Sand Dams Worldwide

Sand Dams Worldwide supports some of the world’s poorest people to transform their own lives through water and soil conservation in drylands.

The UK charity works with local in-country partners to help vulnerable rural dryland communities to build sand dams; a sustainable, nature-based and cost-effective rainwater harvesting technology that can last upwards of 60 years and capture up to 40 million litres of water, replenishing every rainy season. That water is stored safe from disease and evaporation within the sand. It’s easily extractable via pipework connected to hand-pumps and taps, with one sand dam providing enough year-round water for over 1,000 people. For more information about how sand dams work, watch this short animation: https://www.sanddamsworldwide.org.uk/what-is-a-sand-dam

Sand dams play a significant role in mitigating the effects of climate change, including reversing land degradation. They raise groundwater levels through slowing down the rate of run-off and capturing rainwater that would otherwise be lost as run-off, while allowing most water to continue downstream. The slowing down of water runoff allows water to infiltrate the soil, resulting in vegetation recovery, reduced erosion and restored degraded land and regreened environments.

While Sand Dams Worldwide’s work often starts with a sand dam, it’s certainly not where it ends. Once water and time are available, a wealth of opportunities arise. The charity also works through partners to advise communities on improved climate-smart agriculture techniques, such as terracing, developing seed banks and the planting of drought-resistant crops and trees; empowering families to grow enough food to eat, store and sell in the face of climate change and drought.

Sand Dams Worldwide currently has programmes in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Ethiopia and two in Kenya (one in the southeast working with self-help community groups, and another in Tsavo National Park focusing on supporting local wildlife).

Our lifetime achievements

Since 2002, Sand Dams Worldwide have enabled the construction of over 1,400 sand dams across 10 countries, providing over 1.2 million people with lifelong access to clean water.

They have also supported communities to dig over 1.9 million metres of terracing and plant over 1.5 million trees.

More information can be found at: https://www.sanddamsworldwide.org.uk/

To read about our work, and see how our sand dam projects align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, read our impact report: https://www.sanddamsworldwide.org.uk/faqs/impact-report-2022