CAMFED, in partnership with King Philanthropies and SOURCE Global, installs solar powered hydropanels at rural primary school
Solar powered hydropanels have been installed in the grounds of a rural school in Chinsali, northeastern Zambia, to provide students and teachers with clean drinking water. At the opening ceremony on May 10th, 2024, hundreds of school students gathered together with community members, stakeholders and traditional leaders to officially open the drinking water station. As part of a completely off-grid system, each of the 100 hydropanels will produce around 5-6 liters of clean drinking water per day, serving over 500 students and 11 teachers as well as members of the wider community.
His Royal Highness Senior Chief Nkula opened the event by highlighting how this climate-smart technology will meet an urgent need in the community, saying:
The implementation of this project will not only provide clean drinking water to the learners and members of the community but will prevent learners from fetching water in distant places, which affects their learning outcomes. The water project will therefore contribute to addressing barriers to accessing education that children, especially girls, face.
His Royal Highness Senior Chief Nkula
The provision of a reliable, clean water supply will greatly reduce the burden of water collection on learners, who are often affected by disrupted water supplies and water-related illnesses that negatively impact students’ learning or ability to attend school. Ahead of the installation, CAMFED worked closely with key stakeholders in the government and community, who were keen to support the project. Community and CAMFED Association members will be involved in the ongoing maintenance of the hydropanels such as filter changes, ensuring the panels work effectively for many years to come.
This clean water project forms part of a portfolio of climate-smart innovations, spearheaded by Agriculture Guides and agripreneurs — young women in the CAMFED Association with skills in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable business — who have so far reached over 100,000 community members with skills and information on climate-smart farming techniques.
Left: HRH Senior Chief Nkula (green jacket) was actively involved throughout the installation process. Right: The finished panels installed in the school grounds, with the blue water storage tank at the rear. (Credit: CAMFED)
The hydropanel harvests water vapor directly from the air, then uses heat from the sun to convert the vapor collected into liquid water. The clean water is then mineralized and accessed through wall dispensers.
“On behalf of my fellow learners, I thank CAMFED for extending the Clean Water Project to our primary school. Many learners would often miss school to walk long distances to fetch water, but with the launch of the project, the burden has been lessened. Having a clean source of drinking water will help learners to stay focused at school, and will reduce cases of water borne disease.” — Foster, School Head Girl
In recent years, climate shocks — including more frequent cyclones and droughts — have made equipping communities to tackle the effects of climate change more pressing than ever. This need is particularly urgent in the rural, underserved communities where CAMFED works.
Prior to the project, CAMFED – with support from King Philanthropies – conducted research at the school and wider community to better understand the need before piloting the climate-smart solution for drinking water. Findings demonstrated that water access is limited at both community and school level, and it was noted by several stakeholders that both the quality and quantity of water sources had worsened in recent years. Respondents explained how girls and their mothers carry more of the burden for collecting water at home.
We spend 30 minutes fetching water from the stream and 2 hours fetching water from the communal tap. During the rainy season, we have more water, but during the hot season, water becomes scarce. There was a time when our school closed for one complete week because there was no water. I felt sad when school closed due to no water – it affected me because it meant no learning and lagging behind. I missed school so much.
Rachael, Grade 9 student
Community members highlighted the impact of climate change on the community over time, explaining that the community had more water sources in the past, such as streams and rivers, but that these rivers have since dried up. The school’s vulnerability to seasonal impacts suggests that as the climate continues to change and rainfall becomes less predictable, the impact of water scarcity will worsen and the vulnerability of the community will increase.
The research findings underscored a pressing need for more clean water sources and better water resilience at the primary school and in the surrounding community.
Left: The panels will provide safe drinking water for over 500 students at the rural school. Right: The panels begin installation in February 2024. CAMFED worked closely with contractors and key stakeholders including the District Education Board Secretary and Head Teacher to ensure the community was informed throughout the installation process. (Credit: CAMFED/SOURCE Global)
We face challenges in accessing clean and safe drinking water during the hot season. For the past four days, water has not been running at our tap. We now walk very far to fetch water with my mother. I do not like missing school or coming late. I have never missed school, but this week I came to school late because we went looking for water in the morning.Regina, Grade 9 student
Since 2019, King Philanthropies’ ongoing partnership with CAMFED has achieved profound impact for girls’ education, livelihoods and climate resilience. King Philanthropies’ support enables CAMFED to implement innovative and effective climate solutions in the most underserved, rural communities.
This has included investing in our Agriculture Guide program — supporting young women and communities in Africa affected by climate change to build more resilient food systems and improve crop yields using climate-smart techniques. The partnership has also supported the creation of our climate-smart education sessions in schools. This program, developed in partnership with ministry officials, was launched in Zambia in March 2024, complementing the existing school curriculum and supporting all young people – particularly disadvantaged girls and their communities – to thrive, build climate resilience, and plan green careers.
For those living in poverty and in rural areas, fetching water is a demanding, time-consuming task that too often falls entirely to women and girls. King Philanthropies is proud to support this climate-smart clean water solution that supports an entire community and allows students to focus on their education and their futures.
Kartick Kumar, Managing Director, King Philanthropies
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In February 2024, President Hakainde Hichilema declared a national disaster and emergency due to the ongoing drought in Zambia, and in May 2024, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) declared that Zambia was facing its driest agriculture season in over four decades, and that widespread crop failure is expected as a result.
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"The chance to go to school, and then to study sustainable agriculture, changed everything for me and will transform my community."
Amit Roy £12.7
le cru $26.6
Steve Dubansky $31.9
elizabeth nestor $850
Audrey Schein $26.6
Michael Gotthelf $1000
Derek Moore £250
Lisa Goretsas $500
KERRY LOZITO $47.6
David Encisco $158
Mary Kirton $158
Mary-B Hall $526
Anne Krentz & James R Organ $2500
Allison Scribner $158
Sandra Spence $799
