IWFA stands for "Institute Water for Africa".

We are a non-profit organization and have the objective to sustainably improve the living conditions in Africa.

We are working in and for African countries.

The headquarters is located in Loffenau / Germany.

Currently, we are financed exclusively by donations and from private resources. We are looking for sponsors. We need large donations in order to build up the gauging stations in Africa.

We build meteorological and hydrological measuring networks in order to collect relevant water management data.

A meteorological or hydrological measuring network consists of gauging stations, of groundwater measuring stations as well as of water gauges on rivers and lakes.

Gauging stations measure parameters that are relevant for the climate, including:

• air temperature
• relative air humidity
• wind speed
• wind direction
• global radiation
• reflective radiation
• precipitation

Groundwater gauging stations measure:

• the groundwater level in meters above mean sea level
• depth to water table (distance from the grass sod to the groundwater)

Water gauges on rivers and lakes measure:

• water level of the lake in meters above mean se level
• water level of the river

These climate data are used to calculate the precipitation quantity, the effluent flow and the evaporation within a certain time frame.
From these data, we can calculate how much groundwater will be generated during this time frame. Along with the measured groundwater level we can draw conclusions on how long precipitation water will need to become groundwater. Here, we speak of groundwater recharge.

Groundwater recharge is defined as the water quantity that can be transported by pumps without lowering the groundwater level. When the groundwater level sinks, wells dry out and vegetation dies.

The data are collected electronically and are transmitted via the satellite METEOSAT onto a server in Germany. In Germany, we evaluate all data. Then, we make the data comprehensible by establishing statistics, maps and reports.

These data are needed by

• organisations of development programs
• non-profit / charitable organizations
• planning offices
• local authorities

that sustainably plan and coordinate a project in one of the following areas:

• agriculture (irrigation, drainage, desalination)
• residential water management (water supply and wastewater disposal)
• protection from erosion
• flood prevention
• water balances
• nature protection (fixing borders for wetlands, natural reserves, national parks)
• energy management
• construction planning for villages and towns (road construction, canalization/sewerage).