Rainwater harvesting in the Thar Desert,India

About the programme

This programme is located in three remote villages in the Kolayat District, Rajasthan, India. This area is part of the Thar Desert which is a dryland region where annual rainfall is erratic and local water schemes are unreliable.

As a result, girls living in these villages can miss out on an education as they need to fetch water for their families. From the age of 8, they can spend up to a third of their lives carrying pots of water weighing 12kg or more on their heads.

Rainwater harvesting tanks can provide a sustainable solution to this. These tanks catch and store rainwater, typically holding about 22,000 litres. They are built from locally sourced materials and use local labour, meaning that they are sustainable and easy to maintain.

The tanks can then provide a year round source of drinking water at home. A source of clean drinking water at home leads to better health, enables time for work and school and greater funds for other necessities.