4th International Conference on Rain Water Cistern Systems
Manila , Philipines - August, 1989

Section B: Community Participation

Paper B.8

Community Participation He Ferrocement Rainwater Collectors: The Capiz Experience

Jessica Calfoforo Salas

Abstract

The paper is presented to highlight learnings on community from the experienced in Rainwater Collection Project: Philippines sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC - Canada) and implemented by the Capiz Development Foundation. The experience is significant because in spite of prevalent poverty in this province, certain communities were able to demonstrate the value of participation in acquiring benefits from a new technology: the ferrocement rainwater collectors. The experiment started with 30 ferrocement rainwater tanks built in 3 pilot areas and, 3 years later 300 rainwater collectors spread throughout the province without any programme for technology dissemination.

Several sad and happy episodes in community participation were studied. This paper presents story summaries about 3 communities whose group life and growth were facilitated by the need for water and the concern for rainwater collectors.

The experience underlined the different roles played by the people’s organisation, the rainwater catchment technology, health and sanitation practices participation of women and livelihood and income, and extension to other group projects in community building.

PDF of full document available to members (19pp, 420kb)