U.S. GOVERNMENT-FUNDED iWASH PROGRAM HELPS MORE THAN 200,000 TANZANIANS ACCESS WATER SUPPLY

U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam 

TANZANIA 

February 3, 2016 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

On January 28, 2016, Tanzanian organizations working in the water sector joined members of
the development community at the Seascape Hotel in Dar es Salaam to mark the successful
completion of the USAID-funded Tanzania Integrated Water Sanitation and Hygiene (iWASH)
program, which supplied water to more than 200,000 Tanzanians and helped another 40,000 gain
access to improved sanitation in schools and homes. In addition, more than 250,000 people were
sensitized to hygiene and sanitation as a result of support from iWASH, which was implemented
by the Global Water for Sustainability consortium.

iWASH draws to a close in February 2016 following six years of working to improve the health
and economic resilience of some of Tanzania’s poorest rural and small town communities
through support to sustainable, market-driven water supply, sanitation, and hygiene services,
while also supporting the sustainable management of water resources. Working with local
implementing partners, iWASH has expanded access to these services in some of the least served
communities in the regions of Morogoro, Njombe, and Iringa.

iWASH equipped Tanzanians to consolidate these gains over time, training more than a thousand
Tanzanians in water resource management and supporting 32 Tanzanians with their post-
graduate studies in water resources. The program also worked closely with the Ministry of Water
and Irrigation and the Wami Ruvu Basin Water Office to improve sustainable management of
water resources and watersheds.

“I am proud to say that the Wami Ruvu Basin benefited from the iWASH program. We now
have a good base,” said Praxeda Kalugendo, Wami Ruvu Basin Water Officer. “We have many
challenges ahead, but this program has helped us to develop tools and approaches for integrated
water resource management.”

Institutional and human capacity building were central to iWASH, as were scientific research
and pilot projects to improve information and knowledge on water resources. iWASH support
allowed for the completion of an Environment Flow Assessment and Estuary Studies carried out
for the Wami and Ruvu Rivers. The project also trained and mobilized 22 local private sector
entities to carry out low-cost drilling throughout Tanzania.

686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, P.O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam 

Telephone +255-22-229-4000, Fax +255-22-229-4722 

http://tanzania.usembassy.gov 

“Access to water is essential,” said Gilbert Kajuna, USAID/Tanzania Deputy Team Leader for 

Natural Resource Management. “USAID is proud to have worked in partnership with the 

Government of Tanzania, local NGOs, the private sector, and universities to bring productive use 

of water to more than 3,700 households.” 

To request more information about this event, please email Japhet Sanga (SangaJJ@state.gov), 

Senior Information Specialist at U.S. Embassy Dar es Salaam. 

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686 Old Bagamoyo Road, Msasani, P.O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam 

Telephone +255-22-229-4000, Fax +255-22-229-4722 

http://tanzania.usembassy.gov