Welcome
Current News & Newsletter:
We have just had an internet meeting, in which, for the first time, our Canadian team member Eloise was able to participate. Primarily, we discussed the next phase of the project, our trip to South Africa which will take place in August 2009, where 6-7 members of Tapini NGO will be returning to the Transkei.
This stay won't be as comfortable as last autumn, as we won’t be staying in Bulungula Lodge. Instead we will rent two traditional huts – ‘rondavels’ (similar to the ones shown on our main page of our website).
The new living arrangements will be challenging for us; we will need to organise our own drinking water, hygiene in general (e.g. shower, toilet etc.), food storage (fridge??) etc.
Unfortunately, we have heard some rumours of some cholera cases in the nearby city of Mqanduli.
Bulungula, a small village in South Africa: Colourful huts, corn, vegetable gardens, fire places, donkeys, many African faces –both laughing and sad- on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Yes, there is plenty of water... but is it drinkable?
The sea is of course salty and both of the village’s rivers are contaminated; the springs are used by animals as well as by humans, creating a paradise for bacteria of many kinds.
Over the past year, four children have died as a result of drinking polluted water. In response to this, our group, made up of international university students and professionals, would like to support the people of Bulungula, in the village of Nqileni.
So we have started a water project for this purpose, with the aim to act in a holistic, sustainable and responsible way, on both a technical as well as social level: this is because a protected spring, where the users can have ready access to potable water, will improve health conditions only if an awareness of hygiene is created, and the water is protected from contamination continuously from the source to the home.
On the following pages you will find more precise project descriptions and technical information.
