RAIN provides knowledge of water harvesting management services that link information and theory with practice and people. Drawing on our experience in implementing and advising on rainwater harvesting technologies and programmes in various countries, we deliver knowledge products and provide knowledge sharing activities such as workshops, training courses and webinars.
Regular discussion and collaboration with experts and partners in our extended network allow us to keep our expertise fully up to date as well as disseminate new ideas and innovative practices.
Our knowledge, experience and networks in water harvesting make us the ideal partner to support you with:
- Organizing learning events such as webinars, guest lectures and workshops
- Developing courses, modules and training packages
- Developing manuals, tools and guidelines
- Research on lessons learned and best practices
- Building networks and platforms
- Knowledge management and dissemination
We link state of the art theory with practice. RAIN has an extensive network of knowledge institutes, universities, practitioners and decision makers in the Dutch and international water harvesting sector.
Tool Development for Online Learning
RAIN builds tools that help you plan your intervention, guide your decision-making process or even build your own rainwater harvesting (RWH) tank. These tools make our experiences and expertise available to a wider audience. Examples are the WASH Environmental Sustainability Assessment to make your intervention more environmentally sustainable, a GIS mapping tool that helps identify the potential and feasibility of RWH in a region, and a RAIN is GAIN tool to calculate water needs and demand, and explore suitable RWH technology. Our knowledge platform www.rain4food.net gives access to information in our online library, our RWH wiki and a wide variety of other RWH sources. Additionally, we share experiences from our community of practice, ambassadors and partners via blogs, news, videos and project updates from the field.
Innovation: Developing a Microfinance Product for Rainwater Harvesting
Microfinance is a means to sustainably finance rainwater harvesting (RWH) projects and create local ownership. It increases access to water and makes people less dependent on subsidies. Using microfinance for the uptake of RWH is relatively new and we have been gaining experience with this type of financing since 2010. RAIN has conducted pilots and studies in Nepal, Burkina Faso and Senegal that explored opportunities for using microfinance to finance RWH systems. Microfinance reduces dependence on subsidies, stimulates self-reliance, supports local finance principles, and creates a sense of ownership and a ‘business mindset’. RAIN has gained extensive experience of microfinance and acts as an innovator in the field of sustainable finance for rainwater harvesting.
Webinars on Rainwater Harvesting
In close collaboration with various strategic partners, RAIN organizes webinars on a regular basis. Topics are varied and range from technical and social aspects of RWH and how to intensify lobby and advocacy activities. These webinars range from presentations and lectures to seminars that are broadcast over the internet using specialized software. Participants with an internet connection can join from anywhere in the world and interact with the presenters and other participants in live question and answer sessions. Our webinars facilitate knowledge sharing and network development at relatively low cost and have the potential to reach a vast number of people.