Playpump Merry Go Rounds Provide Water Access & Fun- Eases Burden on Women and Girls

Women and girls in remote communities in South Africa are traditionally responsible for the daily gathering and transporting of water for their families. The PlayPump, an innovative product created by the South African firm Outdoor Fabrication and Steelworks, offers a solution that has already begun to ease the burden on these women and girls while simultaneously offering many children their first exposure to playground equipment. Training on the installation and use of the US$14,000 product is offered by another firm, Roundabout Outdoor.

This innovative product offers a merry go round that is attached to a pump that gathers water below the ground into a large above ground tank. Playing children provide the energy to activate the water pump, and in turn benefit from the enjoyment of a playful game. Most importantly, these structures can be set up closer to villages, nullifying the need for hours of walking to water sources.

In a perfect combination of sustainability and fun, PlayPumps offers a solution to an important problem in developing countries, and is definitely a product to watch.

Read more about PlayPumps by visiting: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/peopleplaces/playpumps/