The Hippo Water Roller
"Approximately 10 000 communities throughout Southern Africa (15 million people) are currently without adequate access to water." Multitudes have to trek long distances to distant waterholes or wells to obtain their daily water needs. Often women and children carry 20 litre (5 gallon) buckets on their heads to transport the stuff. This has shown to impact on their long term health, particularly with regard spinal and back injuries. Enter the Hippo Water Roller. A barrel-shaped container of UV stabilised polyethylene, designed to transport 90 litres (20 gallons) of water. It is said to be the equivalent of managing about 10 kgs (22 lbs), and this allows communities to move transport five times the quantity of water they used to for the same effort. But even the price of $75 USD is beyond many villagers, so the Imvubu Project, an business supplying 'poverty alleviating products' encourages funding of the rollers via the Africa Foundation. (A donation would make a great Christmas present, especially if made on behalf that person 'who has everything', and really doesn't need another golf ball monogram marker.) ::The Hippo Roller, via the pages of Design Like You Give A Damn.Recently TH was accused of more blatant product placement. To which I call "Balderdash, Piffle and Poppycock." We showcase design that we think is leading us to greener, more just world. Sometimes such products and services cost pittance, and other times bucketloads of moolah. We show it all. Like for instance, these ten examples we've previously cited regarding improved access to water for Africa:
The WaterconeRyan's WellThe Deep Water PumpJulie Frost's MvuraFree solar purificationThe wax tubeThe Elephant PumpThe RoundaboutSolar AquapakDean Kamen strikes again
