With the start of a new school year, children worldwide are preparing to return to their studies and continue working toward their futures. One such child is Mwamini, a 13-year-old girl in Zeze, Tanzania. However, for most of Mwamini’s life, she had a job to do before she could begin learning for the day. 

Each morning, Mwamini woke at 6 a.m. to trek one kilometer to a stream of stagnant, murky water. After waiting in line at her water source, Mwamini filled her bucket and carried it back to her family’s home. She repeated the journey several times, also gathering water for her school. 

This lengthy process caused Mwamini to miss valuable class time. Not only did she miss school to walk and wait for water, but she also missed because of water-related illnesses.  

“It would take a long time to fetch [the water], and we would miss some studies,” Mwamini recalls. “I felt bad to miss some of the school sessions. It meant I was not performing well in the exams.” 

From 2015-2017, school attendance in Zeze was at 67%, with young girls absent the most. School is important to Mwamini, who is fueled by big dreams for her future. 

“It is my desire to do well in school. I want to be a teacher, educating other children,” she shares. 

In 2018, Water Mission recognized a need in the community of Zeze for safe water access. In partnership with the Grundfos Foundation, faithful donors, and the community, Water Mission completed a safe water project involving the installation of 12 public faucets. More than 5,100 people now have access to safe water, including 600 students attending two schools in the area. 

In the first year after the project’s completion, the school attendance rate in Zeze increased from 67% to 86%. By 2021, the attendance rate reached 96%, and children spend less than 10 minutes a day collecting water. 

Thanks to your generosity, Mwamini now has time to work towards her future dreams of becoming a teacher. Access to safe water has made a noticeable difference in her academic performance. 

“Water has contributed to performing well in my studies, because I have time to study,” Mwamini rejoices. “In fact, I can even measure the change, because I was in the top 10 [of my class] before the safe water project. Now, I am usually second or third in my class.”  

Mwamini is just one of many children whose lives and futures have been drastically impacted by safe water. Still, so many children around the globe spend hours collecting water that could make them sick instead of attending school. 

Your support allows us to give children like Mwamini a fresh start this school year. Thank you for partnering with us to provide children with safe water and the hope to dream about their futures. 

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