Although the average annual (desert) rainfall is 200mm, droughts often last decades. Whilst the area has deep, bore-holes that serve minimal domestic & animal needs, this water is often extremely high in dissolved salts, making the water unsuitable for human consumption. Current (expensive) alternatives of chemical treatment of the these water supplies, have been suggested.

However the !ARA Foundation has found an affordable method of 'desalination' that provides small quantities of drinking water to families. - It requires funding to have more of these units manufactured & installed across the region.

These units utilize solar-radiation/heat transfer to vapourise the salt-water contents of the 'hot-box'. These vapours condense on the (cooler) sheet of tempered glass, trickle down & collect as drinking-water outside the 'hot-box' in a container. Each units can produce an average of 5 - 7 litres of water per day. Ideally each family will require a minimum of 20 litres per day. So, these units need to be installed in parallel to one-another to up the delivery of drinking water.

(dd. August 2004), these units cost approx. ZAR 1,500.00 ($ 245.00) each. -  to manufacture, transport & install.

!ARA Foundation requests funding to have 100 x of these units installed by December 2004, to assist the drinking-water needs of some of the older community members, who are located in remote areas.

....... if you're interested in contributing towards this project, kindly visit  the     page.