Raincatcher

The Tanzanian Ministry of Water estimates that 70% of the rural population have no access to safe water. This causes the death of 31,000 children due to diarrhoea each year in Tanzania alone. In the remote region of Tabora, even unclean water is in short supply as the dry season lasts for up to eight months of the year and leaves locals with no choice but to buy water in jerry cans from wells. As 58% of people live below the poverty line, this cost is unbearable for the majority.

Raincatcher Imperial is a student-led project which aims to help to alleviate this problem through the following objectives:

•To collaborate with Caritas Tanzania to build rainwater harvesting systems for communities.
•To ensure the sustainability of the system by training members of the local communities in maintenance.
•To work with engineering students from Tanzanian universities developing the technical and project management skills required to carry out similar projects in the future.
•To develop the practical skills of London engineering students