Different contexts, shared purpose

The six National Offices have not followed a single model. Instead, each has adapted the programme to local priorities, partnerships and opportunities.

In Malawi, the team partnered with LUANAR to bring irrigation to an existing water scheme. In Tanzania, 10 government-provided acres are being irrigated from a high-yield borehole. Uganda established six demonstration gardens with district government, while Kenya focused on strengthening government extension capacity and introduced Water ATMs to support accountability.

In Zambia, school gardens were linked to the national school feeding programme. In Lesotho, a solar water system was combined with school sanitation and keyhole gardens in Mafeteng.

These different approaches are part of what makes the regional programme valuable. They provide an opportunity to see how similar goals can be pursued in different settings, and to identify approaches that others can learn from or adapt.

Key takeaways

The experiences across the six countries highlighted several lessons about delivering integrated WASH, food security and climate-resilience programming in different contexts.

1. Engage communities, government and academia from the start

The programme showed the value of bringing key stakeholders into the process from the outset. Working alongside communities helps ensure interventions respond to local priorities, while partnerships with government and academic institutions can strengthen technical expertise, ownership and the potential for approaches to continue beyond the project.

The country experiences reflected this in different ways, from Malawi’s partnership with LUANAR to Uganda and Tanzania’s collaboration with government structures.

2. Connect WASH with food security and climate resilience

The programme reinforced that water access cannot be considered in isolation from how households and communities produce food and respond to climate pressures. Integrating WASH with food security and climate-resilient approaches can help address several interconnected challenges at once.

The different country interventions demonstrated how this can work in practice, from irrigation and demonstration gardens to school gardens and solar-powered water systems. Schools also emerged as useful entry points for connecting WASH, food and resilience.

3. Build on existing systems 

Another clear lesson was the value of working through systems and structures that are already in place, rather than creating parallel structures. Government extension services, existing water infrastructure, school programmes and community structures can provide a foundation for new interventions while strengthening local capacity.

This approach can also support sustainability by leaving behind stronger systems and skills rather than creating parallel structures that are difficult to maintain after a project ends.

4. Make accountability part of the programme

The teams also identified accountability as an important part of effective WASH programming. Approaches such as Kenya’s Water ATMs provide mechanisms for greater transparency around water services, while the wider programme emphasized accountability in line with the Core Humanitarian Standard.

For the teams, accountability is not simply about reporting results. It is about creating ways for communities and other stakeholders to understand, influence and provide feedback on the services being delivered. This is an important part of building WASH services that are responsive, sustainable and grounded in the needs of the people they serve.

Partnering for impact

The anniversary offered an opportunity to recognize the many people and organizations who have contributed to this progress, while reinforcing the need to continue working together to reach more families.

Speaking at the event, Mr Grace Lubaale, UN-Habitat Representative in Tanzania, emphasized the importance of working together to accelerate impact: “We are partners working toward the same goal. Let us use our resources together and find more innovative ways to collaborate.”

He highlighted opportunities to strengthen collaboration in advancing climate-resilient housing, an important priority as communities face the effects of climate change.

The importance of collaboration was echoed by Hon. Dr. Leonard Akwilapo, Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting housing development, strengthening land-use planning and helping families secure land ownership an essential step towards improving housing conditions long-term stability.

Opening the door to the next chapter

The event also marked the launch of Habitat Tanzania’s five-year strategy for 2025–2029, setting the direction for its next phase of work. Through the Lets Open The Door campaign, Habitat Tanzania is bringing this ambition to life, creating a shared platform to deepen existing partnerships, invite more stakeholders to the table, encourage innovative housing approaches and mobilize the resources needed to respond to the scale of housing challenges across Tanzania. As Habitat Tanzania Board Chair Neema Ndikumwani reflected, the next chapter will require building on lessons learned, strengthening partnerships and expanding collective action so that even more communities can benefit from decent housing: “We encourage continued efforts to build on what has been achieved, learn from our experiences, strengthen partnerships, increase our efforts, and mobilize more resources so that we can reach even more communities,” Said Neema.

Join us in opening more doors

The story of Habitat Tanzania’s first 40 years is ultimately a story of what is possible when communities and partners come together around a shared vision.

We invite governments, businesses, donors, development organizations and communities to join us in opening more doors. Together, we can help ensure that every family has access to a safe and decent place to call home.

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity Tanzania: https://www.habitat.org/where-we-build/tanzania 

Support Habitat Tanzania by designating your gift to Tanzania: https://www.habitat.org/donate 

Each new home includes a household toilet, while the water infrastructure includes a 100 m³ reservoir, three water points with four faucets each and 4.4 kilometres of internal water supply lines. Sanitation and hygiene capacity-building training has also supported users of the new facilities.

For Yenenesh, who lost her husband in the disaster, having a permanent home has been part of a longer journey toward recovery.

“After the disaster, we moved into a temporary shelter. It was then that Habitat for Humanity joined the recovery effort and followed up on our progress until we were finally settled into our own home. We are truly thankful.”

The impact is also felt beyond individual households. 

For Nebire, a young member of the community, access to homes, clean drinking water and latrines represents an important improvement for the wider community.

“The homes, clean drinking water and latrines are improvements that mean a lot, especially to our elders, mothers and fathers.”

The experience in Gofa highlights the interconnected nature of recovery. Safe housing, water and sanitation are not separate needs. Together, they help create the conditions in which families and communities can begin to rebuild with greater dignity, safety and stability.

The work also demonstrates the importance of partnership in responding to the aftermath of disaster. Communities, government authorities and development partners each have a role to play in creating pathways from immediate displacement toward longer-term recovery and resilience. 

Recovery often means more than replacing what was lost. It means rebuilding the foundations of everyday life. In Gofa Zone, safe homes, clean water and sanitation are helping families move forward with dignity, safety, and hope, while creating the conditions for stronger and more resilient communities.