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<b>Malawi, Blantyre trials</b>
Several rope pumps were introduced in order to provide a better alternative for the Afridev Community handpump, which is the standard handpump in Malawi. The Afridev is not popular due to many breakdowns and not available spare parts, especially in the more remote areas. However, the rope pumps also broke down many times, sometimes several times per month, due to the high number of users and was therefor not considered by the users as a good alternative for a community pump, although repairs were possible. Another disadvantage mentionned was that children found it difficult to pump and sometimes got hurt when the handle security break system was not functioning (in that case the handle turns back with a high speed due to the weight of the water in the riser pipe). The communities now prefer a more reliable handpump than the Afridev, with less need for spares.
<b>Mozambique</b>
As in Malawi, the rope pump was seen as a viable alternative to the Afridev which is generally the official pump of choice. WaterAid had first introduced a bucket and windlass system in the Niassa provice as an alternative due to the high failure rate of Afridev pumps, but the Mozambican government refused to accept these as official community water supplies. WaterAid, in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), UNICEF, CARE and the Government of Mozambique, therefore began a lengthy process of piloting a robust community rope pump, first relying on support from Bombas de Mecate in Nicaragua, but later adapting the design from Madagascar. The new model meets a number of key well protection and water quality criteria
set down by the development team. Three manufacturers are now in operation in three provinces and through a process of skill sharing improvements have been made to the design resulting in a robust high quality model. A manufacturing standard has also been produced with the help of SKAT. The final stages of this process are currently underway which include the final approval of the pump as well as the licensing of the manufacturers by the Governments standards laboratory.
There are now more than 300 rope pumps installed across three provinces (Niassa, Cabo Delgado and Zambezia)and in Niassa particularly WaterAid funded projects continues to offer communities a choice of either the Rope Pump of the Afridev. In addition the installed pumps are monitored twice per year in order to better understand the pumps sustainability.
Apart from this initiative, PumpAid has also been active in the Chimoio province installing Elephant Pumps which are also rope pumps.
Please see the external links below for further information.
<b>Burkina Faso</b>
WaterAid in Burkina Faso is also currently developing a rope pump model suitable to local conditions. This project has resulted in a renewed understanding across WaterAid of the need to ensure that rope pumps destined for community water supplies require high quality manufacturing and installation techniques in order for them to remain sustainable. WaterAid now intends to renew its efforts across the organisation to improving the quality of rope pumps in countries where this is supported. An international skills and knowledge sharing event to which all rope pump supporters and manufacturers will be invited is being considered for 2009.
[[Image:RopePumpZambia.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Rope pump| Rope pump]] used for irrigation in Zambia]]
* [http://www.demotech.org/d-design/designA.php?d=43 Rope Pump info at Demotech]
* [http://www.appropedia.org/Rope_pump Rope pump article at Appropedia]
* [http://www.wateraid.org/international/what_we_do/where_we_work/mozambique/2595.asp]
* [http://www.pumpaid.org/The-Elephant-Pump.shtml]