Case Study: Sand Dams for Longido

Transcription

1 Case Study: Sand Dams for Longido Sand dams are reinforced concrete walls built across seasonal river beds to hold underground water in the sand that collects behind them. They may be 1 to 4 meters high and up to 90 meters across. Each sand dam holds up to 10 million litres of water. This water is protected from evaporation, and the sand acts as a large, slow filter resulting in potable water. The water being held under the sand protects people from water borne diseases and because mosquito parasites can t breed, it also reduces the threat of malaria. In addition, saline water becomes less salty overtime as water seeps into underground water reserves through the sand and less evaporation occurs. The dam system ensures a year round supply of clean water for the community. Each dam will supply clean water for up to 1,200 people, animals, tree nurseries, and vegetables. The effect of improving water availability in a 20 kilometre radius and raising the water table both upstream and downstream means that a sand dam may indirectly benefit up to 100,000 people.

2 The problem Longido District in Northern Tanzania is one of the driest areas in the country and is occupied by Maasai pastoralists. In 2009, the area suffered a serious drought, which killed many of the livestock and highlighted the fact that the reliance on livestock as virtually the sole source of food and income was risky. Addressing the problem With funding from the Mennonite Central Committee, a pilot project was carried out to find a way to provide a more permanent source of water for two of the villages in Longido District. The communities desperately needed additional water sources for domestic use and livestock use, as well as to grow vegetables and improve nutrition. The Maasai community is heavily reliant on meat, milk, and blood of livestock. With too few water resources, the communities in the area will suffer with to the ongoing threat of climate change and increasing incidences of drought. A traditional coping mechanism is to take livestockelsewhere to graze, at times as far as Simanjiro. Unfortunately, on the long journeys some animals die. Further, the increase in the number of livestock in Simanjiro causes erosion and eventually the communities there ask the Maasai from Longido to leave. Women are the most affected by the problem of drought, having to walk a long way to fetch water for domestic use. Women, children, and elders are also left behind while the men travel far away looking for alternative grazing areas. Plaque for Kimokouwa dam after construction. The idea of sand dams came from Kenya, an NGO called Utooni Development Organisation, and initially a study tour took place in Machakos and Kitui which have many of the same habitat and characteristics of Longido District. On seeing the success of the dams in these areas the project was initiated. The villages of Orabomba and Kimokouwa, with a total population of 5,918 people were approached and introduced to the idea of the sand dams. In keeping with one of UCRT s sayings and traditions of community work, the philosophy of cooperation not competition was used to share everything including labour, materials, knowledge, and skills. The project was set up to be ajoint initiative using labour,

3 plus stones, sand, water from the village, and funds for other building materials and technical expertise from Utooni and UCRT. When the villages had agreed to this proposal a contract was written up and signed by UCRT and the village representative with two witnesses. SAND DAM CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT We, the villagers of On this day Month Year Agree that we are going to take part in the construction of the sand dam(s) we requested to be supported with from Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT). We do therefore commit ourselves to the underlying conditions towards the construction of the sand dam and to enable its /their effective performance. Terracing of the sides of the river valley where the sand dam(s) is to be constructed in advance. Collecting stones, water, and sand towards the construction of the sand dam(s) in advance All availing ourselves for the unpaid labour during the actual work of sand dam(s) construction. Putting in place the necessary agreements from the involved land owners to allow the construction of the sand dam (s) and to allow accessibility for the use of water from the sand dam(s). Signed by: COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE: CHAIRMAN VILLAGE EXCUTIVE OFFICER A village committee was formed of committed people within each area, and UCRT hired two local workers in each village: one to be their local liaison for community mobilization, and the other to coordinate the sand dam construction. Constructing the dams Sites were chosen by a sand dam expert from Utooni who was also the technical expert for the project. The sites were chosen by using places historically used by the community for the collection of water. The initial terraces were then dug out by the community. Having proved that there are willing to support the project, UCRT then went ahead and purchased all the materials needed for the subsequent construction. The total cost for the two dams was approximately USD $22,000, but costs will be reduced for the future dams as many of the materials, such as wheelbarrows etc., have already been purchased. Item Total used Cement 50kg 344 Barbed wire kg rolls Twisted bars 8 Nails kg 15 Timber 6x1;4x1 1,600 ft Grease kg 1 Hacksaw blade 3 Hard brush 4 Wire brush 4 Materials used by Orbomba Village sand dam construction. Item Total used

4 Cement 50kg 230 Barbed wire kg rolls Twisted bars 6 Nails kg 14 Timber 6x1;4x1 1,350 ft Grease kg 1 Hack saw blade 3 Hard brush 4 Wire brush 4 Materials used by Kimokouwa Village for sand dam construction. later, which is already a great improvement on the 4 months of water, in a year, that was previously available in the area. Additional materials purchased Buckets, shovels, a basin, claw bars, wheelbarrows, water drums, mattocks, a hoe, and a sledge hammer. Once the sand dams were completed, and some water had been collected, the Global Service Corps, aninternational non-profit leader in service learning and overseas volunteer programs and international internships, were asked to come and engage with the community to teach them how to establish gardens near to the dams. The Global Service Corps formed groups and also instructed the community on the benefits of planting elephant grass, and fruit trees, such as mangoes and passion fruit. Kimokouwa dam under construction. With the dams filling up with sand and water each consecutive rainy season, it is hoped that the dams will provide a continuous supply of water. The vegetation around the dams has already changed and become green, and people have planted potatoes, onions and cabbages in the surrounding gardens, irrigating them with buckets. Results The two dams were completed in late 2011 and gradually filled with water through the rainy season. As of June 2012, the communities are still getting water from these new dams, six months Orbomba women cooking food for the labourers

5 The labour for the dam construction came mostly from the men, but women also contributed by bringing the water with donkeys and also with cooking for the labour force. The women are now mainly involved in maintaining the gardens and using the produce, in addition they no longer have to travel far to find water for domestic use, as this water from the sand dams is clean enough for cooking, and to be boiled as drinking water. Before the dam the women were travelling up to 15 km to find water and now the maximum they have to travel is 5km.The men benefit as well because the livestock now have a reliable water source. Other villages are allowed to use the sand dams, as long as they follow the bylaws which have been made by the community who own the sand dam, for example keeping cattle from drinking directly from the sand dam. Having the bylaws in place, and clear explanation of them to others, means that conflicts are avoided. Challenges One of the biggest challenges to the building project was getting people from the community to come and work on the dam construction.ucrt found that politics played a role and some people were led to believe that the dams belonged to individuals and not the community. Another miscommunication that had to be addressed was that others believed some workers were being paid and that they were not. To address these issues, UCRT met with the Villages Councils to explain project details and to try to overcome the problems with cooperation. Another problem encountered was lack of security, resulting in some materials beingstolen, such as wheelbarrows and spades. The loss of these itemswas costly and demoralising to the team, but illustrated the need for basic security for future projects. Once the dams were filled the community failed to manage them sufficiently. UCRT found instancesof livestock going directly into the dam water, and people washing clothes directly in the dam, both of which can contaminate the water supply severely. To address this issue, UCRT established small water committees within the community through the village councils. The committees are now responsible to manage the dams for the benefit of the community, and to establish by-laws, including penalties for breaking the agreements,such as a cash fine. Orbomba dam under construction.

6 Lessons learnt and recommendations Several lessons were learned in the pilot projects and these will be used to improve on the work for the ongoing building of the sand dams: 1. Meetings with the village council and with the village general assembly will be held in advance so that everyone is clear about the project, who it belongs to and how the construction can only go ahead with the village volunteering the labour. 2. Agreements will be developed and documented prior to committing to build a sand dam. 3. The community will have ownership of the dam with the responsibilities of ongoing maintenance. 4. Remaining building supplies are to go towards building future projects. 5. A system needs to be established and agreed upon for livestock to be watered away from the dam, in order to avoid contamination of the water. 6. The land used for gardens beside the dams needs to be clearly demarcated. 7. A guard needs to be hired to keep supplies at the camp. 8. A camp should be built for the contractors, rather than transporting them from town every day. Kimokourwa dam completed and holding water. The sand dams are recommended as a means of providing water for communities in semi-arid areas like Longido district because, as well as being a year round source of clean water, they also transform the surrounding environment as the water stored in the sand raises the water table both upstream and downstream from the dam. Sand dams cost less to build than boreholes cost to dig, and they are also easier to maintain than boreholes since they do not require pumps or complicated repairs. The sand dams use simple technology, and they are an initiative which can eventually be learnt by the communities themselves, built locally, and make a huge difference to the lives of many.