Low-tech Water Pumps Transform Lives in Madagascar

Simple technologies such as a rope pump and treadle pump have transformed lives in Betany Village, Madagascar. Plagued with intermittent drought and water scarcity, women used to have to walk three miles a day to collect water. Irrigating crops by hand was often an hours long task. With very little access to water, the village's harvests were meager at best. With the generous support of the American people through a USAID funded grant, Catholic Relief Services was able to install both a rope and a treadle pump in Betany Village. Villagers were trained in maintenance and pump repairs and provided with drought resistant seeds. The result of this simple technology has saved hours of water collection and significantly increased crop production.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• CRS
• 2011
• Catholic
• Relief
• Services
• Treadle
• pumps
• Madagascar
• Betany
• Village
• Sara
• Fajardo
• rope
• transform
• lives
• drought
• water
• scarcity