The Matangini Project has been established by a group of researchers in the Schistosomiasis Research Group, University of Cambridge, to raise funds for community projects in Kenya and Uganda.  These communities have no access to safe sources of water, which leaves them exposed to a number of dangerous pathogens, including schistosomiasis. This is a parasitic infection affecting over 200 million people in the tropics and sub-tropics that causes acute and chronic illnesses in children and adults. If left untreated, the disease can be fatal. One solution, that offers a sustainable source of safe water, is to dig  boreholes, with a water pump placed on top to extract the water.  The site of the first borehole funded by the Matangini Project  has been selected, after consultation with the headmaster and teachers, at a primary school in Makueni District, Kenya .  The borehole and water pump will also serve pupils' families, helping to protect approximately 2000 people from several water-borne diseases.

A number of initiatives have been launched to raise funds. One approach is to sell products through a photo-gifts website where photos taken by Dr Mark Booth (an avid amateur photographer and senior researcher within the group) can be made into jigsaws, mousemats, calendars and coasters.  These are bought online through a secure internet server, with all profits going towards the projects.