Our publications
Resources produced during our past projects are accessible here.
For more than 10 years, we have capitalised documents on groundwater development, irrigation, drinking water supply and sanitation. You can find lessons learnt from the field, project reports, technical sheets, (training) manuals, videos, etc.
Check out and share the information you are interested in with the rest of the sector in order to support local enterprises and strengthen their technical and business skills.
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Ivory Coast
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Ivory Coast; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Central African Republic
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Central African Republic; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Madagascar
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Madagascar; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities.
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Mauritanie
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Mauritania; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities.
Feasibility Map of Manual Drilling – Liberia
Feasibility map of manual drilling in Liberia. Generally, medium to low feasibility in most of the country with a few exceptions.
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Togo
In order to achieve development objectives, the DGEA, with the support of UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Togo; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities.
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Senegal
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Senegal; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities.
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Mali
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Mali; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities.
Study on the feasibility of manual drilling – Niger
In order to achieve development objectives, the UNICEF, launched this project called “Feasibility study of manual drilling in Niger; Identification of potentially favorable areas”. Its objective is to have a vision of the country’s potential for the implementation of low-cost manual drilling techniques as a complementary method for access to water of rural communities.
Feasibility Map of Manual Drilling – Sierra Leone
Feasibility map of manual drilling in Sierra Leone. Overall good to very good feasibility of manual drilling in many parts of the country.
Well drilling: Professionalizing the sector
UNICEF, Practica and Enterprise Works/VITA, a division of Relief International, have developed a toolkit for African countries wishing to embark on the professionalization of manual drilling. This toolkit includes Technical Notes, Technical Manuals, Advocacy Materials, Mapping of suitable areas for manual drilling, Case Studies, and Implementation and Training Manuals. This initiative builds the capacity of the local private sector in order to respond to the ever increasing demand for safe water in rural areas. This manual is a part of this larger set of tools that contribute essential information on how to professionalize manual drilling in Africa.
Well drilling: Financing options
UNICEF, Practica and Enterprise Works/VITA, a division of Relief International, have developed a toolkit for African countries wishing to embark on the professionalization of manual drilling. This toolkit includes Technical Notes, Technical Manuals, Advocacy Materials, Mapping of suitable areas for manual drilling, Case Studies, and Implementation and Training Manuals. This initiative builds the capacity of the local private sector in order to respond to the ever increasing demand for safe water in rural areas. This manual focussing on financing option, is a part of this larger set of tools that contribute essential information on how to professionalize manual drilling in Africa.
Well drilling: Business management
UNICEF, Practica and Enterprise Works/VITA, a division of Relief International, have developed a toolkit for African countries wishing to embark on the professionalization of manual drilling. This toolkit includes Technical Notes, Technical Manuals, Advocacy Materials, Mapping of suitable areas for manual drilling, Case Studies, and Implementation and Training Manuals. This initiative builds the capacity of the local private sector in order to respond to the ever increasing demand for safe water in rural areas. This manual focusing on business management, is a part of this larger set of tools that contribute essential information on how to professionalize manual drilling in Africa.
Identification of area with a good feasibility for manual drilling
As part of the activities to improve drinking water supply in Africa with low-cost techniques, UNICEF has carried out studies (with descriptive report and mapping) in 12 countries with the aim of estimating the potential for application of manual drilling techniques at the level of each country, by identifying areas that are considered priorities for the future development of the program in terms of aptitude favorable and presence of population with low access to drinking water. This is a report describing the methodology used and the results obtained from studies and manual drilling mapping in 12 countries.
Sustainable transfer of manual well driling to the private sector in Niger
This case study examines the impact of professional manual drilling operations on the access to potable water. For many years there was the lack of a coordinated effort and continuity of approach, which slowed the emergence of the manual drilling sector. The development of the private manual well drilling sector was encouraged by three large small-scale irrigation projects funded by the World Bank and the European Union. UNICEF has funded several demonstration programs and the mapping of areas suitable for manual drilling in Niger. For a professional manual drilling sector to further develop in Niger there remains a need to simultaneously upgrade the technical ability and management efficiency of the drilling enterprises and to integrate a new cadre of quality control companies into manual drilling activities.
Manufacturing manual Volanta pumps
The Volanta pump can be used for drinking water and irrigation supply. The pump has been designed by one expert of Practica, and the design is now available to be used and reproduced at will. This manual details the material needed to manufacture the pump and the way to assemble them. It contains images and detailed explanations.
Installation, use and maintenance manual Volanta
Volanta pumps have been developed to be robust, and easily repairable by local mechanics in the field. It is meant to be a reliable way to supply drinking water on the long term. A smaller version of the pump exists and can be used for smallscale farmer-led irrigation. The Volanta pumps are currently manufactured and distributed in Burkina Faso and Niger.
Feasibility maps of manual drilling – Multiple countries
These maps show the feasibility for manual drilling in ten countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (Mali, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Benin, Niger, Tchad, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Zambia, Madagascar). Areas with high feasibility present a good potential to drill manually, and therefore at a low cost, boreholes of a high quality for drinking water supply. Maps are available in English or in French depending on the spoken language of the country.
The Influence of Social Marketing on Adoption of Social Innovations – A Dyadic Study on Ceramic Pot Filters
This research focuses on the adoption of ceramic water filters. Ceramic water filters are filters that can provide clean drinking water to their user and are mostly produced and marketed by NGO’s in developing or less developed countries. More specific, this research focuses on the reasons that make people decide to buy a product like a ceramic water filter and how they are
approached best in terms of social marketing.
Product Sheet: Augering
Augering has proven to be a successful, low‐cost approach to machine drilling and hand digging wells. Drilling shallow water wells by hand reduces the price of a well by a factor of 4 to 10, enabling rural people to have access to water independently through the private sector.