Lukani Phase II

SPP, with funding support from the Winter Wheat Foundation, H2O for Life, and St. Stephen church in White Bear Lake, has completed the installation of a new water system in Lukani village, Tanzania. The new system serves about 1,400 Lukani residents as well as another 400 students and staff at Makwema, the Lukani secondary school. There are about 20 distribution points serving village residents as well as Makwema and one of the primary schools. Five members of St. Stephen including SPP Vice Chair Ken Smith visited Lukani in late August and participated in the dedication of the new water system by Bishop Blaston Gaville. It was an epic event attended by hundreds of residents as well as two members of the Tanzanian parliament. The impact and importance of sustainably sourced clean and safe water in day to day village life became crystal clear during this visit.

The Lukani system was designed originally starting in January 2018 by a University of Minnesota student group as part of the “Design for Life” class in the College of Science and Engineering (CSE). A big shout out to the members of that team: Andrew Lindquist, Patrick Olson, Sam Sheibley and Trent Woodcock!! This class, now entering its seventh year, provides upper level engineering students at the U of M with an opportunity to apply their skills in a real world setting in rural Tanzanian villages.