Restore Main Commercial Artery

Torrential rains and flooding in early December destroyed the only bridge connecting parts of Ayalagaya and Arri to the rest of the country. The bridge was simply swept away into the river. The loss of this bridge means that twenty percent or more of the Ayalagaya population and 10% of the Arri population served by Karimu are cut off from automobile, motorcycle, or cart access to healthcare and school and cannot transport produce to sell at market.

A pedestrian bridge built by Karimu in 2013 remains in place, but residents of the Ayalagaya Ward sub-village called Bacho B must walk for at least an hour to reach the Dareda Kati Health Center. Many sick people cannot do this. With a rebuilt bridge, people needing medical care could be taken to the Health Center in fifteen minutes, and transport of produce would be equally accelerated. In this community where over eighty percent of families depend on agriculture, the inability to take surplus produce to local markets has left people struggling to meet day-to-day needs.

Additionally, Tanzanian government officials have asked us to fund bridge reconstruction,  because they must focus on providing housing for thousands of people in an area one hour from Ayalagaya, which was hit even harder by the December storms. 

The rains also repeatedly broke the water main serving the area, leaving all of Gajal and Haysam in Ayalagaya and portions of Dudiye, Tsaayo, and Managha in Arri without water for days at a time. The Ayalagaya Water Committee patched the water main multiple times, but a more permanent solution is needed: one that protects the pipe from future flooding.  

An emergency fund grant from Social Capital Foundation plus funds from 2 individual donors are allowing us to relocate and rebuild the bridge and attach the water main to the new construction.  

We did not request a contribution from the community because of the losses already incurred due to the flooding. Many farmers lost all the maize seeds they had just planted, many lost houses, some lost portions of their farms, etc.

Update Dec 2024: The bridge is complete and beautiful! 

Benefits:

• Provide a route for fast transport to the health center

• Restore free flow of commerce and services between parts of Ayalgaya and Arri

• Secure the main water pipe to prevent future breaks and water outages

Cost: 

• Karimu cost: $41,295