Our Impact
Pump Aid started in 1998 and has so far built over 4000 pumps. With each pump providing a clean and sustainable supply of clean, water to around 250 people, this means well over 1 million people have benefitted from the Elephant Pump.
The effects of a clean, sustainable supply of water have an enormous positive impact on people's lives. Not only does this prevent disease, it allows for women and children to reduce their wasted time collecting water from unsafe sources, so that they can go to school or start generating income.
Pump Aid prides itself on the sustainability of its work.
- Around 95% of Elephant Pumps are working at any one time, compared with only 50% for many other types of pump.
This means that the Elephant Pump is not only effective, but reduces costs and is environmentally sustainable.
Pump Aid has also developed the Elephant Toilet, with projects installing the toilet currently running in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The Elephant Toilet is a key instrument in battling the diarrheal diseases that cause illness amongst children. 88% of these diseases are attributed to lack of clean water and sanitation (WHO).
All these elements of Pump Aid's work ensures that people are more aware of health issues and agriculture, and can sustain the technology themselves. This not only educates them and teaches communities new skills but provides support and education in working towards their poverty free future.
- Case Studies
Lukula community, Malawi
Before the Elephant Toilet was built for us, we used a our toilet which we built ourselves. We dug a big whole and then built a cover around it. It had lots of flies and did smell a little. After some time the walls fell down, maybe due to bad building and it was old, we could no longer use that toilet and so had to use the bush. My father was elderly and he was not able to rebuild it. Pump Aid installed an Elephant Toilet in 2007, this made my father very happy and the rest of the village, we helped build the elephant toilet with the Pump Aid builders. The health of the village has improved, we no longer have to go into the bush and we all enjoy the privacy the Elephant Toilet gives us.
Vincent Gachiki, 25 years old.
Namadzi village, Malawi
I have 4 children and work with my husband to tend the fields near our village. Pump Aid installed an Elephant Pump in 2006 in our village, since then no-one in the village has been affected by illness from bad water. Before the Elephant Pump was built families used the dirty pond as our best water source, this would often be dirty with weeds and have insects on top of the water. We had no choice but to use this for washing, drinking and cleaning. Now the Elephant Pump has been built it gives us clean water for everything. Our community has also built a separate washing area near the pump for our clothes and cooking pots. The run off water from the Elephant Pump has also provided irrigation to the land nearby which this year has produce a good crop of green beans. We can sell most of these which will help feed our families.
Cecelia, 34 years old
Namadzi, Malawi
Komawa tells us about the Elephant Toilet his community received in 2007.
Before we were given the Elephant Toilet by Pump Aid everyone was sick every day because of the dirty water, and people were going to the toilet in the nearest bush area, they would just go anywhere in the bush, you could see them. When our Elephant Toilet was built the whole village helped out and worked hard to make it the best elephant toilet, we are very proud. We now have a clean place to go to the toilet, we are healthy and we no longer have to go in the bush, we have privacy. Thank you.
Komawa, 63 years old
Gabuto School, Malawi
Dariso and Mark are brothers who attend Gabuto school, where Pump Aid built two elephant toilet blocks for girls and boys.
We had to use nearby bushes if we needed to go to toilet, girls and boys would use the same area. Since the Elephant Toilets have been built, all of us can use them. The girls and boys have their own blocks. We have a special washer where we can wash our hands with clean water, Pump Aid also installed an Elephant Pump near our school where we can get clean water , this means we don't have to walk far to get it. We use the seso plant to clean our hands which we can pick from the bush. We don't miss school anymore because of illness, I like going to school so I am glad.
Dariso, 9 years old and Mark, 5 years old
