Water; Watts and Worms!

See how innovative technology powers the HOPE Children's Centre

in such a remote location

Water Supply & Storage

It's estimated that only 10% of the population of Sierra Leone have access to clean drinking water, there isn't sufficient infrastructure in place to deliver this vital resource throughout the country.

As such, it was necessary for us to devise a bespoke water supply for the HOPE Children's Centre.

To store water, 10,000 litre tanks are used, filled via the funnelling of rain water from the corrugated iron roof down through a custom designed guttering system.

A water pump is used to deliver this water to where it's needed inside the centre.

FUN FACT: In the rainy season, each 10,000 litre water tank can be filled in under 12 hours!

Electrical System

As with the water supply, a bespoke standalone power system was installed to provide electricity throughout the HOPE Children's Centre.

Roof mounted solar panels are used to collect energy from Sierra Leone's most abundant energy source, the sun!

The energy collected is stored in battery packs and used to power the sockets and lights around the centre, all wired back to the main circuit board with an accompanying isolation switch for safety.

Importantly, the solar panels are mounted proud of the corrugated roof so as to not interfere with the rain water collection system.

Waste Management

The HOPE Children's centre employs an innovative, yet rudimentary way of managing human waste.

A traditional cesspit is used to receive the waste, but through the use of worm technology it never needs to be manually emptied!

The worms that reside in the cesspit consume what's known as grey water and black water waste and turn it into an organic humus which is itself consumed by bacteria rendering it harmless.

The water that leaves the tank is colourless; odourless; nutrient rich and contains small worm eggs to ensure self-sustainability.

FUN FACT: 1lb of worms are able to consume 0.5lb of waste per day, because of this the cesspit remains hygenic and emits no unpleasant smells.