I recently traveled to Tanzania to collect stories of our work, transformation, and the hope we are seeing spring up in communities where we serve.
Because Water for Good is doing truly unique and innovative work within the clean water sector in the Shinyanga region, we wanted to document our progress and encourage our generous donors who support this work, as well as report back on how their generosity has made an impact.
In Tanzania, Water for Good has a unique and effective partnership with RUWASA, the rural water supply and sanitation agency, which is an official government entity charged with providing safe water to hard-to-reach places in the country. Through this partnership, we have been able to engineer world-class structures, supplying water to thousands of people at a time.
We also celebrated a massive milestone: the official launch of the Water for Good name in Tanzania, alongside school handover ceremonies where completed latrines and handwashing stations were officially transitioned to local community leaders for all future use, care, and maintenance.
The Journey to the Field
Shinyanga is not an easy place to access for an international traveler. We flew from the US, laid over in Europe, overnighted in the large hub of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, then took a regional flight to the city of Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria. From there, we drove 3 hours to the Shinyanga region, and another 1-2 hours out to the project sites we visited all week.
Every hour and bumpy road was worth the journey, after getting to see the smiling faces, and healthy, transformed lives of the people we serve.
Our goal was to collect a variety of stories to showcase the multi-faceted impact of Water for Good’s Vision of a Healthy Village model and the large-scale engineering projects.
- The Power of Time Saved: We visited a healthy home, where their small tomato farm is thriving now that they have clean water a 3 minute walk from their home. The mother used to spend hours in the day collecting water for her family, and now she uses her time cultivating crops and her business – selling the juiciest tomatoes around!
- Dignity at School: At another stop, we visited a school where Water for Good has installed brand new latrines and handwashing stations for the kids, along with establishing a wash club where the schoolchildren can learn about healthy sanitation and hygiene. We talked to a girl who was now able to attend school regularly instead of missing classes during menstruation, as well as a girl with a disability who uses a wheelchair, who was now able to access the latrine more easily after a ramp was installed for her.
- Community-Led Care: On Sunday, we attended a Lutheran church who partners with Water for Good, and in addition to lovely singing and a delicious lunch, we heard a story of how the church helped a local elderly man build a latrine, handwashing station, and drying rack in his home so he can grow his healthy habits.
- Engineering at Scale: We also stopped by the amazing infrastructure we are building alongside RUWASA and learned how the solar panels keep water pumping from Lake Victoria, funneling safe water to more than 9,000 people from one central hub.
A Vision for Every Girl
One of the moments that had a lasting impact on me was meeting the regional commissioner for the Shinyanga region and hearing about her passion for partnering with us to bring safe water to everyone – but especially to girls.
She shared how the government of Tanzania made education free for all children recently, and how that has helped more girls attend school – though still not all. Safe water access in communities and at school opens up time and dignity for girls, allowing them to not have to miss classes to collect water for their families, or to care for themselves during menstruation. She stated clearly how their research shows that when safe water is available at school, grades go up – and she wants to see this for every child in her region someday.
Celebrating Our Global Team and a New Chapter
Personally, it’s always a joy for me to get to meet my fellow Water for Good staff who work in our field offices. Putting faces with names I normally see only in digital form brings us closer together. It is deeply humbling to see the challenges they face with strength and conviction, and how passionate they are about helping their nation thrive.
Ending the trip with the brand launch celebration was incredibly memorable. For years, this office has worked under the legacy of the Lifewater International name, which they continue to honor while being excited about the new name, logo, and brand identity. I loved being part of the team wearing matching shirts and celebrating together!
I’m so grateful to the entire Tanzania office staff who hosted us, guided us, and translated these beautiful stories. It was a joy to meet them, and I can’t wait to see them again.
Asante sana!
By Shannon Kozee, Director of Marketing and Communications, Water for Good
