Duration: Minimum 2 weeks                                                   

Price: US $ 1480 every two weeks 

Program details

In Africa scarcity of clean, safe drinking water is a common problem. Clean water is a basic human right. But millions across Africa don’t have it. Clean, freshwater is an essential ingredient for a healthy human life, but more and more people lack access to water hence exposing people them to life threatening water borne diseases, suppressing growth and keeping children out of school.

Deforestation, destruction of water catchment areas, over abstraction, wastage, climate change and general degradation of the environment are contributing to rapid depletion of water resources. Rivers are drying up causing severe water shortages as river basins are nature's way of collecting and making water available for human consumption and maintenance of other natural systems- downstream communities can longer access adequate water and it is completely inaccessible in some months.  In Kenya for example, national water dependent investments such as hydro eclectic power production, mega rice irrigation schemes and small scale community based irrigation and fish farming projects are all facing real water scarcity challenges. During this placement your tasks will include:

• Get acquainted with water issues affecting communities bordering Mt. Kenya forest. Mt. Kenya is a major water tower in Kenya.

• Understand water-demand management and water conservation practices looking at various factors such as community knowledge, conflicts, behaviour and attitudes towards water as a scarce resource.

• Make observations to determine the general state of the environment particularly in relation to natural water sources and how this affects the lives of the local community and the impact of the community on these resources. Mt. Kenya as a water tower and its water catchment areas will be examined.

• Participate in alternative water management and conservation initiatives at community level such as roof water catchment, trapping and conservation of run-off water, water shed rehabilitation and protection, water recycling, eco-friendly irrigation systems etc.

• Help designing and developing a relevant educational program for the local community that would support the sustainable management and conservation of water.

• Participate in community education and awareness raising campaigns to stimulate positive behaviour and attitudes towards the consumption and conservation of water.

These volunteer tasks call for long days’ field works, visiting villages, walking along rivers in forests and community settled areas, visiting water projects, holding discussions and interviews with water  managers and users-villagers, hotels, schools, community leaders, conservationists,  NGOs , politicians and government officials.