Oxfam in Brazil - Water for communities in the Northeast
Case study last updated in December 2004
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"Before I didn't have anything, now I can say
I have something." Sr. Ze Preto has two cisterns
and now runs training courses on water management for local
communities. Credit: Oxfam
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In the drought-prone Northeast of Brazil, Oxfam helps small-scale
farmers make a living. Eleven million rural people do not have access
to drinking water and making sure that there is a safe water supply
is a top priority.
Oxfam is working in partnership with the Articulação
no SemiArido (ASA) to build one million cisterns to collect
rainwater in the region.
These water cisterns are tanks designed to collect rainfall from
house roofs through a series of gutters which channel the water
from the roof into the cistern. They have a storage capacity of
18,000 litres - enough to supply a family with its drinking and
cooking water for at least eight months of the dry season.
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Donna Isaura in her garden. Credit:Oxfam |
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The cisterns are built by members of the community themselves who
are given training and access to the materials they need. They enable
people to remain on their land, even during the worst months of
the drought.
By providing clean drinking and cooking water during the eight
month dry season, Oxfam and its partners help reduce the number
of people falling ill. This means children can spend more time at
school and their parents are able to be more productive at work.
Find out more about Brazil and Oxfam's work there on the main Oxfam
GB website.
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