By Andrew Sinclair | Development Director
The Rajasthan Pilot Project was launched with local village leaders and officials attending the launch event.
After a year of fundraising, a re-design of the Wello WaterWheel, delays with the manufacturing & testing process for the Version 2.0 WaterWheels, it was very encouraging to hear on 20th April 2015 that 70 WaterWheels had arrived safely in Rajasthan. We were finally ready to roll!
The pilot project launched on 5th May 2015 with 70 bright blue Wello WaterWheels. Our partner had coordinated the logistics with the local team of Community Health Workers (CHWs) so that the launch would coincide with a health camp and hygiene training to help promote the launch and the benefits of using the WaterWheels. This health & hygiene training will be an on-going process. As part of the wider project RED International is supporting further training, and the development & production of materials for the CHW's to use. These training materials for Community Health Workers will be used when introducing the WaterWheels to new groups and communities. They will help beneficiaries understand how to use the WaterWheels effectively to improve their health and hygiene.
The head of our Indian partner's Economic Development team travelled to Rajasthan for the launch. He was very encouraged how the launch went, and the support the event received. The launch was very timely and happened at the height of the Indian summer and so it was very hot. It's a time when women & girls often have to go much further to collect water.
A local project community worker has been appointed to oversee the WaterWheel Project and other economic empowerment initiatives in the area. It will be his responsibility to follow up with each family who have registered to receive a WaterWheel. He will make sure that the initial deposits are paid, and then make sure that the monthly payments are collected. It will take time, but this model means that the original funds given for the cost of the WaterWheel will be recycled. One of the aims of the pilot project is to assess what is the correct level of initial deposit, and monthly payments for families from these rural communities.
At the time of sending this report at least 53 families have registered with the project and have taken a WaterWheel after paying a deposit. We are encouraged by this good initial response. The project worker is planning to travel to other villages to promote the WaterWheels more widely. More demand would require a further order for a new batch of WaterWheels.
It was very encouraging to finally see the Wello WaterWheels being used by the communities they were intended for.
Thank you for your support of this project so far, especially to those who have been with us right from the beginning when we started fundraising last year. The pilot project was launched almost exactly one year after we began the campaign with the Gateway Challenge through GlobalGiving UK.
Please do share this report with your friends. Global Giving have a special Bonus Day on 15th July 2015, when all donations to this project will be matched up to 40%, so it would be a great time to encourage people to support the project and help raise funds so that more families can have access to the WaterWheels.
Thank you again for your partnership and joining us on this journey, there is still a long way to go, with much more to learn, and it would be great if you would come along with us.
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