A Tap in the House: Geofrey and His Wife Anna’s Life Transformed
In Muungano village, Mtama District Council in Tanzania, a quiet revolution has begun, led by a young couple, Geofrey Severin and his wife Anastansia. Their home, once defined by scarcity and struggle, now stands as a beacon of progress and possibility.
Thanks to a transformative water project implemented by DMDO, with generous funding from the Grille Foundation, Geofrey and Anastansia now enjoy the life-changing benefits of having water inside their home.
Before the Water Came
Life in Muungano was shaped by the rhythm of hardship:
Every day, Anastansia walked over 1 kilometer to fetch untreated water from the river.
The journey was exhausting, especially since the water was collected from lowland areas.
Water was precious and limited, used sparingly for cooking, cleaning, and bathing.
Their latrine and home were difficult to keep clean, often leading to outbreaks of diseases such as diarrhea and other stomach-related illnesses.
Time lost fetching water meant less time for farming, rest, or nurturing their dreams.
A New Reality: Clean and Safe Water Inside the Home
Determined to change their lives, the couple made a bold decision: to invest Tsh. 350,000 (US$135) in an in-house water connection. The results were immediate and profound:
They now bath using clean and safe water from a tap inside their home, no longer relying on buckets or river water.
Their latrine and entire house stay clean, with water always available for sanitation.
Hygiene has improved, and illnesses have drastically reduced.
They have reclaimed hours each daytime, now spent on farming, family, and rest.
Their home feels safer, healthier, and more dignified.
Anna accessing water inside their home
A Lesson for the Community
For a young couple to take such initiative, it is more than a personal milestone, it is a lesson for other residents:
Young families are realizing that they too can take steps toward a better life.
The idea that clean and safe water can flow inside a home is no longer a dream, it is almost a reality. Geoffrey household joining more than 60 households in Muungano village connected to piped water from DMDO’s WASH intervention.
“We didn’t wait for someone to do it for us,” says Anastansia. “We saw the opportunity and took it. Now our life is better and we hope others will follow.”
A Ripple Effect of Change
Geofrey and Anastansia’s story is more than a household success, it is a spark that’s lighting up the village:
Local leaders are taking note of the impact on health and sanitation.
Youth groups are discussing how to mobilize resources for similar connections.
Parents are seeing the value of water access in raising healthy children.
Their home has become a model, a place where water flows and hope grow.
Water is life. And when it flows reliably inside a home it brings more than convenience, it brings dignity, health and opportunity.
Thanks to DMDO and the courage of families like Geofrey and Anastansia, Muungano village is stepping into a new chapter where clean and safe water is no longer fetched from afar but flows from within.
