Building sustainable systems for water and sanitation in Tanzania

A major focus of Sida involvement in Tanzania since1985 has been the Government’s Health through Sanitationand Water (HESAWA) programme. This is alarge rural water supply, sanitation and hygiene improvementprogramme covering the Lake Regions ofTanzania – Kagera, Mara and Mwanza regions – withan estimated population of5 million. Technical activitiesincludesinkingwells,constructingwatersupplysystemsusing gravity-fed and other low-tech solutions,and installing hand pumps and improved householdlatrines. These are accompanied by a broad programmeof human resource development and hygiene education,including support to and training of villageHESAWA committees, health workers and traditionalbirth attendants, and the formation of village studygroups to encourage self-help activities. As of 1995,about 600 villages and approximately 1 million peoplehave benefited from the programme.