Enabling Universal Access to Safe Drinking Water, Hygiene and Sustainable Sanitation Technologies and Services for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Improvement in Rural Communities

Low-cost interventions integrating latrine construction and use, hand washing with soap and household-based treatment of drinking-water and safe storage are targeted to significantly reduce the pathogen load observed in environments with poor WASH conditions and thereby improving maternal, newborn and child health. The aim of the project is to develop a sustainable business model for solar powered kiosks which deliver safe drinking water to low-income consumers. NIMR in collaboration with STIC Labs (Tanzania) and Almega Revivo (Switzerland) provides an innovation for the sustainable provision of safe drinking water to the poor at an affordable cost. STIC Labs, the Negawatt Challenge award winner of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on November 17, 2015. STIC labs award was on a prepaid water metering system which is solar power operated and offering either mobile money or coin based payment which monitors revenue, provide security for private water resources and data on water source. On the other hand, Almega Revivo is an autonomous, innovative, and easy-to-install solar-powered UV water disinfection system, that easily process up to 1200 l/hr. The business model is designed to be scaled throughout Tanzania, and eventually, other developing countries. Our recent pilot project reveals that, BCC paired with demonstrations of latrines fitted with hand washing facilities creates demand and is effective in stimulating uptake and adoption of the intervention.