrences, Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL), is on the frontlines to secure clean and safe water to millions of rural dwellers in Tanzania.
SBL’s water project named Water for Life foresees a sustainable community embodies its plan of action called Society 2030, spirit of progress.
Since 2010, SBL has spent over 1.1bn/- drilling 18 boreholes across the country, which has contributed to alleviating the shortage of water in the country.
The brewer has partnered with other organizations in most of these projects to ensure that Tanzanians get safe and clean water in some of the neediest areas.
According to SBL Corporate Relations Director John Wanyancha, the beer-maker considers water to be critical in the country’s future prosperity, and that’s why it has always been ready to collaborate with the government and other partners in facilitating the country’s access to safe and clean water.
This year SBL inaugurated a 220m/- water project at Machochwe village in Serengeti District, Mara Region, in a bid to bring safe and clean water close to the area’s residents.
With the capacity to serve 12,000 people, the project consists of a borehole and its systems, a solar water pump and a water tank that can produce 7,500 litres of water per hour.
The brewer has undertaken other similar initiatives in Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Tanga, Ruvuma, Dar es Salaam, Coast and Dodoma regions, providing over one million beneficiaries with clean and safe water.
“SBL has a policy commitment towards the wellbeing of our community with Water of Life being one of our four priority areas that our company has defined in its objective to provide social support to the community in which it serves”, said Wanyancha describing other priorities as, provision of skills for life, environmental sustainability and promotion of responsible drinking.
Besides contributing to national economic growth through consistent payment of taxes, SBL has played a pivotal role in national development, especially in providing safe and clean water services in the country,” the Director said.
Additionally, Water of Life seeks to empower farmers to increase their cereals such as maize, sorghum and barley, vital raw materials for beer making.
In 2020 alone, SBL sourced 17,000 metric tons of these cereals locally, equivalent to 70 per cent of SBL’s annual total raw materials requirement from a network of 400 farmers.
By 2025, SBL has aimed at increasing the sourcing of raw materials to 85 per cent. SBL also supports farmers with free seeds, field technical services and linking them to financial institutions.
It is undebatable that SBL’s community development interventions in providing clean and safer water during these needy times are tenable, especially to rural dwellers where water is scarce and the available sources are unpleasant and remote.
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