Indonesia

Dirty water kills. Bringing in clean water supply can mean dramatic improvements in people's health. And since women are usually the carriers of water and guardians of family well-being, their involvement in water supply schemes is vital.

No one knows where the knowledge first came. But Sudanese women living along the Nile have always used the seeds of the Moringa oleifera tree to treat muddy water from the river. When workers from the German development agency, GTZ, observed this they arranged to have it analysed. The mystery unfolded. Powdered Moringa oleifera seed causes the mud particles to cling together to form larger, and heavier particles which then sink to the bottom, leaving the water above clear. It was also found that the seeds cause no ill effects.

The knowledge has now spread to other regions in the world where the Moringa trees grow naturally, in Java, Indonesia, for instance. But here it was not such a straightforward process. 'When we brought the information to the women in the village,' says Christina Aristani who works with Dian Desa, a local appropriate technology group, 'we found that few appreciated the need for clean water. So first of all it was necessary to demonstrate its importance.' A health education programme was started which showed the village women how many of the illnesses experienced in the village have been caused by dirty water. Fired by this understanding, the village women eagerly took on this 'new technology'. It was simple and cost nothing. The seeds are crushed and mixed with a little water. This milky white solution is stirred into the turbid water which is then left to settle for at least an hour. After that, clear water can be drained off and boiled for drinking.

Indonesia's attempt to supply clean water to the villages is a shared mission between community organisations and the government. If they are successful, they will bring better health and less work, above all for the women. It does also mean that their involvement in the water supply schemes is the key to whether they work or not.

As its contribution, the Indonesian consumer organisation, Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen (YLK), has evaluated several types of handpumps. Working with government laboratories YLK has looked into engineering aspects like the quality of the materials used, the durability and the efficiency of the handpumps. Equally important, the group also examined the pumps from the point of view of the users — that is, women and children — who used the pumps during evaluation trials and gave their opinions on the advantages and drawbacks of the pumps. Their views will help the government obtain better value for the money spent on installing handpumps as well as helping consumers to have only the more suitable models.

Organisations like Dian Desa and YLK are not large establishments. But they are able to contribute positively to the quest for clean water. By listening the groups can incorporate women's views and tailor the programmes accordingly. Whether the technology involved is handpumps or seeds, women's involvement is the key to successful water supply schemes.

 

Adapted from 'The Tech and Tools Book: A Guide to Technologies Women are Using Worldwide' by Ruby Sandhu and Joanne Sandler, International Women's Tribune Centre and Intermediate Technology Publications, Nottingham, 1986, and 'Pompa Air Tangan Torak Dangkal' in Warta Konsumen, issue 143, February 1986.