Local Rotary Clubs Build a Sand Dam in Kenya!- August 2016
Local Rotary Clubs Build a Sand Dam in Kenya!
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Local Rotary Clubs Build a Sand Dam in
Kenya! Thursday September 1st 2016:
The
Rotary Club of Nantwich has raised £2,000 towards the total cost of £15,000 to
build a sand dam in Thavu, a village in Eastern Kenya. The Rotary Clubs of
Crewe, Crewe & Nantwich Weaver, Alderley Edge & Bollin Valley, Biddulph,
Denton & Audenshaw, supported by a Rotary Grant, raised the rest of the
money needed.
Unlike here in Cheshire, rainfall occurs in just one
or two short, intense seasons and river beds are dry for most of the year.
Water is a catalyst for everything; without it, people cannot grow food to feed
their families or sell the surplus to earn income, which in turn means that
children cannot go to school. Access to a local supply of clean, safe water is a
critical first step to relieving poverty - particularly in rural areas of third
world countries.
A sand dam is a reinforced concrete wall built across
a seasonal sandy river. With the arrival of seasonal rains, water containing
eroded soil (made up of sand and silt) is captured behind the dam wall. The
heavy sand sinks, accumulating behind the dam, while the lighter silt washes
over the dam wall.
Within one to four rainy seasons, the dam fills with
sand. But, up to 40% of the volume of this sand is actually water, trapped in
the spaces between grains of sand. Storing up to 20 million litres of water, one
sand dam can support over 1,000 people with a local water source for life. And
as the water has been filtered through sand, it is clean, drinkable and
protected from evaporation and contamination.
In addition, the sand dam replenishes the water table
improving soil fertility. By planting trees, the micro-climate improves
creating ‘oasis’ conditions, further enhancing the productiveness of the land.
Sand dams create the potential for people to farm, learn and innovate. They
break the cycle of dependence by enabling farmers to grow more food to eat,
store and sell. In long established sand dam areas, there are now even fish
farms!
Ends
For further information please contact Tony Hoy on:
07973635794
Contact Tony Hoy about this page:
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