In June 2017, HIMALAYA RESOURCES received a Me & My Charity Award: a donation of € 10,000.
There was a festive ceremony in Beesd. (see Annette 2nd from the right, together with Karin Jurgens who made our contribution possible).
The project comprises a total of the following activities:
- construction of 10 rainwater collection tanks (rooftop)
- planting of 100,000 small tree stumps, so that more water is retained in the soil
- construction of 10 chaals (water reservoirs that capture spring and rainwater)
In the autumn of 2017 we reported on the construction of 2 tanks at the Kasturba Ghandi Residential
Aampata, the boarding school for girls. See the photo report below.
We are now half a year further and the progress is as follows:
- The rainwater collection tanks
The rainwater collection tanks can only be built / installed during the monsoon season (June, July, August) (due to the workability of the soil and the presence of sufficient water to make cement, among other things). At this moment the preparations are being made, ie. making the wickerwork of the frames and the transport to the locations. There is a lot of work ahead of placing such a tank: talking to the women’s group in a village, together determine the women where a tank is placed, which house or farm, or school most in need of a water tank. Meanwhile the other 8 destinations have been determined (in: Chidiyali, Aampata, Sunarkot and Ghargoun). - Plantings and tree stumps
Soil is prepared and processed for the plantings. Seeds for deciduous trees that can hold the water have been collected / purchased and the sowing has started. Every day these plantings are watered and maintained by UJJS volunteers. - Construction of 10 chaals
The local women’s groups, in consultation with UJJS, designated 10 locations for building small chaals to collect water and provide the areas of Sunarkat, Kankhar and Kumali with sufficient water. Nine of these chaals have been installed. The villagers plant and protect vegetation / trees around these chaals that have to hold the water and thus revive the dried up springs.
A photographic report has also been made of this phase in the project: