“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.”
— Helen Keller
Demonstrating a Path Forward
The US Embassy, US Forest Service International Programs and Atelier Kolinga Architects in Brazzaville, Congo, teamed up to create a community awareness campaign demonstrating ideas to collect and use rainwater (see photo). Five barrels, each with an educational message painted on them, were plumbed together to serve as a larger storage system. Once the barrels are full, excess rainwater is routed to an infiltration gallery (red grate) for controlled absorption. No roof runoff leaves the site.
Terra Firma is working to create more demonstration projects for residents to clearly see what is possible.
Environmental Education
At Terra Firma, we fully believe that educating today’s youth is the best offense to face the challenges of tomorrow. Centre d’Etude Environnementales pour le Développement Durable (CEEDD)’s Eco-Ecole program provides environmental education opportunities for school kids in Kinshasa, DRC focused on the urban erosion that surrounds them. Eco-Ecole uses a hands-on curriculum to demonstrate the causes of the urban erosion threatening their community and school as well as the student’s role in the solution! Activities range from simulating rainfall and erosion to promoting vegetation growth on bare ground and urban gardening.
Expanding Ideas
At this community center in Kinshasa, a group of young adults installed a rainwater collection system to demonstrate the benefits of rainwater management. This same group also collects funds in the community to spearhead road repair work, often employing at-risk youth in an effort to positively affect lives. These young people are Kinshasa’s future leaders and perfect candidates to create entrepreneurial ventures that will provide livelihoods while moving toward a solution to ongoing erosion threats.
Terra Firma supports local efforts such as these with technical and financial assistance.
Local Solutions
Vegetated catchment areas to promote rainwater infiltration
We work with local church leaders to make their facilities ‘runoff neutral’ by cultivating low, vegetated areas for infiltration.
Low tech solutions to encourage infiltration into native sandy soils
Local homeowners used discarded tires to construct an infiltration gallery; a simple example of promoting and fostering existing ingenuity with the tools that are available.