Sand Dams Worldwide

Sand Dams Worldwide supports some of the world’s poorest people in drylands to transform their own lives and land through water and soil conservation.

The UK charity works with local in-country partners to help vulnerable dryland communities to build sand dams; a sustainable, cost-effective rainwater harvesting technology that can capture up to 40 million litres of water, replenishing every rainy season. That water is stored safe from disease and evaporation within sand and is easily extractable via pipework connected to hand-pumps and taps, with one sand dam providing enough year-round water for over 1,000 people.

Sand dams play a significant role in mitigating the effects of climate change. They raise groundwater levels through slowing down water run-off and capturing rainwater that would be lost as run-off, while allowing most water to continue downstream. The slowing down of run-off allows water to infiltrate soil, resulting in vegetation recovery, reduced erosion, restored degraded land and regreened environments.

The charity also works through partners to advise communities on improved climate-smart agriculture techniques, like terracing, developing seed banks and planting of drought-resistant crops and trees; empowering families to grow enough food to eat, store and sell in the face of climate change and drought.

A legacy towards a sand dam project could provide a lifelong, nearby supply of clean water for a dryland community.

This means that people are healthier from not having to drink contaminated dirty water, and women and children especially can save up to 12 hours a day (time that they can use to rebuild their livelihoods and attend school).

Also the degraded land surrounding the dam regreens and becomes fertile, so farmers can grow more food to feed their families.

Leave a legacy of good health, hope and opportunity with sand dams.