Roundabout PlayPump
Encyclopedia
The PlayPump Water System uses the energy of children at play
to operate a water pump
. It is manufactured by the South Africa
n company Roundabout Outdoor. It operates in a similar way to a windmill
-driven water pump.
At a cost of approximately $14,000 USD, it is suitable for Primary Schools, particularly in areas where water is accessed from deep underground (up to 100 meters) using a bore.
There are more than 1800 PlayPump systems in sub-Saharan Africa
, providing clean drinking water to more than one million impoverished people. On September 20, 2006, at the Clinton Global Initiative, First Lady Laura Bush
announced a $16.4 million public-private partnership to install more PlayPump systems—the beginning of an effort to install 4,000 pumps to provide water to up to 10 million people in Africa by 2010. The announcement includes $10 million from the U.S. government, $5 million from the Case Foundation
, and $1.4 million from The MCJ Foundation.
Roundabout Outdoor is a for profit organisation with a social mission, co-founded by Trevor Field and Playpumps International a non-profit organisation. In 2007 Playpump water system was nominated for the prestigious National Design Award. It is aimed at solving one of the most pressing problems of clean water in semi-urban and rural areas of Africa - Water.
By 2008 Field has succeeded in installing 1000 playpumps in 5 countries in Southern Africa and has an objective of installing 4000 Playpumps by 2010 in around 10 African countries.
merry-go-round attached to a water pump. The spinning motion pumps underground water into a 2,500-liter tank raised seven meters above ground. The water in the tank is easily dispensed by a tap valve
. According to the manufacturer the pump can raise up to 1400 liters of water per hour from a depth of 40 meters. Excess water is diverted below ground again.
The storage tank has a four-sided advertising panel. Two sides are used to advertise
products, thereby providing money for maintenance of the pump, and the other two sides are devoted to public health
messages about topics like HIV
/AIDS
prevention. There are more than 1000 PlayPump systems in five countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. The manufacturer claims that they provide clean drinking water to more than 1 million people.
suffers from a lack of clean water unequal to any other region in the world and has the highest population of HIV and AIDS victims. The PlayPump offers not only clean water, but potentially life-saving messages that can help prevent the spread of the virus. The PlayPump won a World Bank Development Marketplace Award
in 2000 for its effectiveness both at pumping water and communicating HIV/AIDS messages through billboards on the water towers.
Apart from the Geneva health benefits to the community of clean, easily accessible drinking water, and the recreation opportunities given the children, PlayPump systems allow children to spend more time in school (instead of hauling water pumped by their parents) and enable women who formerly had to transport large containers of water over great distances to spend more time at home or engaged in other activities that provide additional food or income to their families.
There have been comments that at $14 000 they are more expensive than traditional pumps, but this cost covers not only the equipment, but also visiting the site to ensure the school understands and accepts a PlayPump, the testing of the borehole water to make sure it is sustainable and the water is sent to a recognized laboratory to make sure it is fit for human consumption. The installation is carried out by trained installers and the cost of getting the equipment to the site is covered in the cost. All spare parts are supplied free of charge.
In June 2010, PBS's FRONTLINE/World aired an update about the failure of PlayPumps, particularly in areas of Mozambique. Many older women, who were not consulted prior to the installation of the PlayPumps, found operating the PlayPumps to be difficult, especially when there were few children around. PlayPumps were also breaking down, with no way for villagers to make the expensive necessary repairs. A comprehensive report about these failures was released by UNICEF in 2007.
The One Foundation continues to raise money for playpumps through sales of bottled water.
Play (activity)
Play is a term employed in ethology and psychology to describe to a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with pleasure and enjoyment...
to operate a water pump
Water Pump
Water Pump is one of the neighbourhoods of Gulberg Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is near main Water Pump that supplies fresh water to the city of Karachi....
. It is manufactured by the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n company Roundabout Outdoor. It operates in a similar way to a windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
-driven water pump.
At a cost of approximately $14,000 USD, it is suitable for Primary Schools, particularly in areas where water is accessed from deep underground (up to 100 meters) using a bore.
There are more than 1800 PlayPump systems in sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
, providing clean drinking water to more than one million impoverished people. On September 20, 2006, at the Clinton Global Initiative, First Lady Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
announced a $16.4 million public-private partnership to install more PlayPump systems—the beginning of an effort to install 4,000 pumps to provide water to up to 10 million people in Africa by 2010. The announcement includes $10 million from the U.S. government, $5 million from the Case Foundation
Case Foundation
Founded in 1997 by AOL co-founder Steve Case and his wife Jean Case, the Case Foundation invests in individuals, nonprofits, and social enterprises aiming to connect people, increase giving, and catalyze civic action....
, and $1.4 million from The MCJ Foundation.
Roundabout Outdoor is a for profit organisation with a social mission, co-founded by Trevor Field and Playpumps International a non-profit organisation. In 2007 Playpump water system was nominated for the prestigious National Design Award. It is aimed at solving one of the most pressing problems of clean water in semi-urban and rural areas of Africa - Water.
By 2008 Field has succeeded in installing 1000 playpumps in 5 countries in Southern Africa and has an objective of installing 4000 Playpumps by 2010 in around 10 African countries.
Method
The PlayPump water system is a like a playgroundPlayground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
merry-go-round attached to a water pump. The spinning motion pumps underground water into a 2,500-liter tank raised seven meters above ground. The water in the tank is easily dispensed by a tap valve
Tap (valve)
A tap is a valve controlling release of liquids or gas. In the British Isles and most of the Commonwealth, the word is used for any everyday type of valve, particularly the fittings that control water supply to bathtubs and sinks. In the U.S., the term "tap" is more often used for beer taps,...
. According to the manufacturer the pump can raise up to 1400 liters of water per hour from a depth of 40 meters. Excess water is diverted below ground again.
The storage tank has a four-sided advertising panel. Two sides are used to advertise
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
products, thereby providing money for maintenance of the pump, and the other two sides are devoted to public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
messages about topics like HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
prevention. There are more than 1000 PlayPump systems in five countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. The manufacturer claims that they provide clean drinking water to more than 1 million people.
Benefits
The sub-Saharan region of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
suffers from a lack of clean water unequal to any other region in the world and has the highest population of HIV and AIDS victims. The PlayPump offers not only clean water, but potentially life-saving messages that can help prevent the spread of the virus. The PlayPump won a World Bank Development Marketplace Award
World Bank Development Marketplace Award
The Development Marketplace Award is a competitive grant programadministered by the World Bank. Since 1998, the DM has awarded morethan $46 million to some 1,000 early-stage, innovative projects worldwide.Projects are selected based on:* Innovation...
in 2000 for its effectiveness both at pumping water and communicating HIV/AIDS messages through billboards on the water towers.
Apart from the Geneva health benefits to the community of clean, easily accessible drinking water, and the recreation opportunities given the children, PlayPump systems allow children to spend more time in school (instead of hauling water pumped by their parents) and enable women who formerly had to transport large containers of water over great distances to spend more time at home or engaged in other activities that provide additional food or income to their families.
There have been comments that at $14 000 they are more expensive than traditional pumps, but this cost covers not only the equipment, but also visiting the site to ensure the school understands and accepts a PlayPump, the testing of the borehole water to make sure it is sustainable and the water is sent to a recognized laboratory to make sure it is fit for human consumption. The installation is carried out by trained installers and the cost of getting the equipment to the site is covered in the cost. All spare parts are supplied free of charge.
Criticisms
The Guardian Newspaper calculated that children would have to “play” for 27 hours every day to meet PlayPumps’ stated targets of providing 2,500 people per pump with their daily water needs.. This is based on WHO who state that 25 liters per person per day is needed. The PlayPump just supplies drinking water of 2 liters, per child, per day.In June 2010, PBS's FRONTLINE/World aired an update about the failure of PlayPumps, particularly in areas of Mozambique. Many older women, who were not consulted prior to the installation of the PlayPumps, found operating the PlayPumps to be difficult, especially when there were few children around. PlayPumps were also breaking down, with no way for villagers to make the expensive necessary repairs. A comprehensive report about these failures was released by UNICEF in 2007.
Organizations promoting play pumps
Roundabout Outdoor is a company that manufactures, installs, and maintains PlayPump water systems throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Roundabout Water Solutions is a nonprofit that raises the funds to donate PlayPump water systems to African communities and schools. Roundabout Outdoor collaborates with Roundabout Water Solutions a South African NGO and Public Benefit Organizations to provide PlayPump systems to communities and schools in need of clean drinking water.The One Foundation continues to raise money for playpumps through sales of bottled water.
See also
- Empower PlaygroundsEmpower playgroundsEmpower Playgrounds, Inc. is a US based 5013 public charity that has developed electricity-generating playground equipment for use in rural third-world communities with drastically low rural electrification rates. The mission of EPI is to use this play equipment, along with hands-on science kits,...
- Blood:Water MissionBlood:Water MissionBlood:Water Mission is a grassroots organization that empowers communities to work together against the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa. History...
- Water privatisation in South AfricaWater privatisation in South AfricaWater privatisation in South Africa is a contentious issue, given the history of denial of access to water and persisting poverty . Water privatization has taken many different forms in South Africa...
External links
- http://www.playpumps.co.zaRoundabout Water Solutions
- One Water -- official One Water site* Why pumping water is child's play (2005-04-25) -- BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
article - The Play Pump: Turning water into child's play (2004-10-24) -- article with streaming video
- Lawrences Roundabout Well Appeal -- Roundabout PlayPump Charity
- 2D -- official Two Distribute site
- African Well Fund
- http://blackandwhiteprogram.com/interview/trevor-field-of-playpumps-international -- Interview with Trevor Field of PlayPumps International, discussing the product.*