23.5 million people don't have clean water.
23.5 million people don't have clean water.
That's nearly 2 in every 5 people.
7 in 10 people don't have a decent toilet.
7 in 10 people don't have a decent toilet.
That's around 41 million people.
1,980 children under 5 die from diarrhoea every year.
1,980 children under 5 die from diarrhoea every year.
Caused by dirty water and poor toilets.
Our work in Tanzania
We’ve been working in Tanzania since 1983. Our priority is reaching the people who have been left furthest beind with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.
We’re helping the government to reach their ambitious goals, by providing expert training and support to local authorities. We’re using our experience getting clean water to remote, rural places to help others do the same. And we use everything we learn during our projects to influence government policy at a national level.
Happy and healthy pupils
More and more children are enrolling in Tanzania’s schools – but the number of toilets and water points hasn’t caught up.
Agnes Pius teaches at Guse Primary School, in the Babati district. Her pupils would often rather stay at home than come to a school with no decent toilets or clean water – missing out on invaluable education.
Since we worked with our local partner to build a new toilet block and accessible water points, Agnes’ students are healthy and clean, and her classroom is full of children eager to learn.
Sharing good hygiene
We run workshops and set up school clubs where students learn about staying clean and healthy, then share this knowledge with their classmates. For many girls, the classroom becomes a safe place to talk about periods, overcome stigma, and learn how to manage their menstruation hygienically.
"Having a good and clean toilet is a source of dignity"
After learning about the dangers of poor hygiene from village healthcare workers, Domitila persuaded her husband to build a better toilet. Now, her whole family understands the importance of keeping it clean and washing their hands to stay safe from diseases.
Turning on the taps in health centres
One in five Tanzanian health centres has no water, and nearly half have no toilets. We’re determined to change this.
Across the country, our projects make sure that doctors, nurses and midwives can wash their hands and equipment. Wards can be kept clean and waste disposed of properly. Mothers can give birth safely. And patients have somewhere clean, safe and private to go to the toilet.
A safe start for babies in Geita
Kakora Dispensary, in the mining district of Geita, is a small clinic with just one building and a single bed for women in labour. Before our project, there was no running water, no toilet, and no way of disposing of medical waste. Women were scared to come here, preferring to give birth at home instead.
We built a solar-powered system that supplies the dispensary, school and wider village with clean water, alongside toilets and an incinerator. Now, nurse Grace can stay clean, run a safe facility, and spend her time focusing on her patients, instead of fetching water.
Today, everything is easy, I just open the tap and water flows.
I am excited about all these improvements. Sanitation and hygiene conditions have greatly improved. With these changes, more and more people are expected to come to the dispensary for health care services.
Supporting sanitation workers to claim their rights
Julius earns a living by emptying pit toilets in Dar es Salaam. He provides a vital service – but there’s little protection for workers like him. We’re raising awareness of the dangers sanitation workers face, and urging governments to improve conditions.
Responding to COVID-19
We’ve been working closely with the government to promote important hygiene behaviours, especially good handwashing, as part of the National Sanitation Campaign, 'Nyumba Ni Choo'. Together, and with the support of national celebrities, we’ve reached communities through radio, television, SMS, social media and loudspeakers.
In collaboration with the University of Dar es Salaam, we’ve installed contactless handwashing hubs at busy public areas across the city, providing more people with the facilities they need to stay clean and safe.