At first light in Tanzania's main city Dar es Salaam, some of its six million residents begin their day with a frantic search for water.
Christmas is approaching, but the festive mood is dampened by the dry pipes, as the city experiences serious water shortages.
In some homes, plastic containers are stacked outside the door, ready to be carried at a moment's notice whenever word spreads that a nearby tap is flowing again.
City authorities ration water. Homes get it once a week, but the wait can stretch for weeks for some families. The crisis, caused by a drought and rising demand, has persisted for months.
Many people are forced to turn to private vendors, who source their water from boreholes and tanks. They are a respite for thousands of families, but their high costs are a heavy burden to low-income households.
