Evidence and research

Northern Rangelands Sand Dam Programme - Project Overview (2015-2019)

A review of Excellent's four-year pilot sand dam programme to increase access to clean water for both people and wildlife in the Northern Rangelands of Kenya. Read more

External Evaluation on the DFID-funded programme 2013-2016

This is the final evaluation of the three-year DFID-funded project that ended in October 2016 which set out to support 20 self-help groups (SHGs) in southeast Kenya to build 62 sand dams. Read more

The potential for sand dams to increase the adaptive capacity of East African drylands to climate change

This paper addresses the analysis and comparison of vegetation at sand dam sites and control sites over selected periods of drought, using the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). The results show that vegetation biomass was consistently and significantly higher at sand dam sites during periods of extended droughts. It is also shown that vegetation at sand dam sites recovers more quickly from drought. Read more

An Assessment of the Microbiological Water Quality of Sand Dams in Southeastern Kenya

Water stored within sand dams is clean, and safe to drink! This is according to a 2018 paper written by Cranfield University Water and Science Institute. Read more

Sand dams: rainwater harvesting or groundwater recharge?

In this study, Cranfield University attempted to quantify the flows and understand the water balance of sand dams. Read more

A summary of: An Assessment of the Microbiological Water Quality of Sand Dams in Southeastern Kenya

A brief summary by Cranfield University of the 2018 published paper. Read more

Latest

Have your donations doubled - The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2020

This year Excellent will be taking part in the Challenge once again, this time aiming to raise £75,000 to build two sand dams and implement a range of environmental protection measures in southern Zimbabwe.

Missing school and education due to COVID-19 and lack of water

Kasangi Simon, a 12-year-old pupil at Nzeluni Primary School, southeast Kenya, shares her experience coping with water shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what difference a school water tank would make.

Kyeni Primary School water tank - a short film by the Africa Sand Dam Foundation

Our partners in southeast Kenya, the Africa Sand Dam Foundation, document the impact of Kyeni Primary School's water tank.

Ethiopia (Partner: Action for Development)

The project with Action for Development will implement four pilot sand dams across four communities in South Omo Zone in southern Ethiopia. The communities will enhance their food security through climate-smart agriculture, while the sand dams will provide year-round access to clean water.

What is a sand dam?

1 million sand dams for 0.5 billion people by 2040

Read about our plan to directly support other organisations to build sand dams, in turn, realising our vision to support millions of the world’s poorest people by helping them to transform their own lives through water and soil conservation in drylands.