The Cow Project
Above is a sample image of the activities that took place under the Dairy Cattle Project implemented under the leadership of Caritas Njombe Diocese. The event was a celebration organized to bring together all dairy farmers in Mawindi Village, Wanging’ombe District Council, Njombe. The event began with the guest of honor visiting and inspecting farmers’ projects, including how dairy farmers manage their livestock and the outcomes of dairy cattle farming. These included the production of organic manure, which is used to improve soil fertility and support the cultivation of horticultural crops, such as vegetables.
For many families in Makambako, the daily walk to collect water once took up to three hours — time that kept children out of school and women away from productive work. That reality changed in September 2026, when Njombe Development Organization officially commissioned a new piped water system serving the villages of Igosi, Utengule, and Mlangali.
The project, funded through a partnership with Caritas Germany and the Catholic Diocese of Njombe, involved the construction of a gravity-fed pipeline stretching over 14 kilometres, drawing water from a protected spring in the Kipengere Range. Twelve community water points and 47 household connections were installed, with a dedicated water management committee trained to oversee maintenance and fee collection.
"We used to send our children to fetch water before school," said Mama Consolata Mwakasege, a mother of four from Igosi village. "Now the water is here. My children go to school on time, and I have more time to tend my garden." Her story is one of thousands that illustrate the transformative power of clean water access.
Beyond convenience, the health impact has been immediate. Local health workers report a significant drop in waterborne illness cases at Makambako Health Centre in the weeks since commissioning. The project also included hygiene and sanitation training for over 400 community members, reinforcing the infrastructure with lasting behavioural change.
Njombe Development Organization Director Fr. Emmanuel Mwasongwe praised the community's ownership of the project: "This is not Caritas's water system — it belongs to the people of Makambako. We are proud to have walked alongside them to make it a reality, guided by our faith that every person deserves to live with dignity."
The Diocese of Njombe has committed to extending similar WASH infrastructure to five additional parishes by 2028, with feasibility studies already underway in Ludewa and Wanging'ombe districts.