International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance

Newsletter n° 20 - August 2008

bRAINstorming

"Brainstorming is a useful and popular tool that you can use to develop highly creative solutions to a problem. It is particularly useful when you need to break out of stale, established patterns of thinking, so that you can develop new ways of looking at things. This can be when you need to develop new opportunities, where you want to improve the service that you offer, or when existing approaches just aren't giving you the results you want."
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Our newsletter focuses on the activities in Rainwater Harvesting, field of the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA) and its partners.

Editorial

Dear Rainwater Harvesters, readers, the IRHA members and non-members,

Some of you might have noticed that the edition of the IRHA newsletter has passed through a period of long silence. . The reason is simple: cuts in budget, and there is no doubt that a lot of us know what this means. Let us consider this break as a time to reinforce our team and to leap higher. The link between you, though spread all over the world, and the IRHA Secretariat is precious, and should be kept dynamic.

All of us are fighting to make known the importance of practicing rainwater harvesting. We are not working with marginal methods for providing water, as some people may think; neither should our objectives concern only remote areas in developing countries.
Rainwater Harvesting is a philosophy, a way of living, a multitude of technologies and the largest "market" possible; across the whole world. It is a way of treating a natural resource, which becomes progressively more and precious potable water. It is a matter of personal growth of the consumers, who should become their own water managers. It is a tool for adaptation in the conditions of the climate changes, a basis for community development and a considerable contribution for reaching the Millennium Goals.

In the challenge to prove the value of harvesting rain, the IRHA Secretariat is counting on you. We are your association and this newsletter is your newsletter. Kindly bring to the surface your experiences, the summary of your projects, the good and the bad practices in which you have been an actor or a witness, and your excellent ideas. Help us to unify our movement and to speak with a stronger voice when defending the advantages of harvesting rain.

Vessela Monta

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Topic of the month:

RAINWATER HARVESTING in INDIA

We are dedicating this new issue to India and its hearted rainwater harvesters, eternal treasurers of the chapter of human knowledge called Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater Harvesting has been practiced since the antiquity all over the world. Once man went away from springs, lakes and sea shores or river banks, he started to rely on the everlasting fresh water source, rain. He/she would have elaborated thousands of ways, which we will call today technologies for harvesting and even for seeding the rain.

"Dying Wisdom", called the Indian traditional experience Anil Agarwal and Sunita Narain their superb collection on the "Rise, fall and potential of India's traditional rainwater harvesting systems". Is it really dying this multi-millennium knowledge, this fine sensitivity, the ingeniousness of being able to combat climate disasters and making from the Thar desert the only entirely and permanently inhabited desert in the world?

We can see this feeling of responsibility towards the community and future generations in many of our members, individuals, private sector representatives or NGOs. Here we are introducing some of them to you, with the apology that we do not know all of them, neither are we able to write about those whom we know and respect.

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A Quotation

"If you quench the thirst of Mother Earth, she will quench yours."

"The rain on your roof, stays in your home; the rain on your field, stays in your field; rain on your village, stays in your village" was the slogan under which was revived the ancient Rainwater Harvesting and aquifer recharge knowledge.

1978, Pandurang Athawale,
Dada, as he is known among his followers (Swadhyayees), Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.

Suresh
This poster took part in the first tour of the IRHA contest " Raindrops Award" 2007

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Papers, studies, development programmes

The author of the paper which we are publishing here, M. Tushaar Shah is deeply interested in rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge, especially in its social dimensions. Here we are proposing his study about the local responses of the groundwater stress.

Read more about the author

Mobilizing Social Energy against Environmental Challenge
Understanding the Groundwater Recharge Movement in Western India
Gujarat's Water Crisis
By TUSHAAR SHAH
Principal Scientist
International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Gujarat, India
Groundwater depletion has emerged as one of the most formidable consequences of agricultural development of the West Indian state of Gujarat over the last five decades. Compared to eastern region of South Asia, western India is less well-endowed with water. Besides, Gujarat faces a serious imbalance in its ground and surface water resources.
Read more

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Partner Sptlight: Organization of the month

Watershed Organization Trust
The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, the IRHA takes the pleasure of presenting its partner, the WOTR, its diligent work and endeavors. As the adage well expresses it, birds of the same feathers fly together, likewise people of the same interests group together for more impact, both locally and abroad. The under listed is some of the few revelation of the work of the WOTR.
Read more

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Profiles

The noble work of preaching Rainwater Harvesting

Since 2005, the IRHA has been receiving regularly information from an absolutely unknown person in the beginning, named Shree Padre. An Indian from Kerala, he is emotionally linked to the millennium tradition of its country in the field of Rainwater Harvesting. At the same time, in a completely rational way, Shree Padre evaluates the contribution which different simple proceedings could bring to the life of a man or a community.
Read more

http://www.goodnewsindia.com/Pages/content/conservation/shreePadre.html

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Successful experiences

A two in one well

The coastal village of Velneshwar in Maharashtra, India, is the home of a unique well that doubles up as a rainwater storage tank. Shree Padre finds out more about this novel dual-purpose structure.
Read more

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The IRHA Secretariat Projects Sptlight: India

In the bucket
This section is dedicated to the IRHA projects which are ongoing, or already implemented.

Blue schools in the Himalayas, India
This project is a part of the IRHA programme " Blue Schools"

In June 2008, the IRHA, together with its Indian partner, the Pan Himalayan Grassroots Development Foundation (Grassroots), started to implement an ambitious project. It will be executed in 10 schools in the state of Himachal Pradesh, for a period of 18 months. The villages of Moginand, Vermapapari, Kollar, Galanaghat, Basahn, Dadahu, Jamta, Panjhar, Phagu and Andheri (Ludhiana) will see their 2071 boys and 1980 girls enjoying an improved access to water and new sanitation facilities. The 232 teachers will be also among the direct beneficiaries. The children, helped by their parents, will plant a tree on the common lands and will receive the sapling of another one (already a fruit tree), which they will be able to see growing in their households.
Read more

In the pipeline
This section is dedicated to the IRHA projects which are under formulation or in a process of fundraising

Watershed Development and Blue Schools in Uttarakhand, India

Children and staff members from eight schools in Uttarakhand, India, are waiting to see their lives improved. A project resulting from the collaboration between the "Pan Himalayan Grassroots Foundation" and the IRHA.
It combines watershed development objectives and the principles of the Blue Schools program. It has been formulated and is now in the process of fundraising for 60% of its budget is already assured. The project has already received a financial support from the Fondation Ensemble (60% of its budget). The IRHA is looking for the missing 40% in order to set the ball rolling for the project.
Read more

Rainwater harvesting in Ramakrishna centre, Lucknow, India (Uttar Pradesh)

A few years ago, the Sulabh International Academy of Environmental Sanitation (SIAES) addressed the IRHA, transferring the demand of the monks, medical staff and students-nurses from the Ramakrishna Centre in Lucknow to start a groundwater recharge action on their site.
Read more

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News from the Private Sector Front

It is evident that for the successful construction of a better world, the efforts of the civil society should join that of the private sector. This section is dedicated to companies, designers and producers involved in Rainwater Harvesting, without whose entrepreneurship and ingenuity our project would not have seen the day, or it would have been less performing.

Vishwanath Srikantaiah and the Rainwater Club, Bangalore
A civil engineer and an urban planner, very much interested in ensuring safe and sustainable water supply for poor people at household level, in water, in agriculture and sanitation.Vishwanath Srikantaiah has significantly used the combination Zen and rain man in his electronic address. A "close friend" of the IRHA (never met in person), he is fighting for the understanding and promotion of rainwater harvesting in his country, rich in water and related to the diversity of traditions. Vishwanath is professionally engaged in this noble work, creating the Biome Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd in Bangalore, but not only that, there are so many ways to explain what people can earn by using the holistic and sustainable practices of harvesting rain: his Website, blocs and You-Tube, the articles in The Hindu, the international network, the conferences and many more.

Here you can find his last article published " The Hindu"
Web-site: http://www.indiawaterportal.org
E-address: zenrainman@gmail.com


Water Harvesters, New Delhi
An ever increasing number of industries, engineers, hydrologists, and businessmen from different horizons are starting to be professionally involved in RWH activities. Rainwater Harvesting is a business and it is going to be even more important in the future. It is no more considered as a low-cost technology important only for the poor. New materials, technologies, high tech and supporting professionals are already in service for adapting the new climate reality to the everyday life. Here is the successful story of a group of engineers from New Delhi.
Read more
Web-site: www.waterharvesters.com

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Events and Networking

India Expo in Zurich

On the 12th and 13th April, Indian businessmen living in Switzerland, grouped in a company named COMTEC GmbH, organized the first India Expo in Zurich. The Board of Directors of COMTEC GmbH was kind to invite the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (the IRHA) to participate in the event, offering it a booth…
Read more

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The IRHA Secretariat news

Second edition of the IRHA contest Raindrops Award 2008 is launched!!
For the second year, the IRHA organizes the international contest "Raindrops Award, Geneva 2008". As last year, the topic is Rainwater Harvesting and again, as in the last year, it links art with development. The difference is that we are launching a call for submission of video materials. Please read more on our web-site, starting from 5.09.2008, when we will publish the rules of the "Raindrops Award, Geneva 2008" contest.

A new editor in the IRHA team
From 1st of September, the IRHA team will be completed with 3 more staff members with various skills. The most interesting one among them as concerns you, our readers, will be the e-newsletter editor, Ms Gladys Ambort. She will develop its Spanish and French editions and will continue the same work for the IRHA web-site.
I am pleased to introduce to you Ms Gladys Ambort; Gladys, meet the IRHA newsletters readers:
Read more - Lire - Leer

Newsletter upcoming
The October issue of the IRHA "bRAINstorming" e-newsletter will be dedicated to the efforts of our worldwide community to contribute to the International Year of Sanitation.
IRHA will be asking you, our newsletter readers, to contribute to the writing of our future issues. Please send your articles, photos or comments linked to the topic announced. We thank you in advance for taking the time to making your e-newsletter and helping the IRHA focus on your needs.

Become a member
The IRHA members benefit from our extensive network and contribute to increasing rainwater harvesting in the world.
Become a member online (choose one of these):
- Students Membership
- Organization Membership
- Individual Members
- Supporting Friends Membership
- Private Sector Members

Subscription/unsubscription
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send a message to:
English: newsletter-En@irha-h2o.org
French: newsletter-Fr@irha-h2o.org
Spanish: newsletter-Sp@irha-h2o.org

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