| Seeds of Hope is committed to an integrated program of water, sanitation, and hygiene (iWASH). We do not want to just come into a community, drill a well and then leave. We want to equip communities with the tools necessary for lasting change by bringing knowledge in multiple areas of development, effectively reversing the downward cycle of poverty. SHIP integrates appropriate development components within each community, working with government officials, churches, NGOs, schools and other community leadership structures to bring community ownership of the process of transformational community development. | |
WATER WELL DRILLING: Seeds of Hope has a full-time drill crew on staff in Zambia, working to drill wells in impoverished communities. Each well can bring clean water to as many as 1,000 people. This has an immediate effect on the prevalence of water-born diseases in a community. SHIP began our work in Zambia with two cable tool drill rigs, both built by Orley Campbell of Canada. We have found the cable tool rig is an appropriate next step technology for Zambia because it is easily maintained and repaired, enabling the ministry to become self-sustaining. The SHIP Zambian drillers have shown incredible persistence and expertise using our two rigs; they have progressed from not knowing how to drill to becoming skilled well drillers, improving health and saving lives in a multitude of villages. In 2008, with funding from Blood:Water Mission, Seeds of Hope was able to ship two additional drill rigs over to Zambia, a Bucyrus 22W cable tool rig and a trailer-mounted rotary rig. These larger rigs have enabled SHIP to drill in more difficult geography and to a greater depth, multiplying the locations/regions where we can successfully reach water. We are now training drillers on three different types of drilling methods. Seeds of Hope focuses on drilling community development wells where we combine the drinking water well with participatory hygiene training and training a group of pump caretakers who can maintain and repair the new well. These things combined multiply the benefits throughout the community. Storylink: Rotary
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HAND PUMP REPAIR: Millions of rural peoples rely on hand pumps for their family's drinking water. In many places wells have been drilled without local people having the knowledge to repair them. Crews can be trained to repair broken wells that have been out of service for years. Our program encourages hands on training on several types of hand-pumps to ensure the pump repair technicians are adequately trained. With a few tools and a little training, Africans can be equipped to help their own communities. Several teams have been trained in repairing broken hand-pumps. These students then become teachers throughout their communities. |
BIO SAND FILTERS: These filters purify drinking water right in a family’s home, removing up to 97% of the pathogens in water. SHIP is manufacturing and installing bio sand filters from our Resource Center in Zambia. Through partnerships with other organizations we are targeting areas in deep need for the benefits that these filters bring. We are partnering with CAWST, Thirst Relief International, and Blood:Water Mission on this project. For just a few dollars families can have the ability to clean their drinking water year after year. This is an amazing technology to be able to bring to impoverished communities. Our partner and supporter CAWST has entered into a significant contract with the Canada International Development Agency (CIDA) to allow SHIP to become a Center of Expertise for Africa in water, sanitation, and hygiene training and promotion. This will give us the ability to expand our training of other organizations in household water treatment methods. As we train organizations who then train others, the production and installation of bio-sand filters increases exponentially, bringing clean water into many more homes! Already this contract has enabled our Zambian staff to travel to Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe to conduct bio-sand filter training. |
WATER TESTING LABORATORY: The contract also includes funding to establish a small water testing laboratory, equipping us with further knowledge to help prevent the spread of disease. At SHIP’s water quality testing laboratory in Ndola, we are now able to do systematic testing to confirm the effectiveness of things we are doing, increasing the life-saving effect of our projects. This laboratory is also available for use by other organizations, increasing overall efficiency in efforts being made by many groups to make clean water accessible in Zambia. |
| AFRICA MANZI CENTER: AFMAC is a training organization that works collaboratively to find acceptable household water and sanitation solutions for the poor, and helps to build the networks necessary to make household water and sanitation projects a reality. To learn more about AFMAC, the partnership between the Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technologies (CAWST) and Seeds of Hope International Partnerships, please visit the AFMAC page. | |
For more information, see the article published in the Zambia Times about Seeds of Hope and Bio sand filters. |
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