Charlie Penn
Charlie's Excellent Development Expedition
Fundraising for Sand Dams Worldwide
Story
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in just about a months time I and a handful of others - representing the charity Excellent Development - will be heading to Tawa, Kenya, about 3 hours south east of the capital Nairobi. We will be working alongside a self-help group with 40 active members (11 women and 29 men) constructing what is known as a sand dam with the goal to help improve water security in this area.
In drylands, like where we will be working, rainfall occurs in just one or two short, intense seasons. Because the land is so dry, when rain does fall, up to 85% is simply lost as run-off. Capturing this water where it falls is essential for improving environments and livelihoods. Sand dams are by far the cheapest way of doing this.
A sand dam is a reinforced concrete wall built across a seasonal riverbed. During the rainy seasons, they capture water and sand behind the dam wall. A sand dam can store up to 40 million litres of water, protecting it from evaporation and contamination by storing it safely within sand. This is enough to support over 1,200 people with a local water source for life. Remarkably, a study published this year by researchers at Cranfield University, concluded that the quality of water stored in these particular dams well exceeds drinking quality as determined by the World Health Organisation - http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/10/6/708/htm
Why am I doing this?
More than 3.4 million people die from water-related diseases every year. The biggest killers among children under five are malaria and diarrhoea. The problems are unprotected stagnant water sources that attract mosquitoes and other parasites such as bilharzia. The unique thing about a sand dam is that the water is filtered clean through the sand and stored below the surface, protecting it from contamination. When the water is then abstracted through a pipe, it comes out clean and protects those who drink it from disease. A secure water supply also greatly aids vegetation, and in turn offers an oppertunity of farming a wider range of produce which helps to combat malnutition. A sand dam also brings water sources closer to communities. Women and children shoulder the greatest burden of collecting water in rural Africa. They often walk between 6 and 12 hours a day, carrying up to 20kg of water on their heads or backs. For women, this responsibility persists even during pregnancy. The health risks are not hard to imagine.
If anybody would like to support what I am doing in Kenya, and ultimately help Excellent Development widen their reach with more capital to do so, then please dig in your pockets and donate here