A Lifetime of Collecting Water

My name is Mary Tayai. I am a 56-year-old Maasai woman living in the Losimingori village of Arusha, Tanzania.

For as long as I can remember, we have been facing a water crisis that has been worsening year by year. The people are struggling. The cattle are dying.

When I was young, there were a lot of trees around, which created a balance as there was abundant rain. But now, people have started cutting trees. There used to be a forest here, but now there are no trees. This also affects the rain. 

Every other day, we walk on foot for 6 to 7 hours to fetch water from the (Nanja) dam. On the day I have to fetch water, I wake up early in the morning, around 4 am, and finish all my chores like cleaning, cooking, milking and feeding the cattle. 

After this, I prepare the buckets to bring water in and put make-shift saddles on the donkeys who help us carry the load to and from the dam. 

I then start my long walk towards the dam. Along the way, other women also join me, and we go together, talking and sharing things with each other. Due to my age, I now face difficulties while walking. I get tired easily and also feel pain. 

The water in this dam is also not safe for consumption, but it is the only nearby source we have. The dam serves around 40,000 people from nearby villages. If it doesn’t rain in the next two to three months, the dam might run out of water as well. 

I don't complain to God about this situation. We, humans, have caused this. If I had to add all the years of my life that I have spent walking for water, it would amount to more than half of my life.

My favourite season is the monsoon. It is the only time of the year when we have enough water. When it rains, I get everything I need. There is enough milk, good meat and the cows are healthy too. I can go to church, do whatever I want to and sometimes I can even go fishing.