Rumiyati, a female head of household, makes a living by running a small grocery shop in Pendowo village, Temanggung district. Despite her uncertain income, she supports her two school-age children and elderly mother, Mulyati.
In addition to her challenging economic situation, Rumiyati also faces challenges in accessing drinking water. Five times a day, she must fetch water from her neighbor’s house to fill the barrel in her kitchen. This makes her feel uncomfortable. “There is well water at home, but it’s not decent for drinking and cooking. The water tastes a bit sour, so we only use it for bathing and washing,” she said.
Her already difficult situation becomes even more complicated during the dry season. Rumiyati’s and her neighbors’ wells often dry up, forcing her to fetch water from a well about 500 meters away. “We want to get safer water access, but we can’t afford the costs of service installation from the water utility,” she said.
Fortunately, her drinking water access challenge has been overcome, after Pendowo village’s local community-based organization (CBO) proposed that Rumiyati’s household become a beneficiary of a private sector corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. With support from USAID IUWASH Tangguh, in mid-September 2024, Rumiyati’s house was connected to the safe drinking water service from the water utility of Temanggung district.
Rumiyati’s mother, Mulyati expressed her gratitude: “The situation is better now because we no longer need to ask neighbors for water. The water (from the water utility) is not sour, and the flow is never interrupted.”
A member of the CBO, Samiyati, explained that the beneficiaries were selected based on data gathered from triggering and participatory assessment activities conducted by the community group with support from USAID IUWASH Tangguh.
“We prioritize the elderly, women-headed households, the poor, people with disabilities, and families with stunted children. We ensure the grant reaches those who need it most,” Samiyati explained.
Since 2023, the CBO, in collaboration with USAID IUWASH Tangguh, has facilitated the construction of 33 domestic wastewater management systems and two household drinking water connections in Pendowo village.
Samiyati emphasized that, due to the grant’s limitations, middle- to upper-income residents are encouraged to build septic tanks and connect to water utilities independently.
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