PumpAid Zimbabwe
The initiative to the rope pump production was taken by the indigenous NGO Pump Aid in the Mutasa District of Zimbabwe (website link below). This new development started around the mid nineties.
In the early 80's about 1000 rope-and-washer-pumps for small scale irrigation were produced in Zimbabwe. The presently used technology in the Zimbabwe rope pump has no component in common with these 'rope-and-washer pumps'.
Pump Aid produces the pumps and operates in the Eastern Highlands province of Manicaland with a field office at Watsomba in Mutasa District.
A total of 600 pumps were produced by June 2002, while 40 new pumps are built each month, many of which are installed at schools.
During the development phase much emphasis was placed on the durability of the different components of the design. The overall design differs remarkable from the common design where a wheel structure is installed on a well cover. In this case every pump is completely enclosed in a brick housing with a padlocked lid. This was (probably) the reason to give it the pet name Elephant Pump.
The same injection moulded washers as used in Nicaragua are applied in Zimbabwe while Nicaraguan design features were incorporated in the guidebox too.
It can lift water up to 30 metres from deep wells using only a loop of rope, two wheels and a pipe. (It is possible to lift water from 50 metres, but yield is reduced.)
Pump Aid has been invited by several countries across Africa to propagate Pump Aid programmes using the Elephant Pump.
Pump Aid is an in the UK registered Charity. The impact of this technology in Zimbabwe is considerably taking into account that many pumps are installed at centres where many people come together such as schools etc.. Additionally the use of the rope pump for small scale irrigation is reported too.
It is estimated that around 200,000 handdug wells can be found in Zimbabwe.
(In Zimbabwe the "Bush-pump" has an important application too, a design which goes back to the start of the twentieth century.)
Extensive information can be found at the " PumpAid website"
E-mail director: IanThorpe@pumpaid.org
Next page: Contribution prepared by Pump Aid Zimbabwe
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