For many, clean water comes with the twist of a tap. But in rural Africa, access to water requires hours of walking, waiting in line and heavy lifting.

On average, a woman spends six hours a day collecting and transporting water to supply her family’s daily needs. The time spent on this basic necessity keeps many children out of school and prevents women from engaging in more empowering activities and income-generating work.

Enter the Hippo Water Roller Project:


 

  The hippo water roller has an innovative design that allows the transport of water more easily and efficiently by placing the water inside its “wheel.” A full hippo roller holds 200 lbs (90 kg) of water – five times the amount possible using traditional methods.  But because the weight is borne on the ground, it has an effective weight of just 22 pounds (10 kg) allowing children to easily manage a full roller over most types of terrain.  A single hippo carries enough water to meet the basic needs of five people per day.  It also gives them access to better hygiene and living conditions. In addition, hippo water  rollers make it possible for families and schools to collect enough water and grow their own vegetables using the drip irrigation cap.

District 5060 wishes to buy and distribute 20,000 USD (@ 150.00 USD each) worth of Hippo Rollers to communities in need in South Africa. The areas with the most need would be determined by our Rotary partners and NGO’s in South Africa. This project is designed to encourage participation by 100% of the Rotary Clubs in District 5060. The goal is involvement by every club in our District, no matter what the contribution. (Min 150.00 USD) The project will be coordinated through the Rotary Club of Kelowna, who will facilitate promotion, administration and co-ordination between all of the clubs involved.

 

Joining District 5060's appeal, our club has committed $300USD ($397Can)  from International Funds to purchase two Hippo Water Rollers.