Barstow, ChristinaÌý1Ìý;ÌýChatterley, ChristieÌý2Ìý;ÌýGold, MaxÌý3
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In the Republic of Rwanda, a small landlocked nation in central Africa, potable water is rare. With about nine million people, Rwanda is the most densely populated nation on the continent. In 1994, genocide thrust Rwanda into the global public eye. The country faces many problems, including inadequate supplies of food, mounting health problems and educational deficiencies. However, a severe shortage of potable water remains the most debilitating obstacle to daily life in the region.
To address this issue, the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) – University of Colorado, Rwanda project, began installing rainwater harvesting systems at schools and orphanages in rural Rwanda. Rainwater is a clean source of water that can easily be collected off of rooftops. The rainwater catchment system is a sustainable technology that can increase the available potable water and provide a positive influence on the health of all individuals. Over the past three years the EWB Rwanda project has provided over 100,000 liters of additional water storage through the installation of these systems and improved the lives of hundreds of Rwandans.