The afridev hand pump: New and improved

The pump division of Aakash International has introduced new and improved Afridev hand pump for export.  The company’s export branch also ensures that the new and improved 

Afridev pump can be made available though out African region. Our experience has shown that the failure of water-supply projects lies not so much in the implementation of these products, but in the subsequent maintenance of these water systems. Systems fail because maintenance needs cannot be met. The choice of technology often requires a highly- skilled maintenance team. However, as a result of financial constraints and lack of resources, the high costs of this type of maintenance are often not sustainable. What is needed is a technology that matches the resources to sustain it. Water-supply technologies that are designed around the Village Level Operation & Maintenance (Vlom) concept have the highest potential for sustainability. For many communities in Africa, hand pumps such as Afridev, India MKII and III and the Zimbabwean Bush pump are often the only source of potable water supply.

The success of our hand pumps in remote and inaccessible parts of Africa is mainly attributed to the Vlom characteristics of these pumps. AakashInternational manufactured afridev hand pumps are easy to operate and do not require a highly-skilled maintenance team to carry out routine repairs and maintenance. Aakash International produced hand pumps are also easy to install as heavy equipment and specialized tools are not required. The rising main of the Afridev hand pump is a belled uPVC column that is easily installed using two or three people. No tripod is required and, with the help of the guiding rope, the columns are installed without much fuss. The connecting hook and eye rods fit into each other and no spanner is required. Once the uPVC columns have been installed, it is no longer necessary to remove the columns when doing future maintenance. The cylinder has an open top through which the plunger rod is easily removed, allowing the hand pump technician to change the necessary seals. Aakash International hand pumps have extensive countrywide and international distribution network, which ensures that spares are readily available, thus ensuring the continued sustainability of the product.