Revision history [back]

Here is the answer that I sent in the end, based on your thoughts (thank you all). It also brings in the issue of demand and the cultural practice of water carrying...

We're certainly very happy to see appropriate technologies being developed to ease water transport, and they're often used informally and developed locally – for example adapting bicycles to carry loads. We do generally find that those technologies with the greatest take-up come from within the community itself, because they are responding to local demand.

An important factor to consider it is what is available in the local markets - the supply chain. Some technologies use parts that are not easily available should the technology break. Once they break there is no replacement option. Donkey carts, push carts, adapted bicycles etc all exist in the local markets or can be built locally and have the additional advantage of being multi-purpose and of enabling of income generation.

With the AfriCart, it looks like it is designed to be produced by local carpenters, which is good. The question then is whether the demand is there – will families with low incomes prioritise buying an Africart over other needs?

This is closely tied to cultural factors – as we saw for ourselves in Malawi, women are expected to carry water and this is instilled in them from a very young age. There have been studies carried out that show that young women carrying heavy loads on their heads can suffer health problems as a result, for example this one. However, it is a big task to change people’s behaviour and cultural practices – and this change has to be led from within the community.

One of WaterAid’s key roles is to bring safe water closer to people’s homes, meaning that transportation is no longer such an issue. So, we only count users of water points if they are no more than 1.5km (just under a mile) from a water point. That’s about a 15 minute walk. Many are much closer, and 15 minutes should be the maximum. This helps to ease the burden.

As well as ease of access and appropriate technology choice, we address wider issues of quality, reliability, equity for excluded people, and political will. Our aim is that safe water moves up the priority list on a local, national and international scale. All these factors will help to create long-lasting, far-reaching change for people in the communities where we work.

Here is the answer that I sent in the end, based on your thoughts (thank you all). It also brings in the issue of demand and the cultural practice of water carrying...

We're 'We're certainly very happy to see appropriate technologies being developed to ease water transport, and they're often used informally and developed locally – for example adapting bicycles to carry loads. We do generally find that those technologies with the greatest take-up come from within the community itself, because they are responding to a local demand.

An important factor to consider it is what is available in the local markets - the supply chain. Some technologies use parts that are not easily available should the technology break. Once they break there is no replacement option. Donkey carts, push carts, adapted bicycles etc etc. all exist in the local markets or can be built locally and have the additional advantage of being multi-purpose and of enabling of income generation.

With the AfriCart, it looks like it is designed to be produced by local carpenters, which is good. The question then is whether the demand is there – will families with low incomes prioritise buying an Africart over other needs?

This is closely tied to cultural factors – as we saw for ourselves in Malawi, women are expected to carry water and this is instilled in them from a very young age. There have been studies carried out that show that young women carrying heavy loads on their heads can suffer health problems as a result, for example this one. However, it is a big task to change people’s behaviour and cultural practices – and this change has to be led from within the community.

One of WaterAid’s key roles is to bring safe water closer to people’s homes, meaning that transportation is no longer such an issue. So, we only count users of water points if they are no more than 1.5km (just under a mile) from a water point. That’s about a 15 minute walk. Many are much closer, and 15 minutes should be the maximum. This helps to ease the burden.

As well as ease of access and appropriate technology choice, we address wider issues of quality, reliability, equity for excluded people, and political will. Our aim is that safe water moves up the priority list on a local, national and international scale. All these factors will help to create long-lasting, far-reaching change for people in the communities where we work.

work.'