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The Trouble with ‘Free’: Why Treating the Poor as Customers Works Better than Charity
Lack of access to safe water is a leading cause of illness in developing countries. Yet for years, Guatemalan entrepreneur Philip Wilson's family foundation worked to distribute free water filters across the countryside, only to see recipients repurpose them as flower pots and garbage cans. After going into the field to meet real families that were living with unsafe water, he came up with a better approach: a business model that treats the rural poor as consumers of products rather than objects of charity. He explores the reasons this model is working, and the challenges it has faced.
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, WASH
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Press release: WaterAid and partners make the business case for investing in water, sanitation and hygiene
WaterAid’s new resource responds to the growing need for the evidence that improving water, sanitation and hygiene facilities should be more than a philanthropic measure or means to tick a corporate social responsibility box; it should be a core business priority.
- Source
- Press release
- Categories
- WASH
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No savior: Can blended finance work for WASH?
While many say there is new momentum building around innovative financing streams, discussions at the recent Stockholm World Water Week conference made clear that more focus is needed on building up the “demand-side,” rather than solely on developing what one delegate described as “sexy” financial instruments.
- Categories
- WASH
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Viewpoint: Make water a top global priority. It’s the best, cheapest way to save lives
Containing the West African Ebola outbreak took years, cost billions, and claimed more than 11,000 lives in three countries. The disease’s rapid spread was partly because family members and health care personnel could not adequately wash their hands after touching the sick and deceased.
- Categories
- WASH
- Tags
- global health, public health, sanitation, WASH, water, WHO
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World’s Biggest Toilet-Building Spree Is Under Way in India
The scale-up of latrines and a nationwide campaign to encourage their use is driving a market for toilet-related products and services that’s predicted to double to $62 billion by 2021.
- Categories
- WASH
- Region
- South Asia
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Purifying Water Using a Ceramic Pot in Uganda
When the well is contaminated: The Purifaaya pot, made by Spouts of Water, is 99.9% effective and its water is potable, say Ugandan authorities
- Categories
- Entrepreneurship, WASH
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Taps that don’t go dry: This summer, water ATMs to the rescue
The mobile water dispensing systems from Swajal and JanaJal are providing safe drinking water in rural as well as urban areas with the help of IoT and solar energy, reducing use of plastic.
- Categories
- WASH
- Region
- South Asia
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Without power or plumbing, this new toilet answer our sanitation needs
A company called change:WATER labs is trying to make a difference for the billions of people who don't have clean toilets with this astonishing innovation.
- Categories
- WASH
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