LIFE's Project Featured on 'Furusato Choice' (No Gift Rewards)

In Sumba Island, Indonesia, Japanese and local Sumbanese people are collaborating to develop a water-lifting device called the 'waterwheel pump'.

The Non-Profit Organization (NPO) Tomo to Ayumu Kai, Earth's Friends (hereinafter LIFE, headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Keizo Yokoyama) is addressing poverty in Sumba Island, an isolated region left behind by national development, primarily through agricultural initiatives. As we approach our 40th anniversary in fiscal year 2026, we remain committed to advancing self-reliant support for local communities.

Visit LIFE's page on Furusato Choice

Background: Why We Are Seeking Support via Furusato Taxation

Our project site, East Sumba Regency in Indonesia, lacks basic water infrastructure. Residents must walk to rivers or springs multiple times a day to collect water. Due to poverty, many cannot eat properly, and children often skip school due to exhaustion and hunger, resulting in poor academic performance. Farmers who wish to grow vegetables for income face the immense physical burden of manually transporting large volumes of water from distant sources.

<Challenges Faced by Sumbanese Communities Due to Limited Water Access>

- Daily burden of water collection

- Low income due to limited scale of farming, reforestation, and fish farming

- Poor nutrition due to lack of water and low income

- Health issues such as gastrointestinal diseases and tooth decay due to poor hygiene from inability to wash hands

etc.

Elementary school students walking to do laundry

They walk several kilometers on unpaved roads.

Village women carrying water to fields

Water collection limits the expansion of farmland.

Rice-only meals

Nutritional imbalance due to poverty and water scarcity.

Evening water collection

Children collect water up to three times a day—before school, after school, and in the evening.

To reduce the burden of water collection, we are developing a water-lifting device called the 'waterwheel pump'. In 2024, we successfully tested the pump on Sumba Island and confirmed it can lift water. However, rivers are natural and flow differently depending on location. We plan to install pumps in multiple locations for testing, but lack the funds to build multiple units, slowing development.

Recently, we received an invitation from Chiyoda Ward to participate in the furusato tax program, leading us to launch our campaign on 'Furusato Choice' to raise funds for pump development.

What LIFE Has Done to Improve Water Access

We decided to develop a water-lifting device in 2015. Initially, we had no idea how to lift water from a lower to a higher elevation. Over time, we connected with university professors overseas who shared knowledge and technical expertise. Japanese universities and companies also provided space for experiments, enabling us to achieve successful field testing on Sumba Island in 2024.

For more details on our pump development journey, please visit our website.

LIFE's Pump Development

Assembly in Japan

We used laboratory space provided by a university.

Building-based testing

We conducted experiments using corporate office facilities.

Tama River testing

We obtained permission to test in the river.

Assembly and testing on Sumba Island

Japanese and Sumbanese people collaborated to build the pump.

Watch our 2024 Sumba Island experiment on YouTube.

LIFE Sumba Island 'Pump Development Tour'

English version of pump development video

Key Features of the Waterwheel Pump

Many rural areas of Sumba Island still lack electricity. Fuel stations are distant, and villagers lack cash to purchase fuel. Our pump requires neither electricity nor fuel—only the natural flow of the river to lift water. We use only materials available on the island and design the pump so villagers can assemble and repair it themselves.

Fuel-powered pumps require continuous fuel purchases. Electric pumps require power lines or solar panels. In contrast, our pump starts lifting water immediately once placed in a river.

Future Development Plans

We plan to build multiple pumps and test them in rivers with different flow conditions. By testing in diverse environments, we will assess whether the current design is universally applicable. Identifying issues and making improvements will help us create a pump usable in various river settings.

Once we confirm its broad applicability, we hope to expand beyond Sumba Island to other regions facing water access challenges.

Current Challenges

Our local NGO partners fully understand the pump mechanism. Villagers who already use the pump understand its structure and can repair it when broken. Local capacity is in place. However, building one pump costs about 100,000 yen in materials. Without funds, we cannot build new pumps for testing in other villages. We believe it's essential to first verify and improve the pump's versatility before widespread distribution. Removing existing pumps for new tests would halt farming in current villages, which we wish to avoid.

Future Outlook

We envision the following positive changes for Sumba Island once water access improves:

- Children no longer need to make multiple daily water trips, gaining energy to attend school regularly

- Students can focus in class, improving academic performance

- Families can earn income through vegetable farming, fruit cultivation, and fish farming

- With water and income, households can prepare balanced, nutritious meals

- Improved hygiene through handwashing and toothbrushing leads to better health

etc.

Please join us in supporting the people of Sumba Island to gain access to water!!

Visit LIFE's page on Furusato Choice

About This Furusato Tax Donation

70% of your donation will be granted to LIFE as a subsidy. The remaining 30% will be used by Chiyoda Ward.

For details on how the furusato tax system works, please refer to the Furusato Choice website.

View details

This furusato tax campaign offers no gift rewards. Donations are eligible for tax deductions. Anyone, regardless of residence, can donate. Donation period is tentatively from July 1 to December 31, Reiwa 8 (2026).