Eight Ferro Cement Reservoirs Provide Safe Water and Improved Health to Hambarita
Resilient community-built reservoirs offer clean water access for 120 people.
In the secluded region of Hambarita, inaccessible by paved roads, the Fair Future Foundation, in partnership with Kawan Baik Indonesia, has successfully erected eight ferro-cement rainwater reservoirs. Each structure, with a capacity ranging from 4,400 to 5,300 litres, stands as a symbol of resilience and teamwork between foundation staff and local villagers over the past four months. These reservoirs now provide clean, filtered water to more than 120 people, with around three households depending on each one.
Named symbolically in the local dialect, each tank highlights its connection to the community it serves. Designed with simple yet effective principles, rainwater flows from rooftops into a filtration system, cleverly built from locally sourced materials, before being stored. Impressively, a tank reaches full capacity in +/- two hours of rainfall, ensuring a steady supply of fresh, clean water for days.
Due to the lack of roads, the project involved carving pathways and transporting materials over steep and rugged terrain, sometimes relying on manual labour to move equipment. This effort helped local families gain skills in ferro-cement construction and water filtration, empowering them to maintain and replicate these systems independently.
The benefits are immediate and profound: children, no longer burdened with fetching contaminated water, can attend school, while women gain valuable time for family care, economic activities, and community participation. Access to safe and clean water improves hygiene and cooking, and significantly reduces waterborne diseases.
Costing just 2,245 Swiss francs each, these reservoirs are expected to last between 10 and 20 years. They represent a modest investment with tremendous benefits for health, dignity, and well-being among the villagers. This project highlights the tangible outcomes of your support and the expertise developed over 16 years of dedicated work by the Swiss-based foundation.
Note: A ferro-cement water tank brings lasting health benefits to rural families, storing over 5,000 litres of safe water for more than a decade. Download the document to learn how it works and help fund a tank that transforms lives.
We cordially invite all captivated by this story to explore our photo gallery, witness this extraordinary effort, and further engage with our mission through our Instagram account.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – August 12th, 2025
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