4 Principles
The Safe Water Project follows four main principles of development.
Once a community has a reliable source of safe water which they themselves can maintain and independently manage, that community can leverage their knowledge to develop in other ways that go beyond water.
1 - Participation
Local entrepreneurs are are involved in all project planning and execution stages, learning to launch and operate small scale, grass root water projects. Teams are trained to build water purification systems, test them, manage all areas of a project, teach their community about water safety, and inspect/maintain every filtration system. Communities are empowered to influence, manage, and shape their own development, making each project around the world unique.
2 - Appropriateness
Project scale and technical level are major components in determining if water technology is a good fit for a developing community. For most communities the bio-sand filter is ideal. Projects can be managed by local teams, promoting progress and independence, with all filters made and maintained by local teams. This low-tech, highly effective solution, filters out up to 99.0% of viruses and up to 98.5% of bacteria from water.
3 - Sustainability
The Safe Water Project provides economic, social, and environmental benefits to communities. Local teams manage a small business and generate a revenue in exchange for products and services. The community benefits by increased health, productivity, and economic growth. The environment benefits from reduced deforestation as burning wood to boil water is no longer necessary.
4 - Capacity Building
The Safe Water Project enables communities to build capacity and continue developing without external support. Project leaders receive business training from Social Venture 101, learning skills and practices to operate a sustainable venture. Community members are trained to become safe water health agents (CHA's), learn the benefits of safe water, and are given the training to sell bio-sand filters, bringing safe water to the community.
RESULTS - Ongoing Development Driven by Healthier Communities
Water is an important first step to increase opportunities for at-risk communities. Capacity building is a long term process in which stakeholders of the project participate and contribute to shape their own development. It also empowers them to consider further community impact.
Our Sustainable Safe Water Model
Self-Supporting Development Model
Our projects use a self-supporting model where wages, materials, and other costs are recovered through the sale of bio-sand filters made. Customers benefit financially since the cost of a bio-sand filter is typically lower than their expenditures on medicine and time lost from work due to water related illnesses.
We use three grassroots activities that have a proven developmental impact on emerging communities:
Train the Trainers
Teaching instructors how to build water purification systems and train other team members.
Intro Business Course
Project leaders learn to manage a thriving small business, learning business strategies and fulfilling the Safe Water Project mission.
Community Health Agents
Team members trained to educate their community on water related illnesses and sell bio-sand filters.
EMPOWER
We provide training, tools, and mentoring to equip teams to provide safe water to their communities.
Tools
Bio-sand filter molds
Hand tools
Initial supply of raw materials (subsequent materials are purchased with revenue from bio-sand filter sales)
Training
Trained to teach others: to construct household water purification systems (CAWST’s Bio-sand filter Project Implementation Workshop)
Managing a small business: to fulfill mission and thrive economically (Social Venture 101)
Trained to teach others: to sell bio-sand filters (Community Health Agent Train the Trainers)
Mentoring
Monthly reporting and technical support
Annual visits to project sites
Africa Biosand Filter Implementers Network (ABINET) membership
Sustainable Technology for Communities
We work with grassroots communities to build local capacity, provide meaningful employment, and to empower these communities to help their neighbours. The projects use sustainable technology (bio-sand filters) that do not require energy or chemicals to operate, are easy to maintain, and can be constructed locally with locally available materials.
Self-Supporting Model
Project use a self-supporting delivery model where wages, materials, and other costs are recovered through the sale of bio-sand filters. Customers also benefit financially as the cost of a bio-sand filter is typically lower than their present expenditures on medicine and time lost from work due to water related illnesses
Safe Water
A billion people don’t have access to safe water. They have water; it just isn't safe to drink. Water related illnesses in the areas of the projects include cholera, typhoid, dysentery, amoeba, and worms (guinea worms, hook worms, etc.)
Other Benefits
The bio-sand filters can purify nearby water, reducing the need for long walks to get water.
Health
Purifying the water prior to consumption protects against water related illnesses