Aqua Clara International (ACI) HWTS Options: Biosand Filter Target Population: Rural Communities, Kisii & Eldoret, Kenya Impact: more than 10,000 people with improved drinking water since 2007

2 Introduction NGO headquartered in the USA and operating in Kenya & Nicaragua Mission: Empower communities to meet their own needs by using a partnership- based, entrepreneurial model Goal: Completely locally-driven and sustainable program that involves partnership between schools, their surrounding communities and ACI

3 Current Details Current project start date: June 2010 Current project size: 1,800 filters Implemented to date: 1,800 filters Target: 5,000 filters per year Kisii Source: worldtravels.com (2011)

ACI demonstration plastic biosand filter in Kisii, Kenya (2011) Creating Demand Community Development Entrepreneurs (CDEs) –Operate small ACI business –Social marketing –Construction and sales of WASH products to end users –Receive profit on each product sold Community Health Promoters (CHPs) –Education & follow-up with end users and schools –Oversight –Receive a stipend for specific project activities 4

Creating Demand First level of ACI Products –Biosand filters (820 KES ~ US $12) –Safe water storage containers (350 KES ~ US $4) –Hand washing containers Biosand filter 5 Safe water storage container Hand washing container

6 Creating Demand School launches –Kick-off for local business –Invitation to chiefs, community, parents of students –Participatory & engaging ACI’s public endorsement of CDE and their work ACI staff lead community preparation of sand and gravel for a filter installation at a school launch (2011)

7 Successes –Sold more than 700 biosand filters at full hard cost recovery as of May 2011 –Demand is growing in the target communities Challenges –CDEs drive success of the business and sales, some CDEs will be more/less productive Lessons learned –School launches help to give the CDE credibility & introduce products to the community Creating Demand

Supplying Products and Services Schools –“Neutral zone” & demonstration site –Material storage –Education through Water & Hygiene Clubs ACI Staff –Manage supply chain –Negotiate with suppliers –Sand sourced centrally from Nakuru –Training of end users and schools ACI partner school in Kisii, Kenya (2011) 8

Supplying Products and Services CDE –Construction & installation of filters –Training the end user –Return to teach “swirl & dump” maintenance Households –Purchase filter (KES 820) –Participate in sand washing –Transport materials to home CDE demonstrating an installation at a school (2011) 9

10 Supplying Products and Services Community Health Promoters –Clear criteria –Stipend for each follow-up visit (100 KES) CHPs at monthly meeting (2011) –Support work of 1-2 CDEs –Conduct education sessions with Water & Hygiene Clubs at schools

Successes –Ability to meet growing demand –Negotiation with suppliers to reduce the cost to the end users, increasing access –Centralized sand source, improved from past sources –Better quality control by managing supply chain –Follow up visits in households Supplying Products and Services CHP field kit (2011) 11

Supplying Products and Services 12 Challenges –Quality control of sand during washing; varied filter flow rates –Long-term retention of CHPs Lessons learned –Need to supply sand from a central source to maintain filter quality –Importance of providing glue for CDEs, so that the tubing is well constructed and does not leak

13 Monitoring and Improvement CHPs conduction follow-up visits to end users –1 st visit – 1-2 months after installation –2 nd visit – 12 months after installation –3 rd visit – 24 months after installation At monthly meetings – receive sales orders from CDEs These are the households they will follow-up with in the next month Complete a questionnaire which is given to ACI staff

Monitoring and Improvement ACI staff monitoring sand quality at the sand source (2011) Successes Good systems and communication in place to monitor the project Strong commitment to improving quality of implementation by staff Targeted and informed improvement of the program Lessons learned Early household visits are key to ensuring the success of the filters 14

Building Human Capacity ACI staff CAWST & outside training as needed CHPs & CDEs Initial 5-day training Monthly meetings Refresher training as needed Veteran CHP teaching new recruits about hand washing with soap (2011) 15

Building Human Capacity End Users CDE at installation and for filter maintenance CHP during follow-up visits CAWST delivering a training session with ACI CHPs (2011) Schools Partnership with school and school representative Two sessions each month to Water & Hygiene clubs 16

17 Program Financing End users contribute –Pay complete hard cost of filter and safe water storage container –Contribute some labor in sand washing & transport of materials ACI subsidizes –Staff costs –Education & follow-up to users & schools ACI receives funding through individuals, foundations and corporations

18 If product is marketed well with a good distribution mechanism, people are willing to pay the full hard cost of a filter ACI is reaching the poorest of the poor (people who earn less than $2 / day) - end users have a reported income of less than $1/person/day Program is demand driven so productivity varies The model and network is applicable to other WASH products Summary