Roundabout Playpumps: Where Play = Clean Water

Just like many other communities around the world — sub-Saharan Africa needed a sustainable solution for pumping clean water.

“There’s nothing quite like children’s power as a pure, renewable energy source,” says Trevor Field, founder of Playpumps International.

After stumbling on the technology at a Johannesburg agricultural fair, Trevor Field knew merry-go-rounds were the perfect solution. While children have fun spinning on the merry-go-round, clean water is pumped from underground into a tank standing 21 feet above ground. A simple tap makes it easy for adults and children to draw water from the tank. The water storage tank also provides a rare communication opportunity: two sides are leased to consumer advertisers and the other two display public health and educational messages.

In 2000, Playpumps International won the prestigious World Bank Development Marketplace Award for its ability to deliver both clean water and powerful HIV/AIDS prevention messages through its Playpump design which facilitated expansion greatly. 

Kids play. Water pumps!  To learn more, visit www.playpumps.org

One Tribe Creative is proud to profile socially and environmentally organizations.