The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA)
IRHA promotes rainwater harvesting as an effective and sustainable solution in the face of water shortages and floods, while supporting ecosystems and communities.
Our NGO
The International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (IRHA) is a Swiss based NGO, established in Geneva in 2002. Our mandate is to promote rainwater harvesting as an effective and sustainable solution in the face of water shortages, and to prevent natural hazards including floods and droughts from weakening the resilience of communities and the ecosystems upon which they depend. We work with local authorities and watershed committees to implement projects. IRHA develops initiatives with local partners, and intercultural exchange informs our organization's strategy. We develop projects that reinforce the resilience of communities and restore ecosystems through better management of rainfall and runoff. This involves harvesting rainwater as a drinking water resource and developing land management practices that increase the infiltration of water into soils. Since rainwater harvesting systems are gravitational, the carbon footprint of our working projects is nil.
Alternatiba Festival 2019 at the Parc des Bastions!: (14 Sept. 2019, Geneva, Switzerland)
The IRHA will present the projects of access to drinking water in schools (Blue Schools) carried out in Nepal, Bolivia, as well as projects of water resources management and resilient agriculture in Senegal and finally basin management initiatives in Nepal.
Caux Dialogue on Land and Security 2019. 'Landscapes, People and Ecosystems' (27-29 Jun. 2019, Caux, Switzerland)
IRHA recently attended the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security 2019, organized by Initiatives of Change. We will shared our Senegalese experience of developing an agroforestry project in partnership with APAF Senegal and APAF International
Novatech Conference. 'Water in the City' (1-5 July 2019, Lyon, France)
IRHA is attending the Novatech International Conference 2019, 'Water in the City' (1-5 Jul. 2019, Lyon, France). This conference offers us an opportunity to better understand the latest innovations in integrated water management in urban contexts.
> Novatech
4th World Agroforestry Congress (20-22 May 2019, Montpellier, France)
At the 4th World Agroforestry Congress 2019, 'Agroforestry: strengthening the links between science, society and public policies", IRHA was represented by our partner APAF International: https://agroforestry2019.cirad.fr/
'Rain Water Harvesting, livelihood and Ecosystems' (28 July 2019, Kathmandu, Nepal)
Smart WASH Solutions, are co-organizing a rainwater harvesting conference at the end of this month.
> More to read > Brochure
'Water Security through Rain water harvesting' (27-29 Nov. 2018, Colombo, Sri lanka)
Sri Lanka Rain Water Harvesting Forum co-organized a 3-day workshop on Water Security through Rain water harvesting last November.
11th Rainwater Harvesting and Management Symposium (12-14 Nov. 2018,Petrolina, Brazil)
IRHA participated in the 11th Rainwater Harvesting and Management Symposium organized by ABCMAC. This forum, held since 1999, has led to the Brazilian authorities building more than one million rainwater harvesting reservoirs across their country.
41st WEDC International Conf., "Building resilient water sevrices " - 9>13 July (Nakuru, Kenya)
IRHA participated in the 41st WEDC International Conference, co-hosted with Egerton University, on Egerton main campus in Kenya. The conference is a valued and respected platform for reflection, debate and exchange of knowledge and ideas on water and saitation issues that are rooted in practice.
Blue School and Health centre - Completed (Betanzos, Bolivia)
After 6 months of project, We are happy to announce that the Blue School of Trapiche Bajo and 1 Health centre are now completed . More water, better water will make students and staff healthier. This initiative will potentially disseminate in the future as authorities understood the benefits of harvesting rain. Thank you to the support of Foundation Hirzel, Cologny, Collonge Bellerive, Lancy, Plan les Ouates, Puplinge and the industrial services of Terre Sainte and Neighborhoods (SITSE).
Healthier students in Bolivia - Blue School Completed (Betanzos, Bolivia)
The works started in March 2018 on the Trapiche Bajo school are now completed. The rehabilitation of the school greenhouse, toilets and washrooms will improve significantly the health and studying conditions of the 159 students and teachers. The impact of Blue School has demonstrated to reach out to families in the neighborhood. Authorities have now perceived the benefits of rainwater harvesting and are willing to replicate.
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