Institute Water for Africa
Welcome to the blog of our NGO, which is passionately committed to sustainable water projects in Africa. Millions of people in Africa have no access to clean drinking water, which has a serious impact on health, education and quality of life.
Our mission is to improve access to clean water in affected communities through adapted technologies and sustainable solutions. In our articles, you can find out more about the progress of our projects, the challenges we face and how you can help us create a better future for the people of Africa.
Nelly Mwale is one of many farmers in rural Zambia who received a small plot of land equipped with drip irrigation. Before the project, farming depended entirely on the rainy season, making harvests uncertain and income unreliable.
With the introduction of drip irrigation, everything changed. Water now reaches the plants directly and efficiently, even during dry periods. Nelly can grow vegetables outside the rainy season, harvest regularly, and earn a stable income.
The irrigation project has not only improved food security but also strengthened self-reliance in the village. For Nelly and many others, access to water means a real chance for a better future.
Just eight weeks after sowing, the first harvest was ready: tomatoes, maize, peanuts, pumpkins, okra and beans. For the people of Chideza, this is a completely new experience – a harvest outside the usual season.
Previously, it was only possible to harvest once a year, usually in March. But even that was becoming increasingly uncertain due to climate change. Rainfall was irregular and harvests failed. With the new drip irrigation system, water is now available all year round – used sparingly and efficiently.
Today, families in Chideza can plant and harvest up to three times a year. They have enough food, and famines are a thing of the past. Surpluses are sold at the market. The income enables them to pay for school fees, doctor's visits and medical care.
The project strengthens health, education and independence in the village. To ensure long-term impact, the village community has set up a microfinance account. Everyone pays into it regularly. This allows repairs and new purchases to be financed independently.
For the people of Chideza, one thing is clear: this project has changed their lives for the better.
After a short time, the five-hectare field has been completely transformed – where there used to be dry, brown earth, fresh green shoots are now sprouting. Farmers are planting beans, onions, tomatoes and maize – in the middle of the dry season, with temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees during the day.
Just a few weeks ago, this would have been unthinkable. But now the first harvest is scheduled to take place in December.
This has been made possible by a newly installed drip irrigation system. Since summer 2024, a hydrogeological survey has been carried out in stages to identify suitable drilling points. Shortly afterwards, a drilling company arrived and reached depths of up to 70 metres. Subsequent pumping tests showed how much water can be extracted without endangering the water table.
One of the two boreholes proved to be particularly productive: the installed pump delivers an impressive 10,000 litres of water per hour. This was followed by the ordering of suitable solar pumps, the installation of the solar system, the digging of cable and water pipe trenches, and the erection of an eight-metre-high steel scaffold with a 20,000-litre water tank.
A total of 52 kilometres of water pipes were laid – a huge undertaking, but one that is well worth the effort. The project not only brings water, but also new hope and crop yields for the local population.
In video clips on our YouTube channel, two of the participating farmers in Chideza, Zambia, talk about what they hope to achieve through the irrigation project. The project will fundamentally change their lives. Hunger will be a thing of the past. See for yourself:
Interview with Doro Sakala:
Interview with a second farmer:
In just five days, we worked with the local population to lay 50 kilometres of drip lines across five hectares of land.
The pipes have small openings every 30 centimetres, from which water drips directly onto the plants – exactly where they grow. This targeted irrigation system achieves an efficiency of around 90%, whereas conventional methods often only achieve 25–60%.
Thanks to this efficiency, significantly less water is required – a decisive advantage in a region where water is highly dependent on the season. Whereas previously no farming was possible during the dry season, it is now possible to cultivate and harvest up to three times a year.
The impact is profound: families now have enough food, can sell surpluses at the market and thus earn income for school fees or doctor's visits. A new, self-determined life begins.
The solar pumps have been in operation for four days and are successfully pumping water into the elevated tank. From there, we have laid the main pipes to the field over the past few days. As large quantities of water flow through these pipes, they have a diameter of 50 millimetres. They transport the water to the drip irrigation hoses, which supply the field with water evenly and efficiently.
About a week has passed since the solar system was fully installed. Digging the trenches took a long time because the ground was particularly hard due to the dry weather. But now the trenches are finished—60 cm deep and 50 cm wide.
Today was finally the day: the water pipes could be laid to the two boreholes, as could the power supply from the solar system to the boreholes. After connecting the power cables and water pipes, the pumps were lowered into the boreholes and put into operation.
After just two days of work, it's done: a new 20,000 litre water tank was completed yesterday in Chideza. The tank was delivered during the night and carefully lifted onto the 8.40 metre high steel structure using a crane. From there, the water flows by gravity directly into the nearby fields.
Next, the water pipes will be laid to distribute the water efficiently across the fields. Solar-powered pumps are then installed to ensure a sustainable water supply from the borehole to the tank.
Sustainable irrigation systems like this improve food security and strengthen local agriculture - exactly what we at Institute Water for Africa are committed to.
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Recipient:
Institute Water for Africa e.V.
Bank:
Evangelische Bank Kassel
IBAN:
DE76 5206 0410 0005 0240 13
BIC:
GENO DE F1 EK1
