Watch how sand dams work

Sand dams are transforming lives around the world. But how do they work? Find out in this animation.

This film is also available with subtitles in:

Arabic

French

German

Hindi

Kamba

Malagasy

Portuguese

Spanish

Latest

September 2022 sand dam expedition

Sand Dams Worldwide supports communities in drylands around the world to transform their own lives with sand dams and climate-smart agriculture; empowering them to achieve lifelong access to water and food. Please donate to help more vulnerable dryland communities benefit from sand dam projects.
Sand dams feature in BBC's Our Changing Planet

Sand dams and our partners in southeast Kenya, the Africa Sand Dam Foundation, feature in the BBC's latest documentary series charting the world's most threatened ecosystems and the groundbreaking solutions hoping to bring extraordinary change.
Sand dams: Water for life

We need your support so that we can help vulnerable dryland communities to achieve lifelong water security with sand dams.
£22,513.75 raised in the Green Match Fund 2022 - thank you!

The campaign, which ran for seven days only, offered supporters of participating charities the opportunity to have their donations doubled.

Time-lapse of a sand dam being built

Watch as Kwa Voki self-help group build their sand dam in Makueni County, southeast Kenya.
Watch how sand dams work (French)

Film explaining how sand dams work and their potential impact in the world's drylands (with French subtitles)
1,000 sand dams - thank you!

Since 2002, Sand Dams Worldwide has enabled over 1,000 sand dams in 8 countries, providing clean water for over 1 million people. Hear from some of those people who give a big thank you to all supporters.
Why the Maasai in Kenya need sand dams - Part 1

The people of the Iltirim community in Lekurruki, Kenya, explain why they want a sand dam and the difference it could make...
Why the Maasai in Kenya need sand dams - Part 2

The people of the Iltirim community in Lekurruki, Kenya, continue to explain the different sand dams could make to their lives...
Raincatchers: a film by Al Jazeera

Watch what happened when Al Jazeera paid a visit to our partners in Kenya, Africa Sand Dam Foundation, to learn how sand dams are transforming people's lives.
Who is Sand Dams Worldwide?

This short film explains who we are and what we do; a charity supporting rural, dryland communities to create food and water security by building sand dams, and conserving water and soil.
Watch how sand dams work (Spanish)

Film explaining how sand dams work and their potential impact in the world's drylands (with Spanish subtitles).
Our philosophy and approach

At Sand Dams Worldwide we pride ourselves in the philosophy and approach of our work - this short film explains the way we engage with communities, encourage working together and learning from each other.
The power of sand dams in Kenya

Sand dams are a cheap, innovative solution to water shortages in drylands, which also transform environments beyond recognition. Find out more about this remarkable technology in this video featuring interviews with Sand Dams Worldwide's founders, supporters, those in the community that we support and Professor Jesse Muyambi from the University of Nairobi.

What is a sand dam?
Reversing land degradation and desertification

Conservation of the environment is critical to the economic development of people living in drylands.
Donate

Please donate what you can to transform lives and land with sand dams and clean water.
The challenge

Find out what are drylands, why they are they are such harsh regions to live, how sand dams are applicable in drylands and what difference they can make to over 40% of the world's land surface.
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.
Our approach

Find out more about Excellent's approach, from working with self-help groups to why we partner we on-ground, local organisations.
Climate-smart agriculture

It’s astonishing to see what can be achieved through these simple, but highly effective, techniques of climate-smart agriculture.
Watch how sand dams work

Film explaining how sand dams work and their potential impact in the world's drylands
End hunger with sand dams

We need your help so that we can continue to support more vulnerable dryland communities to take part in sand dam and climate-smart agriculture projects, and empower them to end hunger and achieve long-term food security.
Improving health and daily lives

Sand dams provide a safer water supply as the water stored below the surface is protected from evaporation, contamination and waterborne diseases.