How KISIMA Brought Safe Water to Kiteto and Simanjiro
In Kiteto District, families once queued for hours at unreliable water points. Today, community members fill their buckets at a newly rehabilitated water point, safe water flowing steadily thanks to a strengthened, community-managed system.
The Challenge
Across Kiteto and Simanjiro Districts, rural water schemes were poorly maintained and beyond the technical and financial capacity of local Community-Based Water Supply Organizations (CBWSOs) to manage. Many communities relied on aging infrastructure with no reliable backup when systems broke down, while regional and district authorities lacked the skilled support needed to guide sustainable water management. Sanitation facilities in schools and public spaces were also inadequate, and the absence of climate-resilient technologies left water supply vulnerable to disruption, threatening consistent access to safe drinking water for residents across both districts.
What Changed
The KISIMA Project, led by Istituto Oikos and implemented with Oikos East Africa, RUWASA, UCRT, MAMADO, the University of Bicocca, and Idrodepurazione Srl, strengthened community-based water management and expanded access to safe drinking water through sustainable, climate-resilient technologies. The project established a water analysis laboratory in Manyara Region and supported the formation and registration of 83 CBWSOs to improve the management and sustainability of rural water schemes. Six new water schemes were installed in six villages, two in Simanjiro and four in Kiteto, serving a total of 17,243 people, while 3 diesel generators were replaced with solar pumping systems in three villages in Simanjiro. KISIMA also expanded the role of Simanjiro Tech (O&M service support center) to provide operation and maintenance services in Kiteto District, strengthening technical support beyond individual schemes. The project also improved sanitation and hygiene in schools and public spaces by constructing 56 VIP latrines, including 10 accessible to people with disabilities, establishing 34 handwashing points, and rehabilitating 20 existing latrines. Awareness campaigns reached 64 teachers and 64,000 students, strengthening knowledge and practices around sanitation and hygiene. The introduction of solar-powered water systems also laid the foundation for the startup of the carbon financing project in the Manyara Region, creating an opportunity for additional revenue to support CBWSO sustainability.
The Results
The KISIMA project improved access to reliable and safe water for more than 17,243 people while strengthening the capacity of 83 CBWSOs to manage and sustain water services. Solarization reduced reliance on diesel-powered systems and created a foundation for the Carbon financing project. Improved sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools, together with awareness activities for teachers and students, contributed to healthier and more inclusive learning environments.
