Matai Girls' Secondary School Borehole
In 2021 we successfully raised money and built a borehole in Kalalasi Village. The more than 2000 people living in the village now have a reliable, clean and accessible water supply - which…
Kalalasi is a poor and remote village in the Sumbawanga region of Tanzania. With a population of 2,500, the main occupations are peasent farming, cattle herding, pottery and basketry. There is a village school and a small dispensary. The dispensary, however, is quite inadequate for the needs of the village, let alone the wider region it also serves. Through our Lent appeal, we hope to raise the £7,800 needed to assist the villagers build a medical clinic and health centre.
It was the success of the kiln project that lead to the formation of Sumbawanga Development Action to extend such practical, collaborative activities in the region. SUDA’s next major project is to assist the people of Kalalasi to build the new health centre. The cost of building the clinic can be kept low by the fact that most of the work will be done by the villagers themselves, including making by hand the 456,000 bricks needed.
Greening Update 2022
Kalalasi Village was bare without trees. People had cut trees for cooking fuel. As a result the villagers faced a huge problem of dust during dry season windy days that caused respiratory diseases.…
Kalalasi Borehole Project
We’ve completed our biggest project to date, and one that we know will have a massive impact on the villagers in Kalalasi: constructing a borehole facilitating access to fresh water. Prior to this,…
Greening Update 2014
Much planting has been done thanks to money raised by our supporters, and it’s making a very visible impact on the landscape. Unfortunately, there are difficulties with termites killing many trees.…
Kalalasi Primary Water Butt
Supporters of SUDA got together in January 2015 to raise funds for a rainwater butt for the Kalalasi Primary School. This provides the school with water that can be used for cooking, drinking and…
Kalalasi Primary School Kitchen
The facilities for cooking at Kalalasi Primary School in the past were rudimentary (see picture, left), with consequences to the health of those preparing the meals – cooking was done over an open…
Kanyele School Beds
When visiting Kanyele Primary School, the chairman had the opportunity to see the students dormitory, which was in a dire situation. When he returned to the UK, we made this a priority for…
Living standards in Schools
Since schools in this region typically serve a large area, it is necessary for a majority of students to board. Improving facilities for these boarders can thus make a critical difference to their…
Health Centre Improvements, 2013
St Peter’s Catholic Church Winchester (Covenant with the Poor) once again helped us with funds for improving the health center. This allowed us to purchase lab equipment: particularly a microscope…
Mhairi’s Elective visit to Kalalasi as a medical student, Summer 2010
My journey to Kalalasi started while I was a medical student in Cambridge. I wanted to do a medical placement somewhere rural and a bit out of touch with the healthcare system I was used to. The…
Matai Bunk Beds Project
Matai Secondary School is the main one in the Kalambo constituency, where Kalalasi village is. More than ten villages depend on this school; this is a large catchment, and many of the students…
Rain Water Harvesting
When we went to Kalalasi Village in August 2007 to build the Health Centre we were determined to introduce the water harvesting idea to the villagers, who are now suffering from severe droughts. The…
Greening Project
Mbeka remembers Kalalasi village as a green place full of wild fruit trees, flowers, grass, bushes and shady places. There were ponds full of frogs and other small creatures; a small river used to…
Health Centre Opening Ceremony
Mid March saw the opening of the Health Centre. Mr. Kauzeni the ward councillor officiated as the M.P. Mr. Mwananzila couldn’t make it. There was a great gathering. It is up and running with just a…
Reporting back on the health centre
[Click here](/projects/kalalasi-health-centre/ "Kalalasi Health Centre project page") for the health centre project page. For an account of the trip from Kitty, read on. Mbeka, Rhea, Davinder and I,…
Kalalasi Kiln
*How the villagers originally fired their pots.* Why build a kiln in Kalalasi? Deforestation and the attendant water shortages are a big problem. Wood is the one source of fuel used in cooking and…
Kalalasi Health Centre
Since gaining charitable status in 2005 our main project has been fund-raising to help the community in Kalalasi build a Health Centre. The Tanzanian Government will staff and run it. We approached…
News as of 5th July 2007
We raised just over £1000 at Westgate. It was a lively evening and the atmosphere with the African Market and variety of performers was brilliant. Many thanks to all the staff and pupils who helped…