AIDFI: spreading ram pump technology across the world

The international work of the Philippine NGO called Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. with their unique ram pump model keeps on expanding:

• Cambodia: through Coutts Environment Pilot Donor Advised Fund, AIDFI is implementing two ram pump projects in Cambodia. One project is on supplying drinking and the other on irrigation water. The first phase was a survey by Auke Idzenga, who received in 2007 an Ashden Award for their organization. A design for a drinking water system with three ram pumps was made and communications followed. A partnership was established with READA, a Cambodian NGO, in carrying out the social preparation. From May 28 – July 2, 2009 two technicians from AIDFI came over from the Philippines and installed the ram pumps in a poor community at the Koulen Mountain, some 60 kilometres from Siem Reap. Both the village with over 70 households and the famous Buddhist Temple (Pagoda) are now supplied with clean drinking water. During the installation two local technicians were trained for the Operation and Maintenance. This coming October a second trip will be made by two AIDFI technicians, this time to one of the Southern Provinces. A bigger ram pump will be installed for supplying water to fruit trees. In the five provinces leading to Laos, there are many sloping areas with streams down which can be supplied by ram pumps, which can replace the existing fuel operated pumps. AIDFI is working with a team from an organic farm in Siem Reap who are willing to be trained in survey, design and installation. Their idea is to have a combined team of AIDFI and them install many more ram pumps in Cambodia. Already sites and clients have been identified. So future for ram pumps in Cambodia looks good.

• Two Ashden Award winners working together on adopting the ram pump technology for Nepal. Drew Corbyn, a British Development Worker previously assigned in Philippines with windmill technology, has been given the task to work on the ram pump technology in Nepal with CRT Nepal. Drew went to AIDFI and decided to unite CRT on adopting the AIDFI model as well for Nepal. And so that happened. Lumin Kumar Shrestha from CRT/Nepal, Drew Corbyn from Engineers Without Borders UK and Auke Idzenga from AIDFI wrote a proposal for piloting, technology transfer and promotion of hydraulic ram pumps in Nepal. If everything goes well, by January the program will start.

• AIDFI has been visiting a group called Aprotech in Colombia. They are extremely interested in acquiring the AIDFI ram pump model. In his visit Auke Idzenga looked and the capacity in terms of materials, personnel and machines. Also Aprotech and Auke carried out a technical survey for one site. A proposal for technology transfer has been made and as soon as funds will be available the real transfer can start. Colombia has had thousands of ram pumps. However manufacturing ceased some ten years ago but interest for the ram is tremendous. The pump will just promote itself; it’s just a matter of setting up new local manufacturing.