Promoting Social Entrepreneurship for Safe Drinking Water in Lowlands of Nepal

Water filter sales event with a local women’s group in Lalitpur, Nepal (© SmartPaani)

Description of the Project

In partnership with SmartPaani, the aim of this project is to implement state-of-the-art WASH systems and technologies, including a newly developed and tested filter technology to remove micro-organisms and heavy metals such as arsenic from water sources. The overall objective is to establish a new model for providing safe drinking water to schools and households in the region while supporting local entrepreneurs through a social enterprise mechanism.

The model of this project combines impact interventions with market-based mechanisms to promote behaviour change, enabling both the schools and the community to reinforce each other’s actions and strengthen the demand for and impact of safe water.

In addition, the project expects to decrease school absenteeism and increase the productivity of adult household members. The ultimate goal is to improve water quality and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) habits in both schools and households, leading to a healthier and more prosperous community.