Donate for Water Project
Where do I start?
Let me begin with a brief introduction to the school.
Bright English Medium School(BEMS) in Loliondo sits in the middle of a culturally strong and deeply rooted Maasai community in Tanzania. By December 2025, the school serves 523 students, of whom approximately 300 are boarders and the rest are day scholars. Founded in 2009 at Mrs Juliana’s family home, it has grown into a place of learning for Maasai children, especially girls, who often face cultural and logistical barriers to accessing education.
BEMS operates with the mission of providing accessible and quality education, accommodation, and meals for its students, the majority of whom face significant financial challenges. The yearly fee for a boarding/sponsored student is $575 USD (~₹50000 INR), which covers education, living facilities, meals, and teachers’ salaries.
As of December 2025, only two-thirds of the students can pay the full or partial school fees, while one-third are unable to afford even a portion of the costs. To ensure that no child is left behind, the school fully covers these expenses for students in need.
Volunteers from many parts of the world and donations are a vital lifeline for sustaining operations and ensuring that all students, regardless of their financial circumstances, receive the support they need.
This school is not charity.
It is an engine of opportunity for a region where many children have no alternative.
Yes, there are many areas that need immediate attention, and the pressures of expansion, boarding needs, hygiene challenges, infrastructure gaps, and security concerns are faced every year. But like any community, dignity begins with the basics. At the school, despite the founders’ extraordinary effort, one essential foundation is facing enormous challenges.
When Anurag and I sat with Mrs. Juliana and asked, “What is the one thing without which the school simply cannot continue?”
Water
This is operational reality.
Without water, 500 children cannot drink, wash, cook, clean, or live on campus safely.
Civilisations have perished without water.
A school is no exception.
The current water system is failing. The borewell is not deep enough to provide an uninterrupted supply every day. And true to Murphy’s law, whatever can happen will happen. Some days the pump works, and some days it does not, followed by the sight of children carrying buckets of water for their basic needs. It breaks my heart. To be honest, I have lived this kind of life when I was a child of that age.
There is no purification either.
The children drink the direct groundwater. When we arrived at the school on the evening of 30 November, I decided that I would not touch the bottled mineral water. I have been drinking the same water that the children drink. Regardless of the other day-to-day challenges, this is the one critical necessity that we both have committed to work on. There are boys and girls from ages 3 to 18. The desperate need for water is not only a matter of daily usage but also a matter of dignity.
The Plan
With Anurag’s Project Breathe Foundation, I believe we will be able to raise the funds and complete this humongous project. Now is the right time, during the holidays until 13 January 2026. If we can at least bring water to the surface before the school opens, it will be a huge win. We want to use every possible opportunity to get what is needed to complete the project.
What is it?
Build a complete Water System
One that can solve more than half of the challenges, including the water difficulties for the in-progress kitchen construction and boys’ toilet projects, as well as the ongoing water problem at the present kitchen.
Project Summary
- A new borehole
- A strong overhead tank
- A full piping system to ensure continuous running water.
- Water supply to dorms, classrooms, the kitchen, washrooms, and hygiene areas.
- A drinking-water filtration unit.(final Step)
Execution Plan
- Step 1: Drill the borehole and purchase the submersible motor to pull the water to the surface.
- Step 2: Begin construction of the overhead tank.
- Step 3: Plan the piping and plumbing.
- Step 4: Just the inauguration.
The Goal
The total cost of the project is approximately
₹24,00,000 Indian Rupees (Twenty-Four Lakhs) / $26000 USD / €24000 Euros
to build a complete, long-term, sustainable water system.
Fundraising
- The ongoing fundraiser: GoFundMe for international donors.
- And then there is the ordinary me, trying to spread the word.
How We All Help
Fundraising is one option.
For those who feel to do more can visit the school at any time of the year and volunteer. You can teach, guide, or simply share a skill that brings value to the children. Refer to the Volunteer Manual…
Additionally, you can stay updated.
Please enter your email address below, and I will send project progress updates to all well-wishers.
Transparency
We will closely supervise every step of the project progress by working directly with Mrs. Juliana, the founder of the school.
Closing Statement
I will say this with absolute honesty. When it comes to children’s education, it is serious responsibility. And we want to execute the project with zero margin of error.
Let me be extremely clear.
If anyone is donating out of pity for these children, please do not.
This is not a story of victims.
This is a story of the effort of every student.
This is a story of courage and conviction.
This is a story of chasing dreams that are almost impossible, yet still worth pursuing.
BEMS already has everything it needs from within: visionary founders, committed teachers, strong values, and children with extraordinary inner strength.
When we support a school, we are not supporting a building. We are supporting futures.
Together, let us support them to reach the bank of the rough sea they are sailing in.
Not out of pity, but out of respect, responsibility, and the belief that every child deserves to learn and live in dignity.
Sincerely,
Venky
This is honestly so good. Helping kids get clean water is real work. It’s not just about clean water it’s about the education the future of the people my age struggling just to get a proper education and water.Big respect for doing something that actually matters.
This is very heart touching situation in the school and how they are surviving without basic needs.
Thanks for bringing up these things.
I could see the happiness on children’s face. This is not just an education but it’s an awareness towards people from the entire country. You are an inspiration for us and your courage, authenticity, honesty, your dedicated and your efforts are marvelous. This requires lot of patience and courage.
Thank you for sharing. You are going to give them a life to live and happiness.
Eagerly waiting your final execution.
Good luck to both of you!