Solar Water Pumps for Namibian Farmers and Desert Elephants

PROJECT TITLE	Solar Water Pumps for Namibian Farmers and Desert Elephants
PROJECT SUMMARY	Rotary Central donated $5,000 to the Rotary Club of Swakopmund, Namibia in support of local NGO Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA). www.desertelephant.org The aim of the organisation is to assist people living with wild, desert adapted elephants to ensure their safety, their access to water and their understanding, knowledge and acceptance of this protected species. Desert elephants are of high conservation priority, not only do they perform an important role ecologically but also financially through the thousands of tourists that come to Namibia to view these amazing animals. What many people do not see are the problems that people who live with the elephants face every day. The major conflicts are centred on WATER. Elephants can smell water, even underground in pipes and can be extremely destructive if they cannot access water to drink. On the other side of the argument, the elephant population is now at a critical, and almost unsustainable level. Human-elephant conflict is the main cause of its decline. Often human drink water tanks are damaged by elephants pushing their tusks into the tanks and rendering it totally redundant. Traditionally windmills were used to pump water from boreholes. Over the years these have been replaced by diesel fuelled pumps. Thus forcing the communities in to a cash economy where they have to pay to pump and have access to water. Of course pumping for your family and a few goats is not hugely expensive, but add 20 elephants’ consumption to the equation on a regular basis and you can understand the reluctance of people to pay for water. IF they are indeed able to pay. This project will allow both elephants and humans access to water and help economically sustain the local community.
START DATE	4/1/2019
CLUBS INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT	Rotary Club of Central Cayman Islands, Rotary Club of Swakopmund, Namibia
CASH CONTRIBUTIONS	$5,000.00
RELATED CLUB OF THE MONTH THEME	Water & Sanitation/Maternal & Child Health Economic/Community Development
HOW DOES THIS ACTIVITY TIE IN WITH THE THEME SELECTED ABOVE?	Providing solar pumps, although a costly upfront expense will provide long term sustainibility for these rural areas and their access to clean water.
DESCRIBE BRIEFLY THE IMPACT OF YOUR ACTIVITY(S) IN THE COMMUNITY.	This project will allow both elephants and humans access to water and help economically sustain the local community.

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