Lifewater International, a faith-based clean water charity in San Luis Obispo, announces their expansion into Tanzania in the year 2020 for the purpose of providing safe water and improved health to families living in extreme poverty.
Estimates from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (JMP) show that Tanzania, an East African country, has an estimated 40 million people living without basic sanitation and 27 million living without basic water access.
Beginning in 2020, Lifewater will have a fully-operational field office in the Shinyanga district of Tanzania. The announcement, coming the week of the United Nations’ World Water Day, recognizes the need for safe water globally and promises continued efforts in the poorest of developing countries.
In November, Lifewater President/CEO Justin Narducci visited villages in the Shinyanga district.
“I felt affirmed that this is ‘the place’ to begin serving in Tanzania and I also felt very heartbroken at the same time,” he said. “Water is scarce and communities are eager to work together.”
In Shinyanga, research conducted by Lifewater found that many people are drinking surface water or water contaminated with human and animal feces.
Because sickness is common, primary education cannot be prioritized, and children frequently drop out of school. Children under the age of five are particularly vulnerable to deadly water-related diseases.
Each year, more than 9,000 children under the age of five years old die in Tanzania due to diarrhea resulting from contaminated food and water and poor sanitation.
“We are starting the process in earnest, recruiting national leadership, conducting formative research, and meeting with government and community stakeholders,” Narducci said. “In order to produce a change that truly leaves no village or child behind, we all have to work together.”
Lifewater is a faith-based non-profit organization working to end the global water and sanitation crisis. For over 40 years, Lifewater has served more than 2.5 million people in 40+ countries. For more information, contact Christine Zurbach (czurbach@lifewater.org) or visit lifewater.org.
