Sustainable access to clean drinking water in Tanzania

Our Goal
The project aims to provide long-term access to clean drinking water for people living in dispersed and underserved areas. By training local technicians in manual drilling techniques and pump production and installation, the project not only ensures that local entrepreneurs have the skills to construct, maintain or repair the systems but also that there is a demand for their services.
Project Profile
Since 2012, the Southern Highlands Participatory Organisation (SHIPO) and Skat Foundation have been developing and implementing an intervention to strengthen market-based mechanisms of service provision for water to households in rural areas of the Southern Highlands in Tanzania. This approach focuses on delivering services for improved access to water by strengthening local entrepreneurs and artisans in the construction and maintenance of rural water points. The newly acquired skills include manual drilling, constructing of hand pumps, installation, maintenance and repair of pumps.
Since 2021, smallholder farmers have received training in agroecology and nutrition, aiming to increase and diversify food production at lower costs, increase the farmer´s income, improve soil conditions and promote water efficiency in their plots of land. This component of the project aims to improve the farmers’ livelihoods and increase food security in the region.
Main Activities:
- Install, monitor and maintain water infrastructures in dispersed or underserved areas.
- Train and coach artisans to enable them to deliver services for improving access to water.
- Monitor the installed infrastructure, provide feedback to the artisans and implement a certification process.
- Support women’s groups in building their capacities and implementing the newly acquired know-how in agroecology.
- Install demonstration and learning gardens to support the learning processes of farmers in the local context and to showcase results.
Promotion and information about water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and agroecological SMARTechs to key stakeholders.
Location
Tanzania
Duration
2012 – 2024
Theme
Water
Key Services Provided
- Access to WASH
- Capacity building for well drillers and pump producers
- Capacity building for smallholder farmers
- Entrepreneurial know-how
Staff
Karla Schlie, Project Manager
Project achievements
25,000
people have gained access to water day-round close to their homesteads
15,000
children gained access to water in schools
10,000
people gained access to water in health posts and other public water points
1,200
water points have been installed, most of them in private households
60
entrepreneurial local organisations are active in the project area by installing, repairing and maintaining WASH infrastructure
200
artisans have acquired the skills to install and maintain WASH technologies
Help us to
facilitate change
Without access to basic services such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Waste Management and Energy, vulnerable communities remain left behind.
Related resources
Publications
Links
Related Projects

REACH

SMART Centre in Zimbabwe

Better Access to Water in Nicaragua

Sustainable access to clean drinking water in Tanzania

Help to self-help: Clean Water for Zambia

Training of Trainers to improve Rural Water Supply in Tanzania

Safe Water in the Lowlands of Nepal

Sustainable and Innovative Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (SIRWASH)
