Sand Dams in Kenya

The Rotary Sand Dams project is a revolution that is bringing huge benefits in Africa.



Dawlish Water Rotary Club has been the lead club for the District-wide Sand Dams project for Kenya since autumn 2012. It has become an extremely successful project, utilising Rotary global , Government and other matching grants wherever possible. 

This Rotary project is truly making a world of difference. UK Rotary and other funding could well reach an amazing £1million. 

With the fantastic support of 38 other Rotary clubs in Devon & Cornwall and beyond, nearly £35,000 had been donated up to the start of 2020 – money which will be more than trebled by grants. The District has given tremendous support to the project, which has increased the investment in Sand Dams, through allocating 20,000 dollars to date.

The first dam in Eastern Kenya was completed in February 2016. Four other dams have been completed since and money is now being raised to support a sixth dam.

The importance of these self-help projects has been highlighted once again by the present severe drought in northern Kenya and elsewhere and by the Covid crisis where access to clean water is vital.

HOW IT WORKS 

The joint Rotary GB&I scheme works with the charity Excellent (www.excellent.org.uk) who have key expertise and experience in this field, the African Sand Dams Foundation who identify communities willing to build their own sand dam, and local Rotary clubs in Kenya.

Sand Dams comprise concrete dams built on rock across sedimentary riverbeds in the drylands of Kenya. On average they serve communities of between 500 and 1,000 people. Villagers have to pledge and build their own dams with money coming from Rotary and assistance and guidance from Rotary’s partner, Excellent Development, who have the expertise in Sand Dams.

Sand Dams provide a reservoir of water purified by natural filtering through sediments and sands. They therefore protect against evaporation and disease – while allowing farmers to grow crops and trees, households to have clean water. Furthermore, they allow expansion of education as families can pay for this through an improved local economy and children do not have to spent hours collecting water.

Crucially, Sand Dams are self-help schemes, extremely cost-effective, low-cost solutions where the local community has first to signal its willingness to build a dam. There is little or no maintenance.

With increasing drought around the world these solutions form vital improvements, which, compounded, make a significant contribution to sustainability – giving people clean water and them to improve their health and welfare and their prospects and reduce the risk of migration.

CONTRIBUTORS 

Dawlish Water Rotary would like to say a big thank-you to Exeter Southernhay who joined them enthusiastically right at the beginning, and to all the other clubs who have contributed so generously to date.

Indicates  large or multiple donations **

Ashburton/Buckfastleigh  **

Axminster 

Barnstaple **

Berkhamsted Bulbourne (District 1260)  **

Bideford

Brixham

Bude

Crediton Boniface  **

Dartmoor Vale 

Dartmouth 

Dawlish 

Exeter 

Exeter Enterprise 

Exeter Southernhay  **

Exmouth Raleigh **

Falmouth

Helston/Lizard

Hemel Hempstead  **

Holsworthy  **

Ilfracombe ** 

Kenilworth **

Kingsbridge Estuary

Launceston **

Mounts Bay   **

Newton Abbot **

Otter Valley 

Padstow  **

Paignton **

Penwith

Preston (Paignton)  **

Redruth

Sidmouth

Tavistock **

Teignmouth

Tiverton

Torrington  **

Totnes **

Yelverton

District 1170/1175 supported the project from the beginning with an initial grant of 10,000 dollars and earmarked a further grant of 10,000 dollars; grants are used to obtain Global Grant through the Rotary GB&I inter-District project of which we became part several years ago. When we joined this enterprise – to maximise our fund-raising efforts and smooth the way to Global Grants – 

Initially, 12 Rotary Districts were involved and now there are 20 Districts embracing some 200 clubs. At the beginning it was suggested that Rotary would be able to deliver clean water at £10 per person for life - currently water is being delivered below that cost to well over 70,000 people

FUNDRAISING 

Dawlish Water are continuing to make presentations to any interested clubs  (currently via Zoom) continuing fundraising .They are keen to sign up further clubs inside and outside the District to support even more sand dams. 

Your contacts are:

Brian Hodge – Lead Co-ordinator - bhodgedawlish@aol.com

Bruce Pell – Project Manager  bpassoc@btinternet.com

THE VALUE OF SAND DAMS 

The true value of sand dams can be counted in a number of ways:

First and foremost they are self-help schemes – enabling local communities to build their own resource with pride and self-worth 

They provide a ready, reliable source of clean water 

They prevent evaporation of this precious resource and prevent the spread of disease through contaminated water, mosquitoes and cattle 

They enable farmers to develop crops and tree plantations and improve the local economy 

They encourage ‘green areas’ as the water table rises 

They help improve the local environment and local climate 

ROTARY  IS INDEED MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE. 

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