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What?

Ten roof rainwater harvesting systems will be constructed throughout the village. Each unit includes an open gully that is attached to the four corners of the roof of a village house, and empties into a 5,000 liter capacity underground tank via a closed pipe. The reinforced cement tank will also include a handpump for easy water procurement.

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Why?

Sonalnagar village does not have the current infrastructure to supply the community with sufficient drinking water. There is no plumbing in the village, and all agriculture and farming in the village is mostly rainfed. The only sources of water for families in Sonalnagar are the monsoon rains and the unreliable government water tankard vehicle that comes to the village once a week. The lack of available water has forced families to reduce regular washing and cleaning, creating health and hygiene issues throughout the village. The water shortage has become a critical problem in the Sonalnagar community, and families need the infrastructure to collect and store excess rainwater from the monsoon and drinking water from the government water tankards.

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How?

Construction will provide employment to local engineers, masons, and other construction workers from the village and its surrounding area. Each tank will be constructed of reinforced concrete cement.

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History of Sonalnagar Village

In 1971, families from Pakistan migrated to Rajasthan, India to escape the communal violence. As refugees in Rajasthan, they received a daily stipend but were landless. Around 1988, the Indian government offered families that migrated to the Kutch District in Gujarat 10 acres of land. Many of these families, including the 5 participating in this project, moved to Kutch and founded the Sonalnagar Village.

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Climate

Sonalnagar is dry, semi-arid, mainly rain fed. The village must capture as much water as possible during the rainy season so they have access to water for drinking and cleaning (done through roof rainwater harvesting) and for crop irrigation (done through farm ponds, small dams, farm bunding).Without thee facilities, the Sonalnagar is forced to spend productive time walking to collect water, or must bring in water tankers provided by the government.

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Challenges facing Sonalnagar Village

Sonalnagar lacks access to clean drinking water and sanitation which results in time lost collecting water and higher incidence of diseases like dysentery, cholera fever, etc. — which also reduce their ability to earn an income. Farm land in Sonalnagar is poor because it lacks moisture, which reduces the number of harvests possible, the crops that can be grown and the quality and quantity of each harvest. Sonalnagar also has limited childcare facilities that limits a mothers productive time, or forces to leave her children at home unattended.

Major needs (in order of priority): drinking water, toilet facilities, childcare center, land development

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Main Occupations

Most people in Sonalnagar are agriculture laborers and small marginal farmers that grow ground nut (peanuts), moong, bajri, guvar, sesame seeds). Many families have cattle (ox, buffalo, cows) that are used in the fields and for milk. These animals will become the main fuel source for the biogas plants. In the non-harvest season, people seek casual labor (digging ditches, road construction, etc.). Many of the women pursue alternative employment opportunities when they have time, mainly embroidery and stitching. Some have taken loans to start businesses. Mataben, for example, owns a rental business for weddings and major religious celebrations.

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Families living below poverty line

48

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