Organization: Tegemeo Women Group; Women for Water Partnership; Marie Stella Maris

Mweteni village consist of 4 sub-villages that have all faced an acute shortage of safe and clean water for a long time leading to the increase of water related diseases, poverty, long walking distance and excessive time spent on fetching water. A grassroots women’s group in Mweteni, called Tegemeo Women Group, has initiated a water project in order to improve access to water and sanitation in Mweteni. The Mweteni water project is a larger program implementing 5 separate gravity schemes and a rainwater harvesting system. The project that is supported by Marie-Stella-Maris concerns the Heikeyu scheme. The creation of this scheme ensures access to safe and sustainable drinking water for approximately 1900 people. Making it easier for women to fetch water stimulates local economic development as a result. Hygiene education will be provided as well, which improves the overall community health.

The community of Mweteni isn’t part of the government water plan. Because the water situation has become increasingly grim, the Tegemeo Women Group (TWG) took the initiative to ensure access to clean drinking water for its people. They gained the support of the whole community and its leaders as well as district authorities and the national government.

The government sees the WfWP and TWG water & sanitation project in Mweteni as a prime example of decentralized and participatory water management. The same district wants the project to expand to cover the entire district. To share their knowledge and experiences, both within and outside their community, the women in Tegemeo Mweteni built a water & sanitation communications centre. Here they provide the community information and advice about sanitation and hygiene.

The project is not limited to providing clean drinking water. TWG has developed a strategic plan to prevent further deterioration of the catchment basin and water pollution as well as improving health through good sanitation and hygiene. A water committee is formed and residents contribute towards the maintenance of their own facilities. The improved water supply enables women to spend more time for other things.

Objectives: Provide sustainable access to freshwater
Technologies: Gravity scheme; rainwater harvesting

Keywords: water scarcity, sccess to water, empowering communities.

Location: Tanzania

Corresponding websites:

>> MARIE-STELLA-MARIS Foundation: Esther about water (Mweteni, Tanzania)
>> Marie-Stella-Maris supports water and sanitation project
>> MARIE-STELLA-MARIS - Projects