A 10-day workshop which trained 10 village health workers (VHW's) attached to A.I.D.'s SANRU-86 rural health project in Zaire and 9 Peace Corps Volunteers in construction of rainwater catchment (RWC) systems is herein described. The trainees learned how to evaluate the technical feasibility of and community interest in RWC systems; conduct an inventory of the needed materials; choose the most appropriate technology; design a system; organize materials and construction; engage the active participation of the local community and prepare it to monitor and maintain the system; and evaluate the completed system. The trainees had 24 hours of hands-on experience in constructing a large RWC system at the Nsona Mpangu hospital and a system for thatched roof catchment in a nearby village. The workshop experience led to recommendations that SANRU-86 train VHW's in other regions in RWC technology and adapt the adult learning model used in the workshop to other water supply training programs. A.I.D. should continue to support SANRU-86 rural water supply efforts and to help SANRU-86 introduce RWC systems as an occasional supplement or alternative to other water supply technologies.