Photos courtesy of Wildlife and Environmental Care Initiative – WECI.
Nanja Dam in Monduli District has completely dried up this year, leaving more than 80,000 people—over half of the pastoral district’s population of more than 150,000—and over 12,000 livestock without a reliable source of water. Sources told The Arusha News that a 20-litre container of water is now selling for Sh1,000/=. The water is brought in from Arusha City by bowsers, they said, but this has, in turn, made life virtually unbearable.
Nanja Dam was constructed several years ago, but its water level has been steadily declining due to silting caused by tree felling and agricultural activities in the upstream hills that form the dam’s catchment area. The photos on this page speak more powerfully about the water crisis in Monduli than words ever could. They were taken from what used to be the centre of Nanja Dam. The dug-out troughs shown in the upper-right and centre photos take at least 12 hours to slowly fill with muddy water seeping up from below. Residents explained that they usually dig at sunset, go home to sleep and return in the morning to collect the tepid liquid, which has become extremely saline. Monduli continues to face a prolonged dry spell, and even if the rains were to come, the water would simply run off as there is no longer any embankment to hold it.
