WATER: In third world communities, water used for drinking, cooking and washing is usually collected from ponds, open wells and streams, and often contains parasites and bacteria. Plan provides a clean water supply in the form of waterbores, wells and rainwater tanks.

Here is an example of Plan-funded water program in Tanzania, Africa.

Lack of clean water is closely linked to ongoing poverty: sick people are unable to do well economically. And when children have no choice but to drink dirty water, they are the ones who suffer the most through sickness.

Before Plan began its water and sanitation project in Tanzania, getting water was usually the job of women and children - especially girls. And it usually took several hours a day as a long walk was required (during the dry season this was up to 20km a round trip). Once at the well, there was often a long queue to fill containers.

During particularly dry times, the water could also be dirty and contaminated with water-borne diseases. The community, particularly children, endured recurrent outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid, which had a direct impact on the community's production and overall economic development.

Plan.s water and sanitation project provides boreholes fitted with hand pumps; ensuring communities in the Kisarawe district, including schools and public buildings such as health clinics, have close access to clean water. At the end of 2005 and project completion, there will be 20 deep boreholes that will supply 10 villages and 7200 people with clean drinking water.

Since providing close access to clean drinking water, women now have more time to earn an income through a small business funded by a Plan microfinance loan or attend Plan.s skill-training classes. Children also have more time for school studies and their parents can more readily afford school fees.

Plan has been working in Tanzania since 1992 and in the Kisarawe district from 1997. When Plan first moved to the area, less than half the population had access to reliable clean drinking water. There is no river flowing through the district and the piped water supply was limited to the Kisarawe township. The rest of the population depended on natural springs that only flowed during the rainy season (March to May) with some rains in November and December. The rest of the year the springs were mostly dry.

A solar pumping system will also be piloted on one of the boreholes to pump water to an overhead water reservoir and then distribute it to domestic taps so as to bring water close to users.

In upland villages, where there is limited underground water, rainwater tanks will be built for three primary schools so that school children are not left without clean drinking water during the dry season.

An important part of Plan Tanzania's water and sanitation project is the construction of compost toilets for 100 primary schools and 50 public buildings.

Plan's water and sanitation project in Tanzania is funded by donations and from child sponsorships.