Humanitarian Activities
Drilling a Life-Saving Water Well
Our most crucial activity is providing clean, life-saving water to schools and communities. The number one killer of children five and younger in Africa is the consumption of contaminated water. These children drink the terrible water, get sick, dehydrated, and can’t recover. Far too many die each day from bad water. A child dies every minute of every day.
Our mission is to save the lives of as many children as we can by providing clean, safe water. We do this by drilling deep into the earth, typically 100 to 150 feet deep to get clean water. Our drill is human-powered and requires a lot of work to reach the water. Our teams on the ground work hard each day to provide access to clean water for as many people as we possibly can.
We completed between 40 and 80 well projects each year. If we had the funds, we could have completed more than three times that many wells.
Our Drill in Action
Developing the Drill
The Final Version of the Drill
How it Works
The Kelly Bar fits inside the wheel and is rotated with the wheel.
The Drill String is 3' long and is threaded into the Kelly Bar. The string rotates with the Kelly Bar. Once we have drilled down 3', the Drill String is unscrewed from the Kelly Bar, and once the Kelly Bar is raised, another 3' Drill String is screwed to the Kelly Bar.
The drill bit is threaded to the Drill String and remains attached until the drilling is completed. As the Drill String is rotated the drill bit drills into the ground. A typical borehole will require 35 to 50 drill strings. That is a depth of 105’ to 150’
Water Well Gallery
Our H3 Orphanage
Spending time with these beautiful children is Heaven on Earth. We will visit our orphanage as well as two additional orphanages. The H3 Orphanage has children aged three to 15 years old. Far too many mothers die in childbirth, leaving children without a mother, and many fathers can’t or won’t care for their children. Therefore, they end up in an orphanage.
We will also visit Faraja Home Handicap Children Orphanage. Many years ago, we provided Faraja Home with a water well and can’t stay away. We have fallen in love with these children as we visit them with our groups. We had a donor donate playground equipment and loved watching the children play on it.
Neema Village is an infant rescue center that cares for orphans from birth to two years old. We also provided Neema Village with a water well. When we visit this home, you will not believe it is an orphanage. It is so well built and well kept. These children are among the most well-cared-for in the country. Holding these babies brings tremendous love to your heart and an understanding that can’t be found elsewhere.
H3 Orphanage Gallery
Faraja Home Handicap Orphanage
Feeding a Primary School Lunch
Many schools cannot provide lunch for the children due to a lack of water and funding. It has become a favorite activity for our guests to prepare a few hundred sandwiches, bananas, and toys to feed primary school students. The joy on the children's faces is priceless. It is heartbreaking to see how hungry some of them are. Many of them live in extreme poverty. Following this experience, one of our guests commented that she would never again be able to say, “I need.”
Feeding a Primary School Gallery
Neema Village Infant Rescue
Ndoro Waterfalls & Chugga Caves
Packing List
Hikers - You can find a hike packing list on our website:
https://www.heartsandhandsforhumanity.org/mtkilimanjarohike
Keep in mind that this is Africa. You can wear the same clothes for more than one day before washing them. The hotels will do laundry; however, you may bring single packs of Tide laundry soap and wash your clothes. Could you check with your airline? You may be allowed two free checked bags, up to 50 pounds each, plus a carry-on backpack or other bag.
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Passport and immunization report
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You may exchange money at the JRO airport for shillings for souvenirs and any extra things while in Tanzania.
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Sunscreen and sunburn spray
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Mosquito repellent or wristbands
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Medications, including medication for malaria
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Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and a roll of toilet paper (travel size :)
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Tide single pack to wash clothes
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Snacks, flavored water packs
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Headphones
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Neck pillow for flights
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Portable chargers
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Suckers or other treats for the village and school kids
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Gallon zip-lock bags for dirty clothes that you don’t plan on washing
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Water-resistant jacket or raincoat
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Sunglasses and Hat
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Washcloths
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Binoculars for the safari
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Water shoes for the waterfall
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Swimsuit for the pool at the hotel, the safari lodge, and the waterfall.
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Frisbee and soccer balls for kids in the villages
Money to Bring:
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It is important to get the best conversion rate when you bring new $100 bills. Please make sure they are crisp and newer than the 2009 bills.
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Visa—You will acquire your visa at the airport as you pass through customs. The cost is $100 when you tell them you are in the country for a safari or vacation.
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Money conversion rates will vary, but typically, you can expect to exchange for around 2,600 Tanzanian Shillings for each $1. That means for every $100 you exchange, you will receive TSH 260,000. You will be able to exchange money at the airport.
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Only a few places will take your debit or credit cards. We recommend you bring cash for everything you expect to spend money on. You can withdraw up to about $175 daily from an ATM in emergencies.
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The trip's cost includes all food and lodging. However, you may want to bring cash for snacks and souvenirs.
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Tips are recommended for your safari drivers and our Bus Driver.
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If you want to consume alcoholic beverages, you will need to purchase them on your own, as they are not included in the trip's cost.