Tanzania

Background

The sustainability and reliability of access to water is one of the biggest challenges in the water sector. More than one billion people rely on hand pumps for their water supply. In Tanzania, it is estimated that more than 30,000 water points nationwide are non-functional, and in certain regions 30 to 50 percent of water sources are broken and unused. These water points would be enough to provide an estimated 7.5 million people with access to water. While several million euros are invested in new water systems every year, it is often forgotten that follow-up repairs are necessary over the years to keep the supply systems running. This is a major problem at schools in particular, because without a functioning water supply there is not enough to drink, personal hygiene is only possible to a limited extent and children are often assigned to carry water themselves. This reduces the time available for the children’s education. There is an urgent need for innovative new solutions for a cost-effective and sustainable water supply.

The NGO MSABI has developed a cost-effective and long-term solution to ensure a reliable water supply in rural areas of Tanzania. To this end, MSABI has developed a subscription-based maintenance service for water points called “Pump for Life” (P4L). The service guarantees access to water for a small fee. Routine checks and maintenance are carried out by a decentralized network of mechanics who are informed by cell phone and can respond to any faults within a very short time. So far, over 200 water access points have been repaired and integrated into the P4L network. Thousands of people are now benefiting from this instead of having to spend a lot of time and effort hauling water or having to rely on unsafe surface water.

Project location

The work is being carried out in several districts in Kilombero in the Morogoro region. The administrative headquarters of the region and MSABI’s head office are located in Ifakara.

Project beneficiaries

The potential of the P4L approach is huge. In countless communities, villages, schools, churches, health centers and other facilities, there are defective pumps that could be repaired. This project focuses on primary and secondary schools. The number of project beneficiaries depends on the funds available. In addition to the children themselves, the mechanics who are trained as part of the project also benefit.

Project activities

– Localization and assessment of non-functioning water points at schools

– Planning repairs and purchasing the necessary building materials

– Repairing the defective water points

– Further training of existing P4L mechanics and training of new P4L mechanics – at least 50% of whom are women

– Integration of the schools into the P4L network by concluding contracts and agreeing on a monthly contribution (currently approx. 3.50 euros per month)

– Ceremonial handover of the new pumps to the schools

Project goal

The availability of clean water will have a positive impact on the education, health and well-being of pupils.

Local partner organization

MSABI is a registered NGO specializing in the implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programmes in rural areas in Tanzania. The measures are tailored to the local ecological, technical and social conditions. A local team is combined with international experts.