Students and teachers of Keselpotha Maha Vidyalaya in the Uva Province joined representatives of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to launch a rainwater harvesting system at their school recently.
Through a partnership with Lanka Rain Water Harvesting Forum, the United States promotes this ancient technology as an alternative to surface and ground water resources.
This initiative also trains government officials and experts on the benefits of rainwater harvesting technology; establishes mobile weather stations to reduce risk of disasters; repairs more than 400 abandoned rainwater harvesting systems; and conducts research and development.
USAID will also provide 12,000 water connections to rural families and drinking water for about 10,000 schoolchildren; support sanitation facilities and good hygienic practices in local communities; repair irrigation and drainage channels to reduce future flooding; and plant 5,000 trees to conserve the natural environment. Programs across 143 villages also help women leaders to develop early warning systems and plans to prepare for, and mitigate against, future natural disasters. Since 2012, USAID has partnered with local organizations to build over 1,000 such systems in rural schools, and households in the drought and flood-prone districts.