This moment was the seed that started Tanzania Life Project. During their first visit to help reactivate a dormant well, co-founders, Jim & Katie Vanderheyden, witnessed the incredible joy these children experienced by simply seeing clean water for the first time. Jim and Katie felt called to bring this most basic need of clean water to others in the area. They founded TLP in 2005. Though now deceased, Jim and Katie’s legacy lives on as TLP continues to successfully install clean water systems to villages most in need in Central Tanzania.

The lives of these children are forever changed with access to clean water. They will no longer experience the constant illness from drinking contaminated water. Their overall hygiene is much healthier. Their mothers have more time to spend with the family since they don’t have to spend up to 9 hours a day fetching water. Girls will now never need to travel to remote areas and fear for their safety while collecting water.

Meet Mary Chilatu from the village of Iwondo. “I was born and grew up in the village. I would leave my home at 6pm and spend the night looking for water in shallow wells. There was very little water and it was very dirty. I had to use it because there was no other source. Thanks to Tanzania Life Project, now we have clean water to drink, bathe, wash clothes, and clean our houses. My village is happy! My village wants these same benefits for our neighbors.”

This is Gomeli Malyapya of Mapinduzi. She woke up daily at 3am for the long walk to find water (a dirty, shallow pond). Once found, she had to stand in line and wait until the land owner’s animals drank first. Returning home by midday, she used her ration of 5 gallons for the needs of her family of 8. To save time the tired women often did not boil their drinking water. Many drank this contaminated water and as a result became sick. Most women washed clothes once a month and themselves once every 3 days. Life in the village is better now that they have plenty of clean water, better health and more time to spend with their families!