The Long Hunt For Water

The Maasai of the Losimongori village in Arusha district, Tanzania have been facing severe water shortages for the past few decades. Deforestation and climate change are attributed to be two major factors for this problem.

Many women from the village walk for 6 to 7 hours to collect water from the nearby Nanja dam. Young girls often drop out of school to help their mothers get water from the dam.

Anna Yamat, a 43-year-old woman shared, ''It takes me 6 hours to bring the water back. I bring 4 buckets of water with me. 2 buckets of water is enough for my family, and the remaining feed my 2 goats and 3 sheep. When I fall short on water, I would borrow water from my neighbours  or buy it from the market.''

The dam serves around 40,000 community members from surrounding villages. 

The team at Project FUEL followed the women one day on this long walk to collect water and know more about their journey.

On the day of the walk, they wake up earlier than usual and complete their daily chores before 7 am. These chores include cooking for the family, cleaning the house and milking the cows.

They then prepare their herd to take to the dam and then help carry the collected water back. They put a makeshift harness on the donkey to store water. After collecting empty buckets, they start the walk from their homes.

Along the way, they meet other women and accompany each other. They exchange anecdotes, ask about each other’s families or share stories with each other.

Sometimes, the walk is solitary. Ester, a woman who usually walks alone was delighted to find  company this time. “I walk four times a week to the Nanja dam to fetch water. My health is weak. I suffer from chest pain. Yet, in spite of my condition, I have to continue this way."

After walking for 3-3.5 hours, they arrive at Nanja dam, where many women and young girls have gathered to collect water.

One can also see Morans who have brought their cattle to feed them water.

The water in the dam is very muddy and not safe for consumption. But it is a major and the only water source that provides for nearby villages.

After the women fill their buckets, they load them on their herd and begin their journey back to their homes. The water that they fill is able to sustain their family and livestock. After a day or two, they again repeat this process.

The only respite that the women get is during the monsoon. Ester shared, “During the monsoon, the water comes to us. So it makes me feel free. The rain makes the water visit us home. ”

Many women hope for their children to get educated and earn good money so that they are able to buy resources like water that will make their lives easy.