Lack of access to safe water is the world's largest cause of illness. In Tanzania, only 4% of the population has water piped to their homes, so most must collect water from unsafe, open sources like rivers and lakes. This task usually falls to women and children, which can prevent school or work. Open water sources are contaminated by animal and human waste, putting people at risk of waterborne diseases like malaria. Protected sources like boreholes and rainwater tanks are safer alternatives. A UNICEF project improved access for 65,000 Tanzanians by installing safe water sources and hygiene facilities in schools and health centers.

1. Water is Life
Lack of access to safe water is the
world’s single largest cause of illnesses,
and the second highest cause of
preventable child deaths, with around
4,100 children dying daily around the
world from waterborne illnesses.

2. Water is Life
Pneumonia is the number one
cause of child deaths globally.
Hand washing with soap is
drastically reducing numbers of
infections and deaths.

3. Water is Life
In New Zealand we
simply have to turn on
the tap to have
access to safe water.
However for many
people in Tanzania,
access to water
means hardship,
illness and can even
mean death.

4. Access to Water in Tanzania
In Tanzania access to safe
water is extremely limited.
Only 4% of the population
have water piped to their
homes.
This means everyone else
must go and collect water to
bring to their homes.

5. Collecting Water
• This job usually falls to
women and children,
especially girls.
• Collecting water is very hard
work as the water source can
be kilometres away from the
village.
• It often stops children from
attending school, and women
from working, as they are
spending much of their day
fetching and carrying water.
Boke,12 years old, walks 1km each way
to collect water, at least twice a day.

6. Water Sources
The physical hardship of collecting water is not
the only difficulty.
Where the water is collected from can be a real
problem. Sadly many people are forced to
collect water from unsafe water sources such
as rivers, streams, lakes, open wells and even
puddles – called open water sources.

7. Open Water Sources
• The water that is being collected is often unsafe and
contaminated by diseases, bacteria and parasites.
This is because it’s open, and animals can also drink
out of it.
• When the animals drink they usually stand in the
water, they can go to the toilet in it and it becomes
dirtied with animal waste. Sometimes animals can
even die in the water which is extremely dangerous
for people drinking water from that source.

8. Open Water Sources
Mosquitoes use open stagnant
water as a breeding ground.
Mosquitoes spread a disease
called Malaria. Many children
and pregnant women get very
sick, and in some cases die
from Malaria in Tanzania.
A baby boy is being treated for
malaria at a local health centre.

9. Open Water Sources
People contaminate the
water source by:
•Washing their clothes
and bodies in it.
•Dumping waste including
rubbish, sewage and
even dead animals.
• When there is a lot of rain, dirty water, mud and rubbish gets
washed into the water source.

10. Open Water Sources
The following images are of open
unsafe water sources.
•What can you see happening in the photos?
•How would you feel if you had to collect water for
all of your drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning
from these sources?
Remember turning on a tap for clean water is not an option.

12. Open and Unprotected Water Sources

13. Safe Water Sources
See the
difference in the
colour of the of
the water.
This water comes
from a protected
bore, meaning it’s
clean water
pumped straight
from under the
ground and can’t
be contaminated
by things above
ground.

14. Closed Water Pumps a Safe Water Source

15. Safe Water Sources
Tanks are another safe water source.

16. Quick Quiz
1. Explain why sharing the same water source as
animals is a problem.
2. Describe what an open water source is.
3. Why are tanks and pumps safe water sources?
4. Why is drinking dirty water a problem for
children?
5. Explain why collecting water can cause
hardship, and who is usually responsible for the
task.
Answers on slide 21

17. Tanzania
Between 2007 and 2011 UNICEF undertook a
water project to improve water access for people in
Tanzania.
In the beginning we hoped to improve the lives of
16,000 people, however by the time the project
was complete the lives of 65,000 people had been
improved by the water project.
In a campaign that raised $500,000 and was
matched dollar for dollar by Gareth and Jo
Morgan, we were able to achieve:

18. Tanzania
• 32 Sources of safe water – mostly wells.
• Rainwater harvesting systems for 20 schools.
• New toilet blocks and hand washing facilities for
12 schools.
• Water tanks for 3 health centres.
• Personal hygiene training for 13,000 school
children.
• 500 Community members taught how to
maintain wells and rainwater systems.

19. Tanzania
Later this year
Gareth Morgan and
members of the
UNICEF team will
return to Tanzania to
see first hand the
difference the water
project has made to
lives of people in
Tanzania.

21. Quiz Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
When animals go to the toilet in the water they contaminate the water with
bacteria that causes disease, making people who share the same water
sick.
An open water source is unprotected. Anything can get into the water and
cause it become contaminated.
Tanks and closed water bores are safe water sources because they are
not in the open, they are protected so they are much harder to
contaminate.
Waterborne diseases and illnesses are the second largest killer of children
around the world. Many children become very sick as they are forced to
drink unsafe or dirty water.
Collecting water means walking for hours and carrying heavy containers of
water. It has to be collected in all weathers. It stops children from being
able to go to school or women from being able to go to work.