How long does a sand dam last?

Sand dams last for upwards of 60 years (the oldest known in operation is 100 years old), and along with the virtually zero operation and maintenance costs, it makes them a remarkably low-cost, sustainable solution to water scarcity.

Latest

March 2024 sand dam expedition - hear from the volunteers!

Sand Dams Worldwide and a group of volunteers teamed up to support community members from Kithumba self-help group in southeast Kenya to build a sand dam. Hear what the volunteers, community and local partners had to say about the experience!
Big Give Green Match Fund campaign: have your donations doubled today!

Sand Dams Worldwide is once again taking part in the Big Give's Green Match Fund campaign, during which you can have your donations doubled!
Sand Dams for Peace

Sand Dams Worldwide believes that sand dams could provide desperately needed new water supplies in southern Ethiopia and could play a pivotal role in reducing water-related conflict.
Agustin and Julian give a dam

Hi! 18 months later here I am, back at it. Many of you followed my adventure in Kenya with my son Ian back in September '22 and it is now Julian who wants to "give a dam" with me.

We support communities to build sustainable sand dams in some of the poorest, drought-stricken regions across our world.
What is a sand dam?
Donate

Please donate what you can to transform lives and land with sand dams and clean water.
Reversing land degradation and desertification

Conservation of the environment is critical to the economic development of people living in drylands.
Watch how sand dams work

Film explaining how sand dams work and their potential impact in the world's drylands
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.
Act Now: Tackle Food Crisis With Sand Dams

Support dryland communities to overcome food shortages, and ensure they can grow enough food to eat and sell. It all starts with ensuring they have access to water. That’s where sand dams come in.
1 million sand dams for 0.5 billion people by 2050

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.
Sand dam manual

For everything you need to know about building sand dams, click here to read (and download for free!), Sand Dams: A Practical & Technical Manual.
Our approach

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