Start in Guinea-Bissau
CALABASH CISTERN IN AFRICA 2024
ISBN 9789082503142
RAIN BELTthrough Africa from NW - SE
Our project realized 8000 Cisterns of which 4000 Calabash Cisterns
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