Defying the heat so a village has water

The following article was published by Developing World Connections in their monthly newsletter.  It is my thank you to them for allowing me to be part of this amazing project. I post it here so that I can share my thoughts with you.

Defying the heat so a village has water

Ray Fowell and his team went to one of the hottest, driest parts of India, Rajasthan, at one of the hottest times of the year: May. Despite temperatures reaching 50C, they worked full days to ensure a water-retention structure got built. Here is Ray's perspective. Rajasthan, Udaipur, Bargatua Kella, May 2016. Unless you have been there, unless you have experienced the heat and seen the dry arid land, it is hard to imagine how the village farmers exist in Rajasthan. Having been there and seen it, I still find it hard to imagine. They rely on one precious source provided by Mother Nature, but only if she feels like it. Rajasthan sits at the tail end of the monsoons. They race up from the south sometimes causing havoc on their way, but as they get further north they curl to the west over the parched lands of Rajasthan depositing the remnants of a once powerful storm. In 2014, there was very little rainfall, followed by a very poor 2015. Not enough to re-charge the wells that support the villages and irrigate the land. The life source depended on by the farmers is currently in short supply while they hope for a better result in 2016. When the rain comes, it rushes across the land so fast there is no time for the water to seep into the earth and reach down to replenish the water table and the wells. This is where a sub-surface dam comes into its own, holding back the water long enough for it to be of use to villagers and farmers alike.   Having had the privilege of working alongside the local people of Bargatua Kella, with a team of volunteers from DWC, having seen the smiles and laughter, the anticipation and hope that this dam will bring them the water they so need and deserve, after all the hard work that has been put into this project, I have no doubt this was the trip to be part of. If not only for the fantastic hospitality, the many laughs created through a non-common language, the songs, the dance, the many visits to villagers homes to meet their family to drink their chai and eat their snacks, the smiling faces, the colour of the women's saris, the hard work put in by everyone in the village to reach a common goal, if not only for that, then the fact that these beautiful people may have a better year after the monsoon, water for their wells and crops in their fields, all because a team of international volunteers appeared in their village, willing to pitch in and help them build a dream. And what do the volunteers gain from this experience? Unimaginable memories, new friends, a greater understanding of life outside their comfort zone, the chance to travel to parts of the world tourists will never see, and some they will. To be part of the change, to try something new, gain experience, develop skills, improve their career prospects, build confidence. The list is endless and the only way to find out what it will do for you is to go do it. Thank you Developing World Connections for allowing me to be part of it. Ray Fowell

View from a Volunteer Team Leader: The Monsoons arrive in Bhinder Rajasthan

View from a Volunteer Team Leader: The Monsoons arrive in Bhinder Rajasthan: They have arrived....... The monsoons.......  I am not sure how long they will last or how intense they will be, but for the villagers of  ...

The Monsoons arrive in Bhinder Rajasthan

They have arrived....... The monsoons.......  I am not sure how long they will last or how intense they will be, but for the villagers of  Bargaton Ka Kheda it is a joyous time. 

As you will remember, In April this year my team of intrepid adventurers and I set about helping the people of this village build a sub surface dam to help refill their wells and irrigate their land. Supported and organised through Developing World Connections based in Canada and their partner Sahyog Sansthan in Bhinder.

You may also remember that we had to leave them with a couple of weeks work left to complete.

And they did, with splendid results..

Well now you can see the results of our and their labours, the rains have come and the dam is performing well. Their wells are being replenished and water is seeping into the ground to irrigate and support their crops.  

The pictures show the same scene, before and after. In previous years the rains would have swept though the village and over the land, disappearing and dissipating long before it did any good for the villagers or the land.

Before

After

Life will be different from now on, it will still be hard, it will still bring droughts and dry river beds, The wells may run dry in the summer. But the villagers of Bargaton Ka Kheda now know that when the next rains come, life will improve once again.

But that's not the end of the story. Bargaton Ka Kheda is only one small village in one of the biggest and driest States in India, Rajasthan. There are thousands of villages like Bargaton Ka Kheda in need of help and support. In need of water harvesting technology.

And you know what? you can help. You don't have to get your hands dirty on one of my teams, although that's a great way to experience the real India and understand exactly how you can impact upon the lives of others. But you can also donate to any water harvesting project you can find, although as you would expect, I would suggest you donate to Developing World Connections. And make that difference in the world. Just click on the link below for more details on how you can help.

https://developingworldconnections.org/dwc-global-village/ 

#developingworldconnections #waterharvesting #volunteering  

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