Development Ratings

Improving access to clean water: Easier access to clean water impacts health, as it is estimated that around 80% of illness in sub-Saharan Africa is due to water-borne diseases (Source: WHO). It also increases irrigation potential, reducing the impact of drought and other crises on food availability.

Allowing entrepreneurship possibilities: Typically, women and children in particular spend some 3 hours a day collecting water from distant water sources. Time freed up becomes available to increase earnings, through growing more crops or developing entrepreneurial activities such as dressmaking.

Improving educational opportunities: Providing clean water to schools means that children are less likely to suffer from water-borne illnesses and miss school. This is confirmed anecdotally when Pump Aid visits its pumps biannually. Girls in particular are also more likely to go to school if they do not have to collect water for the family. Improved toilet facilities helps reduce worries of sexual predation on teenage girls. In Malawi, gross secondary enrolment for girls is just 25% and in Zimbabwe 35%.

NGO/development agency capacity and policy development: Spreading the policy of using reliable, low cost interventions, micro-irrigation techniques and hygiene training to impact health and food security to major charities and development agencies will have a multiplier effect across Africa.