Calabash Cistern journey through Africa and beyond - totaal

CALABASH CISTERN IN AFRICA 2024

Calabash Cistern 5000 L to store rain water for drinking in households

all around in rural areas you need:

6 days

9 bags of cement, good sand

10 kg soft steelwire

8 m chicken mesh a tap

Heavy work and polluted water

Drinking water

No time for school

Welcome

This is a book about the Calabash Cistern.

A history book about the birth and development of the Calabash.

A platform for pictures and stories of the Calabash Family and others.

A story of countries, where the Calabash is constructed.

It is also a technical book about the construction of the C. A work book.

The Calabash Family tells us about the importance of safe drinking water. It shows pictures of training and human cooperation in peace. About animals and plants and ecosystems.

It is a book about children.

Many women and girls show their heavy burden, about women, men and family. The woman is water. About water and rain.

About the mystery of life on our planet Earth. This book shares the fruit of our work!

No time for school

De Calabash solution, history

Introduction

Millions of rural families in Africa lack proper drinking water at home. Often they suffer severe water related illnesses (diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid). Women and girls lug a heavy burden to carry water home over long distances. We see it happen every day, until today.

The Calabash Cistern can give a safe drinking water supply, at home, near the kitchen in an insecure world with climate disasters and human violence. You can read the story of Effata (p. 38) and the poem of Suntu (p.100). Imagine how much more freely you can shape your own life if you have safe water in stock.

Technical results of the Calabash project: Local masons and skilful farmers have constructed 8000 Cisterns of 5000 L in remote villages and on far away islands, in more than 14 African countries. The cisterns are made with locally available tools and materials and are built at low cost, approximately € 280, 00 in 2023. The idea is to collect rain and store it for drinking water near the kitchen.

The farmer, woman or man, pays an amount of money and is the owner. The water has good drinking quality.

Social issue: This book is a collection of pictures, made by the author, visitors and project leaders. We call our selves the Calabash Family. The book is meant for practitioners in rural drinking water, for farmers, for women, for donors, for ourselves. We share 20 years’ experience with you. It is also a collection of stories told by people who wish to survive with their family in a dignified way. This drinking water issue may make a connection between two extremely different worlds on one planet

As co-founder of the Calabash project, together with my fondly remembered friend Bicosse Nandafa, and a 4 years living experience in a remote African village, I feel it as my work to collect the pictures, the stories and the experiences, to make this book.

Paul Akkerman

Girls from Catunco cross the river to fetch water from the main land

Bicosse NaNdafa 1951 - 2009

1 RAINWATER HARVESTING AND CALABASH CISTERN

Paul and Bicosse, start of the project

How it started

The Calabash Project started in Bedanda, a small village in the south of Guinea-Bissau with rice farmers from the ethnic Balanta. I lived and worked here for more than 3 years as a development worker organizing practical training for young men.

Here in Bedanda the good friendship with Bicosse Nandafa started from the beginning. During 3 years, Bicosse introduced me to the Balanta society. Here he taught me to use the famous aradu to plow my own rice field the midst of other farmers, we participated in working groups, here I joined Bicosse’s initiation into becoming a mature Balanta man. I wrote my book ‘In Search of Others’ about these existential experiences.

Many years later Bicosse offered me the keys to a local drinking water project, with global potential. But I didn’t know yet. That was strange, because I lived all these years in Bedanda with a Balanta woman NBea as my housekeeper. I never noticed her heavy burden of bringing good water to my kitchen. Every early morning she pours 25 litres of clear water from a tub on her head into my basin. She never told me that she had walked in the very early dark morning to a good well in the neighbouring

village. I never asked either. Water was so normal for me as a Dutch person. But every morning NBea had to wait hours for her turn. She had struggled with other women to get her place. At 7am, just before I wake up, she pours the water into my basin. No fuss, no complaint.

In 2003, my wife Cathrien and I invited a group of Dutch people from my village Holten to visit Bicosse in Bedanda. Ten white people were (hosted) housed with local families for two weeks. A great experience for both guests and hosts. Ultimately, the visitors wanted to do something good for the village. Something for the school, for the health centre or for the children. No! No! Bicosse replied: “If you really want to help my village, please help us with drinking water!“ He speeks on behalf of the entire village.

We started our drinking water project with worldwide potential. But we didn’t know it then. We started as amateurs.

Rain Water Harvesting

Modern Rain Water Harvestingsystem in Mexico with double gutter, a first flush filter and a Calabash.

People hide their last water inside the house

Drinking water

Traditional rain water harvesting in Cataban Ntunda from a grass roof

Cataban Ntunda

Observations

by Hans Hartung

Rainwater tanks and their construction.

The rainwater tanks are an integral part of life in the families.

• People appreciate them very much as a source of clean water for drinking, whereas water for other purposes (such as cleaning, washing) is usually coming from wells (there the quality maybe a bit salty).

• Water from tanks is especially valued at the end of the dry season (starting from February) when many wells dry up or have very little water.

• Water from the tanks is not the only source of water but an additional source, as people use different water sources for different water needs at different times of the year. Rainwater is especially liked for its good taste, its cleanliness and its availability at the house (in the tank). On the islands there is no alternative for drinking water.

• Contrary to many beliefs, people collect water trom (mostly) thatched roots in a traditional way (binding the ends of the thatch together),collecting it in available vessels and then storing it in the tank. The brown colour disappears during the storage as well as bacterial count goes down significantly (as evidence in literature and own earlier tests show, e.g. J. Heyworth [1], who compared a sample of more than 1000 school children,who were regular consumers of tank rainwater.They were at no greater odds of gastroenteritis than those who drank treated public mains water).

• The construction quality of the tanks is good. Leaks are reported (no statistics available), repair experience is with the masons. A system of monitoring is being set up with the introduction of “representatives” in the areas where tanks have been built. Monitoring of the construction quality is important to make masons responsible for their work; their remuneration should be dependant of a good performance (see as well the recommendations).

• An efficient and cost-effective organisation has been developed. The work is directly benefitting the future users, who are involved from the beginning. In contrast to many organisations, which are spending an increasing amount of funds on project/programme administration (Including offices, cars,…), administration cost here are at an absolute minimum. Paul Akkerman and two coordinators are able to handle the situaton well. If activities should increase. the organisational set-up has to be rethought”.

EVALUATION by Hans Hartung in 2013. He is an international consultant RWH. During 10 days Hans travels with us on the islands to talk with the people and to evaluate the effects of our project in the community. He gives us confidence in our skills and courage to export our know how.

The EVALUATION REPORT is linked to the website: www. degevuldewaterkruik.nl

The Shape, the name and the symbol together

The Calabash Cistern is developed in Africa and we call it Calabash, because of its shape. People recognize an African shape which also resembles the traditional ceramic water jar. The calabash is worldwide known because of its beautiful round shape. Traditionally it is used as a container for water, milk and other fluids. The shape, the name and the symbol go together.

Coming out of the mould

2 CALABASH CISTERN GUINEA-BISSAU

Woman farmers drying palm pits and rice

CALABASH WITH SOLAR PUMP

Cattle holders

Cattle farm Oio, Guinea-Bissau

Vegetable Gardens

CALABASH

Barry’s shop

Barry Djalo, shopholder, sells cool drinking water in Bedanda.

Escape poverty!

The mother with 7 Cisterns in Mansaba

In 2022 Antonio da Silva, our team leader in Mansaba tells me about a widow who has constructed 7 Calabash Cisterns around her house. We went to visit her. Her name is Sabadu Badjomgissi. We find her at home, together with her youngest daughter Mariama. We count her 7 cisterns around the house, well maintained. The story comes later out of the mouth of Antonio.

Antonio tells what he, as a local resident, accidentally knows, because Sabadu would never answer my curiosity. She is looking forward to (avoids) making her strategy public. Widows without a new marriage partner have a hard time in this country. They have to do everything themselves.

Antonio: As a widow she had to raise her 6 daughters, she had to pay the school fee and when one daughter is grown up she will marry and leave for her husband. A son would stay at home, but a daughter will leave. Her youngest daughter, still at home, wants to become a doctor. The cashew yielded too little. But Sabadu has a vegetable garden close to home, fenced with sturdy wooden posts to keep the pigs out. She came up with a plan.

In 2019, she started growing kancha, a small green trumpet-shaped fruit, traditionally used to season rice. She started watering/irrigating 2 months before the rainy season started.

In June the fruits were immediately ripe, 2 months earlier than the cocurrence.

She mentioned me her income over 2019, by mistake, said Antonio. It was more than CFA 200,000, -. 2 kancha fruits yield CFA 100. She must have harvested and sold 2.000 fruits.

In the years that followed, she wisely kept her mouth shut and her income secret. Mariama started her study in Bissau.

3 INTERNATIONAL TRAINING AND CROSSING BORDERS

First successful international training

During our training in DR Congo, we learned the importance of a local project leader. In 2 earlier international trainings, we had good masons, but no leader. The projects failed.

In 2013 I gave a presentation about the Calabash at the yearly Partin-Day in the Netherlands. Partin is the name of the Dutch umbrella organisation of Private Initiatives in development cooperation. Very useful.

Here I met a Congolese man called Gustave Muteba. Gustave, living in the Netherlands, is supporting an orphanage project in DR Congo. During the presentation he fell in love with the Calabash solution and he invited me to train his masons in a town called Menkao not far from Kinshasa.

In 2014 we found the Heineken Fund willing to pay the training and the tickets for the 2 trainers from Guinea-Bissau. In Kinshasa Gustave introduced me to his local project leader Ir. Roger Mbumbu.

Ir. Roger had already his own team of masons and for us he became a role model for a local project leader.

Roger introduced me to the chief of Menkao and other citizens. He organised all requirements for the training, materials and tools, lodging and transport. He gave instructions and did quality control Afterwards we agreed about further cooperation. He was able to write a request and a report. He could make a plan and a budget. Since 2014 Ir. Roger has constructed about 200 Calabash Cisterns for 200 families in Menkao. After some years Ir. Roger and Mr. Gustave succeeded in raising their own funds.

In 2019 Ir. Roger travelled to Tanzania to be one of the trainers in the Calabash project of Mr Kees Kempenaar (SPOTTanzania). It was the first time he travelled that far. He trained the Tanzanian masons using the Swahili language. He spoke the language because he is born in East Congo. Ir. Roger opened his African horizon.

Guinea-Bissau

DR Congo

Kenya

Cameroon

Malawi

Tanzania

Alfred Tobiko

Guinea-Conakry Senegal

International Training initiates Crossing Borders

Many times our project initiated and organised training for masons, trainers and project leaders to cross the border of Guinea-Bissau. Training showed to be the vehicle to spread the knowhow of the Calabash.

Our aim is to reach out to all farmers in rural Africa. It gives impulse. A big impulse is that African trainers train African participants. Crossing borders extends your world.

Sadjaliu trained in Conakry, Senegal, Nigeria and Malawi. Julio trained in Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania and Senegal. Domingos trained in Nigeria and Senegal. Wilfaba and John trained in Burkina Faso. Cure stayed half a year in Kenya together with Alfred. David Vargas participated in Brasil and Tanzania. Etc., etc, etc.

International training gives a big dynamics. Our Calabash Family is growing.

Example of an international training

• The requesting project takes the initiative. No request, no project.

• You can train 6 up to 10 masons in 2 teams. During the training you can construct 4 or 8 Calabash Cisterns in 13 days. Each team has a trainer and each team has two cisterns under construction.

• Working in 2 teams is good, because the participants can compare with each other, provided that the locations are not far from each other.

• Important is to choose a good location. Perhaps in the yard of one of the masons or participants. Try to find a motivated owner of the new cistern.

• Ownership is important. Select the location in relation to the house, the roof and the gutter.

• The first part of the training takes 7 days. Every morning starts with an explanation and an evaluation of yesterday for each team.

• In the first week, the trainer shows how to work, the participants follow.

• In the second week the participants work and the trainer is the coach.

• Finance. After a self-paid training, our organisation may give the project financial support to construct the first 10 Calabash Cisterns.

African trainers are artists in Calabash skills

Bicarande Na NSosa

Julio Nahonta and Braima Sori Bari

Julio Nahonta

Iaia Indjai

Benson Siokino

Julio Njambe

Curé Sumba

Braima Sori Bari

Curé Sumba Quibos Tamba

Evalyne Kimojino

The Calabash Cistern even made the jump across the ocean to South America and Asia.

Mexico Panama

Sri-Lanka

4 THE COUNTRIES

Guinea-Conakry

Guinea-Conakry

Women from the village Sintchuru had ordered 12 Calabash Cisterns. The construction was completed in December 2018. A few weeks after the rainy season. How to fill the Cisterns? The women organised themselves and decided to carry river water before the river should dry out in February.

They carried the water in tubs on the head from the river to the village, a distance of about 1 km. To fill one Calabash 5000L you need 250 tubs.

So they got water in stock at home, good for boiling cooking and drinking. Better tired than no water.

Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria

Paul with Frank van der Maas, general project leader Effata

Domingos Tchuda and his team of deaf masons

Story of Effata geral

Community Based Rehabilitation. managed by Frank van der Maas, brings together isolated deaf children from villages to learn sign language. These children then go to an inclusive school, where teachers and

other children also learn sign language. After their basic education (high school), the young people learn a profession, such as hairdresser, carpenter, bicycle maker and cistern builder.

The story of Effata in Nigeria

Dear Paul,

Here is a story about that I told earlier. The new worker at the Water Project is called Emmanuel Nwamini. He is an orphan who grew up near Effata and therefore attended the inclusive school Berea for 6 years. He learned sign language there and can therefore easily communicate with all the deaf masons. Most deaf boys have also finished high school and are happy to have a job. Every week we have three teams of 2 masons who together build 6 water cisterns. They have a week off one week a month and we use that week to do inspections, paint the numbers and do some shopping, as well as administration (reports). If an intern wants to come along, that is also possible, but that is usually only when the school has holidays, for both deaf and hearing people.

At the end of 2021 we received a gift and we spent it on building water cisterns for 40 widows, so they did not have to pay anything, but they did have to provide stones, sand and food. They were so happy and amazed that they kept thanking us. Sometimes they were so poor that the food only consisted of some watery soup and rice, but the workers would then receive some money from us to buy food. People from the village or the church were mobilized to help with sand and stones, which caused hardly any problems. There were no stones for two widows (in different villages), but they did not want to miss their chance and were afraid that we would build the cistern at someone else’s house. So they put some sturdy sticks under the corner of the roof, loosened the mud bricks from the wall and we were able to use them to build the cistern. When it was finished, they rebuilt the wall from the same stones.

In May 2021, four villages were attacked by 300 Fula fighters in the middle of the night. That had

happened before in other provinces but never here. 140 people were slaughtered and many mutilated. Men, but also women and children who could not flee quickly enough. Some survivors only returned after several months. There was help from the government, from the churches and also from abroad. Medical assistance, help with building houses and dealing with the trauma. A few deaf students from our schools were also killed; they did not hear the fighters coming and were simply slaughtered.

As a Water Project, we were able to find a donor from Canada in early 2022 who helped us provide 50 widows from those villages with a water cistern for free. Our deaf masons have been working there for weeks. The hearing masons did not want to go to those villages for fear that the Fula herders would return one day. If you travel through the area now, you will see water cisterns everywhere. It’s great that women no longer have to walk for hours to a river to get a jerry can of dirty water, but simply have enough water at home to drink and cook. This way they don’t have to leave the children alone for hours. Yet it is also sad when you realize that every cistern you see means that a widow lives there.

In 2023 we hope to continue to give even more widows or people with disabilities a free water cistern. Because we are now building so many water cisterns (220 per year), we are also receiving more and more requests from people who want to pay for them. And as a project that helps people with disabilities, we are happy that through this work more and more people realize that deaf boys can work just as well as hearing ones. The acceptance of young people with disabilities is improving.

Frank van der Maas, 8-9-22

DR Congo

River Congo

The story of Menkao

Menkao is a fast growing town with approximately 40,000 inhabitants in a hilly landscape, just over one hour's drive, east of Kinshasa, not far from the river Congo.

The ground water level is about 200 m. deep. Many residents are refugees from the war in eastern DR Congo. Gustave tells us that there are 2 children in their orphanage, who came walking from Goma. Their parents died of exhaustion on the road. When we arrived in 2014 with engineer Roger and Gustave, we saw a tall water tower looming in the distance. The impressive water tower with many pipes and taps could have supplied drinking water for the entire population. It was financed by the EU.

Unfortunately the pump is broken. The borehole is 250 meters deep. The pump stuck and cannot be lifted. Also the money is gone. The situation is an example of the many tragedies of large complicated installations.

Probably one thousand Calabash Cisterns could have been constructed for the same costs. RWH with domestic water cisterns is a very flexible approach where risks are spread.

Since 2014 more than 100 Calabash Cisterns are constructed in and around Menkao by HHA (Hart and Hands in Action).

DR Congo, Kasai Grande

The start of the Calabash in East Africa

Lukozi,Tanzania, 4 up 18 February 2019. International Training for Calabash Cistern construction. The start of the Calabash in East Africa.

Mid 2018 we started to prepare a training for a big group of Tanzanian masons, about 15. During this preparation the Dutch Foundation got several requests from three other African countries as DR Congo, Kenya and Malawi. And from Mexico came a request. From this reality we organised an international Calabash training for masons. Lukozi, a village in Lushoto district, became the training centre.

The trainers were experienced in the Calabash construction, 2 from Guinea-Bissau (the West African country where it started) and two from Dr Congo. In total we had 20 masons to be trained. Two weeks, one week four teams,second week four differente teams. Each team 5 masons and one trainer, constructed 2 Calabash tanks. Next week 4 different teams the same. So we constructed in total 16 Calabash tanks for 16 different families (owners). Lukozi and its surrounding got so many unusual languages to hear: French, Portugese, Spanish, Creole from Bissau, and still communucation went well and work atmosphere was positive. (In the evening participants played a game everybody can enjoy; Domino) Very nice to experience.

Everybody got a certificate. And now in September 2024 (almost 7 and a half year later) we realize that this training was the start of expanding the Calabash Cistern (rain water harvesting) to many countries as: Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Mexico, etc.

SPOT Tanzania - Chamavita

Kees Kempenaar

Training in Tanzania

Roger Mbumbu, trainer in Tanzania

Sergio, participant in Tanzania, trainer in Mexico

David Vargas 

Lukozi market

Dr. Amsabi Mrimi, Member of Parliament-SerengetiTanzania, and also our friend Jeremiah, invited project leader Alfred Tobiko and his trainers to train

his Tanzanian team of masons in the construction of the Calabash Cistern in a village in the middle of the beautiful and world famous Serengeti district.

The lady Kokoo Lanoi says “I’m happy, the Calabash water is sweet and more, Thanks to Projectleader Alfred for bringing the Calabash to Olekoros.”

Story Alfred Tobiko, Olekoros, Trans Mara, Kenya

Since the start of the Calabash cisterns in Kenya 2018, my masons have constructed more than 400 Calabash Cisterns in East Africa. I got my first training and certificate in Tanzania, (2019) Calabash Water is used for drinking, washing babies and for cooking food.

Many women have paid the 50% of the Calabash costs (€ 150,-) with pleasure, because it has reduced the burden of women collecting water from far away. Also the local water sources are dirty.

River Mara water is polluted and also very dangerous due to attack by wild crocodiles in the river. The cases of crocodiles attack has reduced due to Calabash cisterns constructed in their households.

The Calabash project is more important than other projects because with clean water everything is good.

Our trainers, Benson Siokino and Benard Oloisa have been trainer in Uganda and Tanzania for the training of new masons in the Eastern African countries. Many young masons, men and women, have got self-employment through construction of Calabash Cisterns.

The Emburkutia Women Self Help Group started their own project. Women masons, whom we trained, are showing good results. Mrs. Evalyne Kimojino is projectleader. Our third trainer Tall David Siokino is supporting the women group.

Calabash cisterns project has improved local economy since, shopping of equipment is done in the local hardware. The Locals have realized that the Calabash Cisterns is cheaper than buying plastic tanks.

Alfred Tobiko Project leader East Africa CWHV-KENYA.

Story: During a meeting Benard Oloisa tells about what the project brought him in his village. Answer: The most important thing is that I learned to be a mason and now I am a mason. Before that I had no profession. Now my son can see me laying bricks and he can become a better mason than me.

River Mara, Kenya

Collecting water from the same river as the cows. The crocodiles are smiling.

Nariku Olekoros carries river water

Alfred’s wife Maria

Training in Malawi

Project leader Veronica Kuchikonde †

Project leaders Alfred from Kenya and Sadjaliu from Guinea-Bissau in Malawi

Crossing borders to Malawi. Sadjaliu and Julio’s passport.

In 2018 and 2019, trainers from Guinea gained experience in Kenya and Tanzania. Now is Malawi in the programme. Are our African project leaders and trainers able to fly independently? We’re going to find out. Sadjaliu and Julio then drive by bus to Dakar, fly to Nairobi, where our Kenyan Alfred picks them up to travel together by bus to Blantyre in Malawi. All three gentlemen have flying experience. With Alfred present, the transfer in Nairobi should be successful.

Sadjaliu and Julio walk to the gate in Dakar with their valid passports and tickets in hand. Customs officer: “What are you going to do in Nairobi?” No visiting family, but working? Not a donkey would consider that to be true! You don’t speak a word of English. Please get out of line and wait in the office. We’re going to find out.

Sadjaliu and Julio speak neither French nor English (they do speak Fula) and stand awkwardly on the side-lines of a few females. Then Sadjaliu gets an idea, Sadjaliu says. He opens his bag and takes out the richly illustrated CALABASH MANUAL and shows it to the female employees .

The ladies drop work and crowd around the inspired Sadjaliu, who explains everything in their widely spoken Fula language. The officials arrive. The ladies stand up for our friends doing valuable work for African women and drinking water. Sadjaliu hands out a few MANUALS and they are allowed on the plane.

But, the story gets even better, the flight turns out to be cancelled. What to do? The officials invite our friends to sleep in an official guestroom, with good beds. Next morning, the officials honour our friends and bring them on the right plane: Safe journey! When Sadjaliu tells us his story, a broad smile appears on his face.

Malawi, Zomba, Mkanda, 2019

You can say that the Calabash Cistern (C.C.) travelled from Guinea-Bissau to Tanzania, to Malawi, to Mexico. You can also say that the C.C. travelled from Guinea-Bissau to Kenya, to Malawi. Or you can say she travelled from GB to DR Congo to Tanzania to Malawi. The whole of Africa becomes a network.

Alfred Tobiko says: It is the Calabash Family. Mrs Veronica Kuchikonde, village leader of Mkanda, is our host and project leader. After the training she started her own project: CLEAN WATER – HEALTHY VILLAGE Malawi. Sad enough, she died in 2023.

Selfie of Sadjaliu and Julio in the airplane

Rainclouds at the horizon promise water for the Calabash

Ring Road Lilongwe

Piloting and Scaling up the Calabash Cistern in Malawi

by Mr Macpherson Nthara

Mr. Macpherson, president of the Rainwater Harvesting Association of Malawi, has visited our training -2018- in Mkanda for Good Goal, where Veronica Kuchikonde was the project leader. Since than he continues the work with the Calabash Cistern and he is the writer of this story. Han Heijnen, our RWH supporter visited him in Lilongwe during one of his trainings.

RAINWATER HARVESTING ASSOCIATION OF MALAWI CLEAN WATER – HEALTHY VILLAGE

Background and Context Malawi is one of the countries facing a serious crisis in water availability both for agricultural and domestic uses. Many urban and rural areas in the country are dry as such people rely on water points which are a long distance away or on unprotected water sources such as shallow wells, rivers or ponds. Widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting among rural communities has been facing challenges due to the high cost of construction materials. The Calabash Cisterns addressed this challenges buy offering a 5000 –10,000 Litres water storage tank at an affordable cost.

The history of Calabash Cisterns in Malawi dates back to 2018 when Clean Water Healthy Village in collaboration with Veronica Kuchikonde in Zomba trained the first batch of masons. (The training was financed by Good Goal and supervised by Paul Akkerman CLEAN WATER – HEALTHY VILLAGE, with trainers from Guinea-Bissau and Kenya). The trained masons went ahead to construct a number of cisterns for several households around Zomba District. Some cisterns were constructed in schools that were participating in a school feeding Programme.

Subsequent training of Masons on Calabash Cisterns were conducted in collaboration with Smart Center in Mzuzu City. The Rainwater Harvesting Association of Malawi (RHAM) sent four masons to be trained in Calabash Cistern construction. The introduction of Calabash Cisterns was a game changer for RHAM which at the time had been looking for alternative methods for rainwater storage having promoted Ferro Cement Tanks in previous years. The high cost of Ferro cement tanks was seen as a major obstacle in scaling up the rainwater harvesting storage structures in the country. However, with Calabash Cistern, the cost of rainwater storage has been drastically reduced to an amount most households can afford.

10.000L

Mr. Macpherson Nthara and Mr. Han Heijnen

The first batch of 10 Calabash Cisterns by RHAM were constructed as part of demonstrations supported by Clean Water Healthy Village. These calabashes were constructed in strategic location in order to increase awareness on the potential of Calabash Cisterns as a storage for rainwater and enhance their visibility. A massive media campaign to promote Calabash Cisterns was conducted with support from International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA). Following the campaign, a number of individuals and NGOs approached RHAM with an expression of interest to partner in the construction of the cisterns in schools. So far several NGOs have constructed Calabash Cisterns through the collaboration with RHAM, see table.

Impacts and Outcomes

• Reduced burden for drawing water – the Calabash cisterns have brought water closer to people’s homes and this has eased the burden of women and girls who used to walk long distances to draw

water from traditional sources.

• Improved time keeping for school going kids –while in the past school going kids would delay in going to school since they were drawing water from far, now they are able to collect closer to home and get to school on time.

• Water independence for the elderly – the older members of community who used to depend on other members of the family to collect water for them have an easy access closer to their homes.

• Improved sanitation and hygiene – due to availability of water closer to homes community members have improved on their hygiene practices e.g. handwashing and bathing. These practices are often ignored if water is difficult to collect.

• With Calabash Cisterns supporting backyard gardens, it is expected that there will be health and nutrition benefits to household as well as improvement in household incomes from the sale of excess produce.

Father Mbusa of Kasese in Uganda stands between 2 trainers from Kenya: Benson Siokino (left) and Benard Oloisa. In 2022 the Ugandese masons came and visited the training Centre in Olekoros. Than

Benson and Benard travelled by bus to Kasese and did a very good training, with projectleader Alfred Tobiko. The training was realized through a big financial support of Mr. Tommy O’Brien from Ireland.

Francis Kule, Benson Siokino, Father Mbusa, Benard Oloisa and Bwambale Finehans

Building Calabash cisterns in Kasese

As COVID intervened, it took a while before action could be undertaken. In early 2022 the project could be restarted with a visit of Francis Kule and Bwambale Finehans, two Caritas staff, to Olokoros in Kenya, to meet with Alfred Tobiko and colleagues and see how the calabash cisterns were constructed. Their positive information on the calabash cistern was welcomed by Fr. Mbusa, at the time the deputy director of Caritas Kasese. Fr. Mbusa was an active person who went about visiting schools and contacting headmasters to appraise the need and interest. Some 19 schools showed promise.

To have a successful project, first of all local masons need to be trained in the Calabash construction skills. With financial and technical support of Clean Water – Healthy Village, Tommy O’Brien and Han Heijnen, Alfred Tobiko organized a training programme in Kasese implemented by Benson

Siokino and Benard Oloisa. The inputs from the Kenya team were highly appreciated, especially the facts that they stayed on for another week to help build the first set of calabash cisterns in two schools in the hills.

Now that some 8 masons were trained, the programme took off quickly and the 19 schools could be serviced within the next 6 months with the funds from Tommy O’Brien and his friends. Since that time the programme has gradually expanded with additional training of masons, including two ladies. Until mid-2024 32 cisterns of 5’000 and 10’000 liter have been built around the district, in schools, an orphanage and a tourist campsite. Most of the cisterns are still subsidized, but the public at large is showing more interest and cisterns are now also constructed in Kasese town on a more commercial basis.

20.000 L

Calabash Cistern and water kiosk to sell water.

Tatirano Madagascar project leader Harry Chaplin

Training Calabash Cisterns in the Netherlands

Eerhard Mensink en Joris Wiggins (see 89) - Netherlands

Camping De Joxhorst

Strong Dutchmen lifting the roof

Peter Akkerman

Ghana

Project Ghana over de IJssel - Project leaders Alfred Atta and Eerhard Mensink

Alfred Atta

Senegal

Senegal, Fatique, a dying forest, because free domestic animals eat young trees

Project La pluie, la forêt et les Hommes (IRHA)

Training in Boyard, 2019

Training on the Island Niomoun, Casamance 2018

Holy cow

Place of sacrifice of the queen, Diola tribe

School children carrying the blocks for the training Maria, the queen of Niomoun

Project leader Domingos Tchuda

Foundation Drinking Water in Cameroon

Project Calabash

Project leader Gerard van Noort

Mr. Gerard van Noort has been a big part of his life General Director of a hospital in Cameroon. He wants to introduce the Calabash Cistern in Cameroon and he started the Drinking Water Project in 2020 . He works together with the Evangelic Church in Germany and Cameroon. Up to now his organisation constructed more than 70 cisterns in Cameroon.

“Good news.

At the end of our annual report 2023 , we discussed the policy for 2024. It states that for the distribution of the Calabash Cistern, we will also seek opportunities for cooperation with civil and traditional authorities.

This happened on Friday, March 7. Then, in Mokolo (80 km west of Maroua, Northern Cameroon), the Calabash promotion day took place, with 30

attendees. Invited are the Sous-Prefect, the mayor, the Lamido (title of the traditional Muslim leader), various dignitaries, imams and pastors. The day is led by pastor Warda. After all the explanations and the viewing of the Calabash, which was built in Mokolo in 2023, there is a meal. A special offer is announced there: everyone who signs up for a Calabash on this day, March 7, pays a personal contribution of 90 euros instead of 120 euros, to be paid within 1 week, so before March 15.

This is a great success and eventually results in 19 orders. The Lamido has his contribution delivered to Warda on Saturday 8 March. On Monday 10 March the masons start building at his place. This strengthens the feeling of confidence in the project. Two groups of masons work with all their might to finish all 19 ordered Calabashes before the rainy season starts. With these 19 the total amount comes to 51 Calabashes and later to 70.”

Gerard van Noort

Project leader

Gerard van Noort

Mexico 2020

David Vargas Mexico

Sergio Superman

The Story of Joris Wiggins

I like the story of Joris, because it is an example how one man can be a link in a long chain of knowledge transfer and inspiration.

2016. Joris comes to visit me in my home place Holten, because he is interested in the Calabash Cistern. As a student in civil technology (Delft), he wants to work for drinking water. He has been a volunteer in Nicaragua and saw that many hand pumps are not functioning. Now he wishes to experience RWH in combination with the Calabash.

December 2016. At my invitation, Joris travels to Buba, with the plan to participate in a training for a group of African participants in Guinea-Bissau, the cradle of the Calabash. Sadjaliu, the local project leader, has already prepared everything perfectly. Joris will participate in a 10-day training course in the village Guilege, together with 10 local masons. An interpreter (Mr

Sulaimane) at his side, room and board with a kind lady. Together we bring him by car, +/- 50 km from Buba and within telephone range. The well-traveled Joris is looking forward to it. His eyes twinkle.

2017 Joris gains additional experience in the Netherlands at a campsite near Raalte, where Eerhard Mensink builds a practice Calabash. Joris participates and prepares himself as a trainer.

2018 Nicaragua is eliminated due to political unrest and danger. Joris finds an alternative project with a demand in Panama.

2018 A team of enthusiastic students and local masons together build 10 Calabash Cisterns for native Americans in Panama, trained and supervised by Wiggins. The Technical University Delft rewards his work with an 8. Joris graduates and goes traveling around.

Netherlands - Eerhard Mensink and Joris Wiggens Panama

Panama 2018

Calabash Cisterns Sri Lanka 2023

Project leader Mw. Tanuja

Calabash Cistern, expiriment in Sri Lanka

Project leader Mrs Veronica Kuchikonde, village leader of Mkanda, † 2023

5 DIFFERENT SIZES

Du Djalo, son of Sadjaliu, Guinea-Bissau

Mini Calabash 2020

Guinea-Bissau

Kenya Malawi

During Covid hand washing was critical for hygiene and health. So our projects started constructing mini calabashes at schools, health centres and marketplaces.

Medium Calabash

Medium Calabash of 800 liters, we used 2 bags of cement (50kg) no steel wire

Medium Calabash in the kitchen of Biiba and Gambi, Catio

Calabash Cistern 10.000 liter

Julio Nhambe and his happy wife in Binar, GB

Water Towers 2019-2023

Water towers for piped water and irrigation in combination with a bore hole and a solar pump in collaboration with WellFound.

6 NEW STORIES FROM GUINEA-BISSAU AND KENYA

The story of Canafaque

Canafaque is the last island before the border river with Guinea-Conakry. The island is both: very isolated and very fertile. The farmers proudly say that they only have to plow the rice fields once every three years. They take bad drinking water for granted. The water in the wells is salty and cloudy.

Our project leader Sadjaliu Djalo has been building water cisterns on the island since 2011. The local initiators were our friends Bitusca and Paulo Djonde. Sadly enough, both died young in 2014 and 2017. I lost contact with the island. In 2022 Sadjaliu collected data from several islands and villages to gain more insight into the local water situation.. The result is remarkable.

In June 2023, Sadjaliu and I travel to Canafaque to gain more insight into the new conditions of existence on the island. We stay for 2 days and nights. We visit dozens of households and participate in a large gathering. The village leader gathered about 40 villagers (m/f) to talk to us.

One of the old men, Binhate Na Biah, takes the floor and talks about the disaster year 2015:

The year 2015 was very bad: no rain, no rice, no food, no drinking water, hunger and disease. We, the old men, met to discuss our needs.

The question is: should we residents leave our island to survive? But where should we go with our inhabitants? There is no space on neighbouring islands, no work in the capital Bissau, no ship to Europe.

We decided to stay and have cisterns built in every household for safe drinking water. We sent our own sons to Buba to be trained as a skilled water reservoir builder for our island. (Quisif and Djonde) It worked, says Binhate, we still live on our Canafaque.”

While you are here, we would like to discuss the possibility of training on the island and the construction of more Calabash Cisterns. The training starts almost immediately. Sadjaliu organizes 16 new cisterns to be built. page 105.

A few months later, on August 31, 2023, there is another climate disaster. Full moon, extreme spring tide. Many rice field dikes are destroyed shortly after the planting period.

Tabel shows in average 1 or 2 cisterns for every household. Sadjaliu and I (Paul) decide to visit the island since 10 years.

Canafaque school

First Calabash Cisterns on Canafaque, constructed in 2011, still in use!

No time for school

Canafaque school

New furniture for the school

Canafaque school

School boys help and work to repair the broken dike of the rice field

Schools on Island of Widekea

Constructed by the local parents

Holten Extra may 2024

*minder migratie *less migration

Holten Foundation provides safe drinking water and slows down migration in Africa

HOLTEN – Safe drinking water keeps regions and islands in Africa liveable. It prevents migration of climate refugees. The project Clean Water –Healthy Village of the Foundation Friends Holten Bedanda helps with this. Paul Akkerman from Holten has been active in Africa for almost 20 years and says on behalf of the Foundation: “Local masons build reservoirs (Calabash Cisterns) to store rainwater for drinking water at home. That is going well, there is a big demand for our Calabash Cistern 5000 L, especially in areas with a rainy season and a dry season.”

“Time to take stock. For example on the island of Canifaque in Guinea-Biassau, where the farming population grows rice on fertile soil. With our local project leader Sadjaliu I visit the island for 3 days. We walk around the entire island. 1150 people live there, says the village elder Mr Fô. We count 98 kitchens and 134 drinking water Cisterns.”

“The village elder Mr. Fô tells about the year 2015, a disastrous year. No rain, no water, no rice:

so hunger and diseases. The Council of Elders decides: We have to leave here! But where to go. The neighboring islands have the same problem. The capital Bissau? ... No employment. A boat to Europe? .... Disastrous. The Elders call our project leader and make a plan. They decide to build more cisterns with their own masons. They pay for the cisterns themselves for a real part. Now, 9 years later, every kitchen, every household has 1 or 2 cisterns for 5000L of drinking water each.

The people have continued to live on their island, near their rice fields and the fish-rich sea. : “They still live there!”, says Akkerman. “There is rice and fish, there is fruit, there is a school and there is safe drinking water and a motor canoe to a shop on the mainland.” The private Holten project touches on the world issues of our time: Drinking water and Migration.” Over the years, 8,000 Calabash Cisterns have been built in Africa and beyond. By ourselves and by projects that have been trained by us.

More information can be found on the website www.cleanwaterhealthyvillage. Concludes Akkerman.

Farmers village

Island of Cataban Grande

Worlds come together on Cataban Grande. There is a traditional Balanta village and a fishing camp next to each other. Fishermen from Senegal to Liberia live here illegally. There are relatively many drinking water cisterns on the island, because the Balanta farmers sell drinking water to the fishermen.

The fishermen cut mangrove wood to smoke the fish. The mangrove protects the coastline. Rice field dikes lose stability. The blue canoes are owned by a Korean project that only wants a certain type of fish called “bobo” for Korean cuisine. Global Trade.

Fisherman village

The Women Self Help Group Emburkutia in Kenya

In the village Emburkutia in Kenya is a Women Self Help Group (SHG). They do different activities to earn some money. The women invited Alfred and me in December 2022. At least 20 of them were collected sitting in the green grass.

They ask us to be trained in the construction of the Calabash Cistern.

We like their idea and Alfred has organised a training for them in early 2023. But after a few days the women walk away to do their heavy home work.

Nevertheless we have constructed 12 Calabash Cisterns, with assistance of experienced masons in their own village. The Dutch foundation “De Gevulde Waterkruik” has supported them for 50% of the cost.

The chosen president Evalyne Kimojino opened a special bank account for cisterns and she wants to construct more...

Training for women Emburkutia

Miriam Pirrde Secretary - Evalyne Kimojino President - Kiranatisho Lemiso Treasurer

Morna

Survival

Important words: 04-02-2023. Chief Morna Na

Made: "Last year we have added 6 Calabash Cisterns in the yard. Now we have 20 Cisterns in our family compound in Fatima on the island Widekea. The Calabash Cistern has changed our lives! We used to drink yellow or red water.

We had no choice because there was only dirty drinking water on our fertile island. Now we are customed to clean water and no one wants to drink cloudy coloured water anymore. That is why we plan to construct more cisterns in 2023

Mr Mora Na Made

The man who brings us water

“For the man who brings us water, I stay home. ” Camitonco, June 2023 .

Words of Homen grande Kedele Na Rith from the island of Camitonco.

There is a big party going on on the island where Kedele lives, Camitonco. The party was organized by Bamboing, the former helmsman of our canoe captain Balana, in honor of his deceased mother. The Balanta call such a celebration Kafe. Bamboing has saved for it for years and he goes all out with the sacrifice of cows, pigs and goats and drinks. The slit drums pound and hammer incessantly.

Despite the party, my companions take me to Kedele’s house. They have been instructed. He is expecting me, I let myself be led and slide over the wet clay. The rainy season has started.

There was enough temptation for Kedele to leave his house, but he sits next to his front door dressed festively and shouts to me: “I stayed home for you.”

He wants me next to him and we grab each other and pat each other’s shoulders and backs. And we laugh and laugh with laughter, with contagious pleasure, with joy. Our meeting alone.

Kedele Na Rith is a famous warrior with a great story. As a young man, he ensured that The PAIGC won the Battle of the Island of Como against the Portuguese. It was the first major battle in the war of liberation against the colonial Portuguese.

The PAIGC had crossed the border and entrenched themselves in the forest of Como.

Portuguese warships had surrounded and hermetically sealed off the island. No supply of food and ammunition.

But still, Kedele manages to glide through the blockade every night with his large dugout canoe, filled with ammunition, silently prying, with contempt for death. He knows the way. He was able to supply the PAIGC for many nights (Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde). The independent party held its ground and dropped. The battle was won thanks to the determined young man Kedele Na Rith. The Battle of Como, 60 years ago. Kedele 80 + is still fit and vital.

My supervisors tell me that Kedele was one of the few who could walk into President Nino’s office without knocking.

We sit next to each other for a while, laughing and joking as if we are exempt, yes from what? Our meeting was a celebration of the rain blessing. Mr. Kedele has an adult sheep brought forward. I get to take it home to Catio. Balana takes care of the bleating animal.

Then we say goodbye, laughing and patting each other. Kedele is celebrating the water man as a feast. Never enjoyed a man so happy because of the water.

The woman is water

poem Suntu Balde

Men think water is theirs this is not true the woman is water women fetch it, carry it home boil food, wash clothes, let drink her kids the woman is water

No water cistern at home? you are missing a big thing! when I return from the field there is water at home when my child is ill there is water when unexpected guests arrive there is water at home when children go to school there is water

Always I have clean water at home

No water cistern at your home? Woman you should get one! Water means health!

Drinking water, cholera and superstition

The most unexpected, beautiful result of Clean Water – Healthy Village

My name is Cure Sumba Quibós Tamba. I am from the island of Caiar.

There are several inhabited islands with villages near our island Caiar. I want to tell this story about one of the islands, the island of Catunco.

In 2016, I myself lived on the island for my work as team leader in the project. Catunco has a large population, a few thousand. There was a cholera epidemic in 2016. The village could not control the disease.

What did the village do? Most villagers thought that certain people had made a contract with an iran, an evil spirit, to kill many people. The alleged perpetrators were beaten up, others tortured and murdered. Whole villages of the island became extinct and deserted.

But, since our project “ Clean Water – Healthy Village” reached Catunco in 2012, many drinking water cisterns have been built there. It is our project here in the Region’s Capital Catio, with many branches in Guinea-Bissau. “I fassi Konki” (a hit!)! It has greatly reduced the incidence of disease on the islands.

In the past, the people of the villages were blaming and hurting each other. Not only on Catunco, but also in villages of many other islands. Diseases as cholera and typhoid have caused many problems of violence on the islands. But thanks to the project Clean Water – Healthy Village, the numbers of ill children and deaths

have been greatly reduced because they are drinking clean water. Cholera is no longer present on the islands.

People start to believe that a cholera outbreak depends on water quality and that the illness is not the result of a curse.

7 TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Quality of harvested and stored rain water

The quality of the rainwater collected and stored depends on the cleanliness of the catchment area (roof); the application of a first flush to divert the first, potentially dirtier water; the use of an entry filter and the inlet–outlet system used in the tank (Pathak & Heijnen, 2007). When properly managed, rainwater is of good quality and mostly better than public supplies that are inadequately treated (WHO 2017).

Epidemiological studies show that consumers are not at greater microbial risk than users of piped systems (Heyworth et al.,? 2006). Nowadays good and affordable household filters are easily available to make the collected rainwater completely safe. When lead flashings and roofing paint are not used, chemical risks are also minimal (enHealth, 2010). ?

In 2017, a Review of Roof Harvested Rainwater in Australia looked at 148 studies and reported on the use of rainwater harvesting in Australia from the perspective of chemical and microbial health. It concluded that chemical constituents were generally within accepted health guidelines, except where due to past mining or industry activities dust blown onto the catchment area may cause exceptions. Rainwater can easily be microbiologically contaminated if the first flush is not used properly. Even then, the review stated that the epidemiological evidence in Australia does not point to consumers being affected by drinking untreated rainwater. At the same time, the study advised for household water treatment to ensure the water is bacteriologically safe (Chubaka).

Figure 1.2 Comparative water quality realized among technologies. Studies from low and middle income countries by R. Bain et al. (WHO, 2017). et al., 2018). Note that when water is stored in the tank for a while, as will usually be the case, the water quality will improve due to die-off of bacteria in a low-nutrition environment and the effect of biofilm on the inside of the tank. The biofilm will also absorb heavy metals (Evans et al., 2009).

Figure 1.2 shows a comparison between technologies in use in low and middle income countries against their safety as a drinking water source. It shows that in 70% of cases rainwater is a safe source even when it usually not treated before drinking (JMP, 2017b).

Han Heijnen President IRHA

PIPED WATER SUPPLY

RAINWATER HARVESTING

BOREHOLES

PROTECTED SPRINGS

PROTECTED DUG WELLS

UNPROTECTED SPRINGS

UNPROTECTED DUG WELLS

WATER

Comparative water quality realized among technologies. Studies from

Rain Water Harvesting for domestic water supply

Rainwater can be harvested as a domestic supply, for use as drinking water and for food preparation, as well as for a variety of other household chores. In addition, rainwater may be used for maintaining a vegetable plot, some small livestock and productive trees.

Why collect rainwater for drinking and domestic needs?

Where water supply is not available, not sufficient or safe to drink, harvesting and storing rainwater may be part of the solution. Households living in such areas are already frugal with water and will not allow it to go to waste. Efficient water use comes with lifestyle, for personal hygiene, ecological sanitation or gardening with mulching and planting drought resistant crops.

In semi-arid areas or at uphill elevations, matter of survival

Storage and conservation of rainwater is a matter of survival, water security and self-reliance, for the household and for (minor) agriculture, to tide over the dry period.

When ground water has a bad taste

In coastal areas and small islands, but also in some inland aquifers, water can be saline and not fit for drinking. Groundwater may have a high iron or manganese content that people may find objectionable and is difficult to remove.

Substitution

Where boreholes yield water with excess levels of arsenic or fluoride, or in situations where people suffer from chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) as in Sri Lanka or Central America, consumption of ground water would eventually lead to serious health consequences. Consumption of rainwater would be a safe alternative.

Han Heijnen President IRHA

Training Centre Buba, Guinea-Bissau

Training Centre Catio, Guinea-Bissau

Training Centre Binar-Oio, Guinea-Bissau

Training Centre, Olekores, Kenya

Project leader Alfred Tobiko

Guest house

Transport

Project boat

Han Heinen invites David and Paul at the Rain Water Harvesting conference Simposio Brasileiro de Captacão e Manejo de Água de Chuva in Brasil 2018.

This means a new connection between Africa and Mexico.

Story of Brasil

In North Eastern Brazil is a very big dry area, as big as Germany and France together. The former government of president Lula has constructed 1.5 million domestic cisterns out of cement.

The very big project is called P1MC (Program for 1 Million Cisterns in rural aereas) When no rain, water lorries can come and fill your cistern

Empada sector Guinea-Bissau

In 2014 we established a foundation to support activities in the Empada sector, Quinara region in Guinea-Bissau.

What is specific to this foundation is that we only support matters that the residents of the sector themselves ask for. So we don’t tell them what is good for them, we assume that they know best.

Around that time we came into contact with Paul Akkerman, a fellow countryman, who was running a project from Buba, another sector of the Quinará Region. It turned out to be a project in which reservoirs for collecting rainwater were built according to a simple but well-thoughtout design. The genius of the design is that it is simple and that all materials are available locally.

In addition, it contains sufficient drinking water (5,000 liters) to supply a household for several

months during the dry season when the normal wells have dried up. The great thing is that the quality of the water is and remains excellent.

Apparently no pathogenic bacteria or viruses multiply in the dark, practically closed space. A training course was soon organized in our sector, with several reservoirs being built as examples. A mason has been active in Empada for 8 years now and builds 20 to 30 tanks every year.

Your own initiative is important in our foundation. In Paul’s approach, the future owner must also contribute in money and in the form of sand, water, clay bricks and food for the masons. So it fits our project perfectly.

Vincent Kuyvenhoven Stichting Sanjuna

Teamwork

Francis Kule and Alfred Tobiko

Meeting on Island Widikea

Bicosse and Sadjaliu

Technical information

The Calabash Cistern is developed in West Africa. It can store rainwater that can be used as safe drinking water for families. The local name of our project is: IAGU LIMPO – TABANKA SAN, it means CLEAN WATER – HEALTHY VILLAGE. This manual shows our practical knowledge. Together we have constructed more than 7000 water cisterns during our 18 years of existence. Every year we train masons and managers from other countries.

Materials to be bought for one cistern

• 9 bags (50 kg) of cement

• 10 kg of soft steel wire

• 9 m. of chicken mesh (1 m. wide)

• 8 m. of plastic sheet (2m. wide) to protect the wet cement (this sheet can be reused!)

• Tap, 2 sockets, pvc tube and teflontape (see page 27)

• One 50 cm steel bar D6 or D8 for the handle of the lid

Materials to be provided by the cistern owner

• 200 clay blocks (+/- 17 x 20 x 40 cm) for the mould

• 22 wheelbarrows with sand for the mortar. Take care that the sand has a good grain size and it is not polluted with clay or salt. The projectleader has to control the sand!

• 600 l. water for the mortar

Guinea-Bissau

Sadjaliu Djalo, Buba project leader sadjaliudjalo@hotmail.com

Julio Nahonta, Catio coordinator islands julionahonta@gmail.com

Tools

• 1 wheelbarrow

• 3 shovels, 3 trowels

• 3 cement plates (masonry float)

• 1 bucket and 1 basin ø40

• 1 tape measure of 3 m.

• 1 levelling tool / spiritlevel

• 1 pincer to cut the steel wire

• 1 hoe

• 1 machete or chopper knife

• 2 brushes for the cement water

• 1 steal brush

• 1 ladder, to enter the inside of the cistern and mould, can be home made.

Partitioning of costs in Guinea-Bissau

Material: 59% Tools: 4 % Transport: 5% labour: 24% coordination: 8% 100%

More information on www.cleanwaterhealthyvillage.com

Domingos Tchuda, coordinator Oio tchudadomas@gmail.com

Kenya

Alfred Tobiko project leader alfredtobiko@gmail.com

The total cost of a 5.000 L Cistern

In many African countries the total cost is about € 280,00. Exception: In DR Congo the total cost is the double.

€520,00 for a 10.000 liter cistern (Guinea-Bissau)

Gutters, water inlet

Comparison of Ferrocement cistern versus PVC cistern of 5000 litre

1 Costs € 250, 00 for a 5000 l. cistern. in e.g. Guinea, Senegal, Nigeria, Tanzania. Labour and transport included

2 Construction timespan Construction on location in 6 days. When finished, the fresh cement has to be kept moist for at least one week.

€ 500, 00 up to € 1000, 00 for 5000 L.

Ready from the factory. Installation in a few hours when foundation has been prepaired. 3

Leaks can be repaired by carefully cutting away the damaged area and plastering at the inside.

or impossible to repair.

Repair from inside

Shake and check

Dirt

Good grain

Shocking result because of too much sand in the mortar and not enough steel wire. Never try this again!

Quality and Maintenance

When you follow the instructions of the MANUAL, the strength of the cistern will be OK and the lifespan of the cistern will be at least 25 years.

But…., a bad quality of the sand can destroy all your efforts. The construction sand has to be clean and the grain big enough. Do not use powder sand from the street!

Your Calabash Cistern out of cement is like your family house. It needs care and maintenance. Check

it once a year. Is the tap all right, no leaking. The lid is OK not broken? No cracks in the body? Repair cracks from the inside. Is the floor around the cistern clean?

And inside? Normally once a 4 or 5 years you suck all water out with a plastic tube. You or a young boy goes inside to clean the bottom. Than the same day you poor new water in the cistern until the tap or at least 10 buckets, because the inside of the cement cistern has always to stay moist.

Traditional jar filled with water

8 FINANCE

Finance and donations

In the first years of our project, donations and contributions from various individuals and churches were our main source of income.

In the years that followed there was an increasing demand for water reservoirs, we looked for additional financing. This came in more and more and in addition to the private donations, there were also donations from the government, from Impulsis and increasingly from dozens of charitable institutions, churches, monastic orders, thrift shops and charity foundations. Almost all donors do not appreciate being named in our annual reports, so we have decided not to mention any names at all. Various donors have been supporting our project for many years, some even every year. In some years we received more than € 150,000.00 in donations. Fantastic. Our project with the Calabash has therefore been able to take off enormously and has spread to many countries. Calabashes are being built not only in African countries, but also in Panama, Mexico and Sri Lanka. We are extremely grateful to all the generous donors for their support, because without this support the execution of our project would be completely impossible.

In many African countries, the villagers are poor and unable to pay the full costs of a water reservoir, such as the Calabash Cistern. From the third year of our project, we have asked for a personal contribution and have increased this contribution several times over the years. Of course, it would be desirable for everyone who has a Calabash Cistern built to pay for it themselves, but that has proven to be an illusion. Financial support remains necessary. The amount of the personal contribution varies per country and per

region and often requires very diplomatic consultation about the possibilities.

Payment of a personal contribution is extremely important because it is precisely this that makes the owner an owner who also feels truly responsible for the Calabash, takes good care of it and, if necessary, knocks on the door for repairs. That is ownership. The women are often closely involved in this.

Bank account of our foundation

Hans Stam treasurer

Theme week 8 primary schools in Rijssen, the Netherlands 2019

Ownership

From the beginning of our project onwards, we urge the beneficiary to pay his part of the cost to realise the ownership (30% in Guinea-Bissau and 50% in Kenya).

Then you get owners who handle the Calabash Cistern with responsibility: clean it, maintain it and, if necessary, file a complaint with the supplier. Being a responsible owner, that is ownership.

Reaching this agreement requires delicate diplomacy.

Village head pays Sadjaliu the contribution

Women usually lock the tap during the night

9 PORTRAIT GALLERY OF THE CALABASH FAMILY

Portret gallery of the Calabash Family

Portret gallery of the Calabash Family

Portret gallery of the Calabash Family

01 Bicosse Nandafa Bedanda, co-founder project GB † 2009

02 Felipe Barros project leader Catio † 2011

03 Mario Na Tchuta coordinator Bedanda † 2015

04 Cor Beukenkamp board member The Netherlands † 2021

05 Amadu Djau team leader, Buba, Guinea-Bissau

06 Sadjaliu Djalo general project leader, Buba, Guinea-Bissau

07 Julio Na Honta project leader, Catio GB

08 Domingos Luis Tchuda project leader, Binar GB

09 Alfred Tobiko project leader, Olekoros Kenya

10 Evalyne Kimojino project leader Emburkutia, Kenya

11 Benson Siokino team leader Olekoros, Kenya

12 Tall David Sanguya team leader Olekoros, Kenya

13 Benard Oloisa team leader Olekoros, Kenya

14 David Vargas project leader Isla Urbana, Mexico

15 Sergio Mexico team leader Mexico

16 Kees Kempenaar project leader SPOTTanzania

17 Hans Stam treasurer, boardmember The Netherlands

18 Theo Hoge boardmember The Netherlands

19 Cathrien Jongen secretary, boardmember The Netherlands

20 Paul Akkerman founder and general project leader The Netherlands / Guinea-Bissau

21 Han Heijnen president International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA)

22 Hans Hasselt ambassador The Netherlands

23 MacPherson Nthara project leader Malawi

24 Frank van der Maas project leader Effata, Nigeria en GB

25 Bicarande Na N’Sosa team leader Buba GB

26 Julio Nhambe team leader Binar GB

27 Alfred Atta president Ghana Over de IJssel

28 Eerhard Mensink project leader Ghana Over de IJssel

29 Francis Kule project leader Kasese Uganda

30 Sadjaliu Djalo and one of his teams GB

31 Abachi Obinna Nwibo project leader Effata, Nigeria

32 Cure Sumba Na Bak team leader Catio GB

33 Lucy Engelen Chair Partin, umbrella organisation

34 Gustave Muteba president Hart en Handen in Actie (HHA) voor DR Congo

35 Lubbie Luning former board member NL

36 Phlip Heil former board member NL

37 Gerard van Noort project leader Cameroon

38 Mamadjam Djau teamleader Guinea-Conakry

39 Musa Hoza team leader SPOTTanzania

40 Chicgoua Noubactep Hydrogeochemist University Göttingen, Germany - Cameroon

41 Florian Bielser IRHA Geneve

42 Harry Chaplin project leader Tatirano, Madagascar

43 Iaia Indjai teamleader Buba GB

44 Hans Hartung consultant Germany and Africa

45 Du Djalo assistent, GB

46 Paulo Nandafa assistent, GB

47 Binhate mason in training GB

48 Peter Akkerman assistent, NL

Second portret gallery of the Calabash Family

Second portret gallery of the Calabash Family

49 Florence Kimojino team leader Emburkutia, Kenya

50 Vincent Kuyvenhoven The Netherlands 51 Mama de Constantino Biura Widekea 52 Dan Na Sinhi Fatima Widekea

53 Dr. (Ms) Tanuya Ariyananda Ph.D CEO Lanka RWH Forum

54 Mr. Jeremiah Dr. Amsabi Mrimi MP Serengeti Tanzania

55 Malang Fati mason Bedanda G-B

56 Naruko Olekoros Kenya

57 Evalyne Kimojino projectleader Women self help group Kenya

58 Nonny Molenta international student Deventer NL, Indonesia 59 Morna Na Made Fatima Widekea GB

60 Fô Napadna chief Canafaque GB

61 Gerard Voordes supporter Holten NL

62 Andre Meilink supporter Holten NL

63 Rob Regoort supporter Holten NL, † 2023

64 Kanja Njasa owner in Binar

65 Jan Douwe van der Ploeg Wageningen University

66 Monique van Dam One World Citizens

67 Augustine Lenamoe Marsabit Kenya, Ubuntu

68 Veronica Kuchikonde projectleader Malawi † 2023

69 Biiba na Bué owner in Catio

70 You’re welcome

71 You’re welcome

72 You’re welcome

10 THE NEVER ENDING STORY OF RAIN AND LIVING

Never ending story

The beauty of a simple solution for an urgent problem

In 2015 the United Nations agreed on the definition of 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Paul Akkerman’s Calabash Cistern project complies with at least four: clean water, honest work, the establishing of new partnerships and peace, to achieve the set goals. And even gender equality is being served since young girls, formerly burdened with the task to fetch the family’s water from far off wells, can now also, like their male siblings, go to school.

This private initiative merits to be followed. And this is exactly what has happened.

Gustave Mutebe’s Heart and Hands in Action for DR Congo, Alfred Atta’s “Ghana over de Ijssel”, Kees Kempenaar’s “SPOTTanzania” followed suit–just to mention a few of several private initiative foundations that met at our gatherings and presentations of the umbrella organization for private initiatives Partin (Netherlands). Here good ideas are shared and good practices propagated. Now Calabash Cistern projects are found not only in Guinea-Bissau (where it all started) but in 14 other African countries as well, and even made the jump across the ocean to South America.

Good ideas need to be shared. Paul Akkerman has done so by presenting his beautifully simple solution for one of the world’s most urgent problems via the platform that has been offered to him by Partin .

Lucy Engelen Chair Partin 2012-2019

The Calabash Cistern in DR Congo since 2014

Gustave Muteba, president Hart and Hands in Action for DR Congo

I remember as if it were yesterday and yet 11 years ago, in 2013, when we took part in one of the annual conferences organized by our Partin association , which brings together various humanitarian organizations. The conference was organized in the grounds of the picturesque University of Twente ... it was there, in one of the workshops, that we first met the Dutch engineer Mr. Paul Akkerman. In the conference there were several different themes to attend , such as for example: fundraising, social media, communication or the problem of lack of water, etc.

Being from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a vast country as big as all of Western Europe but where the drinking water supply is only 10% of it, we left the other workshops for what they were and we chose to participate in the workshop led by Mr. Paul Akkerman on the construction of the Calabash Cistern in grey cement, steel wire, chicken mesh and a tap for the collection of water from rain. This especially appealed to us since in the Democratic Republic of Congo it rains almost all year round and we only have 2 months of dry season.

Frankly, I have never regretted having chosen to attend this workshop led by Mr. Akkerman, He explained the construction of the Calabash Cistern, which requires exclusively local materials – which we have in abundance in Congo- in

such an excellent way that, at the end of the workshop and the end of the conference of that day, I decided to have a private interview with Mr.Akkerman in order to explore together the possibility of going to Congo, my home country, and teach the members of our local partner how to build Calabash Cisterns for the collection of rainwater !!

Here we embarked on an adventure that has saved thousands of human lives in Congo for 11 years now and we are only at the beginning of the job, because the work to be done remains enormous as Congo is an immense country.

So it was in May 2013 that we had to find donors to finance the trip, finance the stay, the training itself of the apprentice masons and the construction of some calabash cisterns as teaching materials...In the next year 2014, Paul and I left for Kinshasa for the first session of training and teach apprentice masons to construct calabash cisterns. We were together with 2 experienced masons from Guinea-Bissau, Wilfaba and Bitam, The first session of training took place in our Orphanage located in the suburbs of the immense city of Kinshasa, about ten kilometres from the international airport of Ndjili in the BIBWA district. After this training session we built about ten calabash cisterns. We chose 2 of the best apprentices who were also well-trained architects and they formed 2 teams of 5 masons each. This was the kick-off of a

long journey which, as we hoped with all our hearts, would take us all over the Congolese territory. So the following year, with the help of Dutch donors, we built 100 Calabash Cistern in Bibwa. After Bibwa we went a little further to the fishing village of Kinkole, where we built another 100 Calabash Cisterns, Later we moved a little further away from Kinkole and into the city of Menkao where we also have an orphanage. We built at least 220 calabash cisterns. Somewhat later again, we moved further into the deep Congo to the village of Bita, where we built another 100 Calabash Cisterns.

Grand-Kasaï.

Despite of all our work, the need of Calabash Cisterns still remains enormous in these overpopulated areas without drinking water. So after the city of Bibwa, after the village of Kinkole, after the district of Menkao and the district of Bita, we were challenged by the population of the centre of our great country: the provinces of Grand-Kasaï. This region totally landlocked, forgotten and abandoned by the authorities of Congo, the disaster-stricken province of Grand-Kasaï, challenged us to commit ourselves to the training of masons and building calabash cisterns. All along this journey of construction of calabash cisterns we have trained +/-50 masons.

- With the realization of this project we have diminished the total poverty , We reduced crime. We have taken young girls and young men out of prostitution by giving them professional training in masonry allowing them to have normal jobs and generating a monthly financial income.

- Thanks to this project, we have also given drinking water to health centres that suffered greatly from a lack of water. It is predominant for health centres to have access to drinking water and they have the right to have drinking water at permanent disposal in order to carry out their mission of treating the sick, Well, we have taken care of that!!

In many households, children, especially young girls, are relieved that they no longer have to travel long distances to fetch water and can now use the time spent fetching water to attend school lessons and do their homework, which has significantly improved girls’ academic possibilities.

Calabash Cistern: Do-it-yourself solution

It is great to be here, to be here with people sharing the view that clean water is good life. I met the Calabash in the literature during 2022 (chapter 18 of the IWA book from 2020), I have been seeking for affordable do-it-yourself solution for self-reliance in water supply for years.

The Calabash is one such bright idea. My students accepted the same like suddenly and two of them have built the most international Akkerman-Calabash in Feutap, Bangangté, Cameroon.The Calabash of Feutap is an award from Swiss Water Partnership (Switzerland) won by a lady from Botswana and a gentleman from Nigeria, both students in Algeria. That calabash was realized in June 2024 in rural Cameroon (Feutap). Is this not One World?

We are now poised to bring the Calabashes to more people and are thankful for your hints!

Priv.-Doz. Dr. Chicgoua Noubactep Hydrogeochemist

Department of Applied Geology

University of Göttingen

Quality of rainwater

Let me continue by answering the question about the quality of rainwater.

As “water from above”, it certainly contains no mineral and is not saline. Even in the event it is polluted, we know how to cope with the few pollutants of concern. Over the years, people have developed tools to harvest rainfall in a way that what riches the storage cistern or tank possesses drinking quality. Please, read Paul Akkerman (attached, see next page 171) to convince yourself. The Calabash he has conceived has stopped cholera in Guinea-Bissau.

We can say that the Calabash of Akkerman mimics nature and excellently conserves rainwater ( 1 aeration or access to oxygen, 2 no access to mosquitoes, and 3 no access to sunlight). Sunlight would favor photosynthesis and the development of a micro fauna, while the absence of oxygen would favor putrefaction or biodegradation of dissolved organic matters.

Let recall that the four (04) main contaminants for natural waters are arsenic, bacteria (or pathogens), fluoride and uranium. They are called the four killers, from these killers, only pathogens are likely to be present in rainwater. This means that depending on the site of rainwater harvesting (industry, traffics...) some few contaminants can be present in rainwater but rainwater is still the least polluted water source (compared to surface water and groundwater).

IWA Book 2020

Ghana over de IJssel

Alfred Atta was born in Ghana. He was 26 years old when he fled to the Netherlands.

He was allowed to stay in the Netherlands and still lives in Oldenzaal to this day. Alfred decided to give something back to his native Ghana. This is one of the reasons why the ‘Ghana over de IJssel’ foundation was established in 2017.

“There is a lot of poverty in Ghana. We place with our foundation Calabash Cisterns. So that families in rural areas also have enough drinking water in the hot and dry months.”

The Ghana over de IJssel foundation came about when Eerhard Mensink and Alfred met. At that time, Alfred was already active in the African country with his foundation ‘Ghana Twente’. And Eerhard had just returned from a trip to GuineaBissau together with Paul Akkerman. Eerhard and Alfred went to Ghana to build the first Calabash Cistern in the village of Dromankese where Alfred was born.

The Ghana over the IJssel Foundation has a large network in Ghana, provides two training courses a year, inspects the cisterns that have been put

into use and finances the construction of more than 100 cisterns per year. The foundation works with a clear principle: at least one third of the costs will be reimbursed by the future owner of the Calabash Cistern, the rest will be paid by the foundation.

“At the moment (autumn 2024) two members of our foundation are in Ghana to give training, Alfred and Eerhard,” says Van Essen. “We train the local population how to build Calabash Cisterns. In this way we achieve two advantages, because the people who participated in the training can also work as masons afterwards.”

Mainly at families

“We build the Calabash Cisterns in Ghana mainly at families. In the past we also have built at schools and hospitals, but that didn’t work. Van Essen: “Then it happened regularly that there was no clear owner and no ownership. Nobody felt responsible. The maintenance left much to be desired.”

Tommie van Essen, Secretary

River Mara

Drinking water from polluted River Mara

Training for Masaai woman in Emburkutia, Kenya May-June 2024

Alfred Tobiko

Florence Kimojino

A big step forward

Evalyne Kimojino

Bisii and Paulo Nandafa

Sadjaliu Djalo, filho

de Bedanda

September 2024

Projeto Iagu limpo tabanca sân. foi fundado em Bedanda no ano 2005.

Paul Akkerman e seu amigo Bicos na Dafa, porque muitas famílias camponeses estavam com necessidade urgente da agua potável nesta aldeia de Bedanda.

AS mulheres e crianças levanta muito sedo na procura da agua nos poços todo estão secas durante de 3 três meses a partir de Abril até junho.

Mais graça a projeto de iagu limpo na construção de cisternas da captação agua pluviais da chuva, já reduziu falta da agua nesta comunidade de Bedanda todos camponeses, mulheres e crianças ficaram muito satisfeito eles agora estão beber boa agua potável e redução das doenças como diárias, cólera e dores testinais graça nosso projeto i Paul Akkerman com seus colegas e parceiros Holandeses.

Na aldeia de Bedanda está construído 70 cisternas e jovens receberam formação i empregos nas

New leader Sadjaliu and grandfather leader

mesma aldeias eles tem seus salario para ajudar seus familiares i seus filhos na aprendesasem nas escolas públicas graça a projeto iagu limpo tabanca.

Bedanda, what happened in 20 years?

Our project started in the village of Bedanda in 2005. In that year Bedanda had a Training Centre, a Policlinic for children. 2 Italian nurses, Franciscan nuns, who also provided in drinkable water out of a deep borehole.

In 2024 the Training Centre is closed, the Policlinic is closed, the Italian nurses left, the borehole is closed down. The road is bad.

Also in 2024 Sadjaliu and chief mason Bicarande managed to construct 16 new Calabash Cisterns in Bedanda. The owners paid 30%. Bicarande was in 2005 the first mason, today he is a trainer of masons.

Nowadays there are more than 80 Calabash Cisterns in Bedanda. People discover the value of the Calabash and are prepared to pay. The circle is round.

Coordenador Geral Sadjaliu Djalo

Burkina Faso September 2024

Eerhard Mensink and Keimpe de Jong “Ghana over de IJssel” manage to “smuggle” the Calabash Cistern from Northern Ghana to Burkina Faso and even to give a training to 6 Burkinabe. The first Calabash was to be built at the customs house.

Burkina-Faso is a country at war with the Jihad. A great risk. Helpful people on both sides of the border and the Calabash Manual as passport made crossing possible.

“When there is no normal road it seems as if the Calabash Cistern with drinking water crawls over the ground in order to reach thirsty people”.

2011

Hakuna Matata

Projectleader Jan Vervoort

Already in 2011 we have constructed drinking water cisterns in Burkina Faso at the technical school in Bulsa. It happend by invitation of Jan Vervoort. In that time there was no Calabash yet.

Now in 2024 it is not possible to get in contact with Bulsa, because of the war in the northen part of the country.

He writes: Guinea-Bissau Burkina-Faso 2011

Acknowledgements

First of all I owe thanks to my wife Cathrien. She had not only been patient with me, she supports me with enthusiasm. My son Peter encourages me all the time. I am also grateful for the friendship of our board members and of the African project leaders, being friends.

I thank all the members of the Calabash Family, all the owners of Calabash Cisterns who combine their inspiration and enthusiasm and thus continue the Calabash work.

I am grateful to the thousands of water workers in the world that I have never met.

I am grateful for this job, as a gift from heaven. I also thank heaven that I was strong enough to continue and carry the heavy load of drinking water in my mind for 20 years, with trial and error. Grateful I am for the abundance of Rain, which means: Abundance of Life!

Pictures by: Sadjaliu Djalo, Alfred Tobiko, Cathrien Jongen, the author and others.

Afterword and threshold

This Calabash-Book is not finished..

The journey of the Calabash is still continuing. The Calabash Family is not complete yet.

Incompleteness is a good thing, because the demand for safe drinking water is still enormous. Still millions of women and girls carry the heavy burden of family drinking water with their own bodies and in their own minds. Evalyne Kimojino therefore says: “We Masaai women, we adore the Calabash Cistern”.

I have chosen a few stories out of 1000 of Calabash stories. Sorry if I have forgotten you. I have chosen a few pictures and I am sorry if it is not your picture.

But do not worry: this book is to be continued. The project overtakes me every day, it goes faster than I can go. Now I am a grandfather of the Calabash I am one of the many grandfathers and grandmothers.

When we started the work, together with my good friend Bicosse Nandafa, we could never have imagined the project would grow to this size and overtake us. Never mind.

You youngsters, project leaders, masons and supporters, consider this book as a threshold; use it for the next step. It was nice meeting you, Paul Akkerman

Notes

Notes

Early morning on Cataban Grande. Women struggle to find some fresh water from rainfall, floating on top of salt sea water

Painting by indigenous people in Mexico Please let the Rain Gods bless us.

River Mara near Enburkutia