Manx government grant supports Mozambique Sand Dam project

£100,000 donation to assist communities facing food and water shortages

Rural drylands communities in a province of Mozambique are to benefit from improved food and water security thanks to a donation of £100,000 from the Manx government.

The money's been awarded to the charity Sand Dams Worldwide, which will deliver a Sand Dam project for three communities in the Manica Province.

Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world and is vulnerable to extreme climatic conditions such as droughts, cyclones and floods - contributing to widespread food and water shortages.

Sand Dams are a nature-based rainwater harvesting structure that offer a simple and cost-effective solution.

Built across seasonal riverbeds they capture and store water which falls during the rainy seasons.

The water is stored within the sand, providing a year round supply of clean water close to home. 

Crucially having a water source nearby can save people, especially women and children up to 12 hours a day.