The Eco Rollers help the town’s vulnerable turn a heavy load into something that simply rolls home!
Kenton-on-Sea, Eastern Cape (11 March 2026) – Members of the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea, alongside the Kariega Foundation, have started distributing ‘Eco Rollers’ to vulnerable households across the greater Kenton area.
The initiative comes as drought conditions continue to place pressure on access to water in the region.
“Members of the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea, together with the Kariega Foundation have begun distributing Eco Rollers to vulnerable households in the greater Kenton area, where ongoing drought conditions continue to place pressure on access to water.” the Rotary Club of Kenton on Sea shared on Facebook.
So far, 18 Eco Rollers have already reached families who need them most, with another 32 set to be delivered in the coming weeks following community engagement that identified households facing the greatest challenges.
The Eco Roller is manufactured locally. The rolling barrel container (pictured below) allows water to be transported by rolling instead of being carried – a clever solution especially for those who need to walk great distances just to access water to bring back home.
“The Eco Rollers, manufactured locally in East London by Eco Tanks, allow up to 70 litres of water to be rolled rather than carried, easing the burden for elderly residents who often walk long distances to collect water.” shares the Rotary club.
Local Rotarians Ray and Carol Oliver have been championing the initiative, helping drive the ‘rollout’ within the community. The project has also been made possible thanks to international collaboration. Support from the Rotary Club of Gibsons and the Rolling Water Foundation in Canada helped fund the Eco Rollers.
The programme is set to expand through the upcoming Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) near Makhanda, where dozens of student leaders from across the Eastern Cape will each receive an Eco Roller.
“Looking ahead, the programme will expand through the upcoming RYLA Summit 2026 near Makhanda, where 77 student leaders from across the Eastern Cape will each receive an Eco Roller and become champions of the initiative in their own communities.”
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These young leaders will then take the idea back to their own communities, becoming ambassadors for the initiative and helping spread the solution even further.
The remaining Eco Rollers allocated to the summit will be distributed through Rotary’s local community networks. Altogether, 150 Eco Rollers will be rolled out through the initiative, each one easing the daily burden of water collection for a household that needs it.
“March is Rotary’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Month, and this initiative reflects Rotary’s ongoing commitment to improving access to safe water and practical solutions for communities facing water challenges.” shares the club.
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