Let's examine the current model of providing water to the poor, which faces many challenges:
- Outdated hand pumps that break quickly
- Lack of maintenance due to a focus on installation rather than upkeep
- Minimal water filtering (bacteria, toxins, heavy metals)
- Emphasis on short-term solutions, providing water but not necessarily clean water
- No comprehensive strategy, just patching issues from one place to another
- No change in the situation, leading to endless dependence
BONDH-E-SHAMS (The Solar Water Project) – www.bondheshams.org
BES uses rapidly deployable water filtration boxes that can serve a community of 5,000 to 10,000 people. They can be set up in under 10 minutes on-site and over any existing water source. They offer full filtration tailored to that water source and have an expected lifespan of over 25 years.
BES is creating scalable water plants nationwide to sell bottled water, using the profits to fund water boxes for villages that cannot afford them. Charities investing in the area will receive a 10% return within a year. BES uses this investment to build water plants, creating a source of recurring income.
Charities benefit by not using funds for water and earning a 10% return for other work. BES gains capital to build water plants. People in the region help by purchasing bottled water from BES, and profits support operations and fund villages that can't afford water. This scalable solution can be applied at both city and regional levels, utilizing existing resources.
