Projects

Sara Trentin, Assistant Corporate Secretariat / Junior Communication & Event Specialist at GF, recently had the opportunity to visit the project in Tanzania and witness firsthand the impact of the foundation’s support. Her experience highlights not only the urgent need for safe water but also the importance of cultural understanding and local engagement for sustainable development. Below, Sara shares her impressions and insights from the trip.

"As a representative of the GF Water Foundation, I had the special opportunity to travel to Tanzania with Global Aid Network (GAiN Switzerland) to visit the "Water for Life" project – a heartfelt initiative supported by our foundation.

I have been working for the GF Water Foundation since October 2023, and this work means so much to me. Through our commitment, we are enabling the Maasai people, who live in northern Tanzania, to access clean drinking water – something we take for granted, but for them, it often means a daily struggle. By building wells, groundwater is brought to the surface, making it safe and easily accessible for the local communities.

Until now, Maasai women and girls have had to walk kilometers every day to collect water from natural sources or reservoirs – water that is often contaminated with bacteria and germs. This leads to severe diseases and an alarmingly high child mortality rate, significantly reducing the life expectancy of the people. At the same time, girls have little opportunity to receive an education or take on other important tasks because they spend so much time securing water for their families.

During my visit, I not only witnessed firsthand the urgent need for support, but I also gained a deeper understanding of how essential it is to create sustainable solutions and truly listen to the needs of the local communities. GAiN asked me a few questions about my experience – you can find my answers below. I am excited to share my insights and highlight why this project is so impactful."

How is the foundation involved in GAiN’s "Water for Life" project?
Sara: "The GF Water Foundation supports the project financially, enabling around 5,000 people to gain access to a reliable supply of safe drinking water."

You visited the project in Tanzania this summer – what insights did you gain for future collaboration?
Sara: "I realized how important it is to deeply understand the culture and needs of the people, as only then can sustainable measures be developed. Close cooperation with local staff is essential. They serve as a link between the project goals and the community, and this promotes long-term acceptance of the measures."

Sara, what impressed you most personally in Tanzania?
Sara: "The joy of life of the people despite difficult conditions deeply moved me. I was especially fascinated by getting to know the Maasai culture with its traditions and close connection to nature. The old water source in Lorbene, which was full of mud and pathogens, affected me in particular. People had to endure long walks and hours of waiting to reach the source. The new well now finally means safe water, more time for education, and thus a better future – especially for women and girls. This trip showed me how important our support is. It’s not just about creating reliable infrastructure, but about sustainably improving people’s lives and giving them future prospects. The visit also made clear how much we can learn from these cultures – whether it’s respect for nature, community spirit, or the strength to maintain hope even in the most difficult circumstances."

WfW is a Swiss nonprofit organization known for its entrepreneurial approach to addressing water challenges. Over the past decade, WfW has become a key player in Zambia’s water sector, collaborating with local utilities and educational authorities. Their efforts include the implementation of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects, as well as professional skill development within the sector.

The collaborative project aims to provide safe water access to 10,000 people in the Pemba and Batoka growth centers of Zambia’s Southern Province. Recognizing the critical issues posed by droughts and electricity shortages, the project focuses on three core pillars: Infrastructure, Management, and Capacity Building.

The infrastructure improvements include the drilling of new boreholes equipped with solar systems, which have increased pumping hours per day and ensured a consistent water supply while reducing energy costs. Solar energy solutions address the challenge of unreliable electricity, enabling sustainable operations. Additionally, water storage tanks have been upgraded to support larger capacities, and existing pipe networks have been repaired to minimize leaks and water loss.

To optimize system efficiency and facilitate corrective actions, when necessary, a financially sustainable and transparent water supply system will be implemented through participatory monitoring processes. These processes will track the performance of water supply services, enabling timely troubleshooting and promoting transparency among operators and decision-makers. In the first stages, research and development efforts have been conducted to identify and evaluate appropriate management systems to be implemented.

Capacity building has been a cornerstone of the initiative, focusing on skill development and community engagement to ensure the sustainability of the project. Extensive vocational and technical training programs have been provided to utility staff and community members, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to maintain and operate the water systems. Mentorship programs and community-focused training sessions have been integrated to promote long-lasting expertise and self-reliance of the community.

The project is progressing ahead of schedule and is already delivering impactful results. The ongoing focus will be on refining existing solutions, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring the financial sustainability of the water supply system. With these efforts, GF Water Foundation and WfW are taking promising steps toward empowering communities with safe and affordable water access.

Since 2001, Water Mission has served 8 million people in 61 countries. Most of Water Mission’s initiatives have focused on expanding access to safe water by building new infrastructure and transitioning systems over to communities for long-term manage-ment. While Water Mission's community-managed approach has achieved some success, there are still barriers to achieving long-term sustainable water services inherent in this model. Through the creation of a private customer-centered professional water utility, the project will bring about new, innovative, market-based solutions that will increase reliable, safe, and convenient professional water access and delivery at the household level in the developing communities in Uganda. This utility will have the capacity to professionally manage both public and private water access points. As part of its launch, Water Mission is engaging experts in utility management, business development, customer service, human resources, and public-private partnerships to implement best practices. 

Currently, only 9% of people in rural Uganda have access to safely managed drinking water services. Launching a professional water utility involves building new infrastructure in the service area, ensuring the long-term maintenance of systems, and transitioning operations and management from local communities to the would-be professionally managed utility.  “Our contribution empowers Water Mission to do what they do best: increase sustainable safe water access in rural communities,” said Li Serra, Managing Director, GF Water Foundation. “We are honored to partner with two visionary and pioneering family foundations in the safe water sector.”  

In the first phase, the newly created utility will upgrade payment and metering technology for specific communities, transitioning to more efficient pre-paid metering. This will reduce non-revenue water and provide more end-user-friendly services. This first phase will also include the sale of household connections to hundreds of residents and families in Southern Luuka District, Uganda. GF is funding for the infrastructure buildout, as well as providing products and expertise during this phase.  “We’re excited to contribute long-term sustainable system solutions to Water Mission’s ambitious program to provide better, more convenient safe water access to rural customers in Uganda,” said Attila Mehes, Head of Pressure Systems at GF Piping Systems.  “It is rewarding to know that GF products help Water Mission fill a critical market gap and provide Ugandans across the country with affordable, high-quality and customer-centric safe water services,” added Philipp von Ow, Head of Customer Services at GF Piping Systems International.

The partnership originated through the efforts of Francesco Vigano, an employee at GF Machine Solutions in Italy and a Charter member of Lions Club Seregno AID. Since 2017, the World Water Day Photo Contest has invited photographers from around the world to submit works aligned with UN Water's annual theme. The contest raises awareness of water’s vital role in life and advocates for sustainable water practices.

In 2025, the GF Water Foundation will feature one of these impactful images on its website each month, highlighting the global water crisis and the fragility of water ecosystems. 

Please visit www.worldwaterday.it for more information.