Indonesia
Kalimantan

In 2010 Water4Life started a drinking water project in the province of Kalimantan in Indonesia. After a visit of Water4Life to Kalimantan it became clear that in this region of Indonesia there is a great need for safer drinking water. From visits to cities, kampongs and institutions and conversations with ao. the water corporations PDAM from Sintang and Pantianak and government it became clear that the introduction of a waterpurifier in this region by Water4Life is very welcome. During these visits the first agreements were made about the methods that will be used by water4life.

Amongst others it was agreed that the department TEC (Training Education Centre PDAM Indonesia link to website TEC) of the water corporation leidingwaterbedrijf PDAM of Pontianak will play an important role in the introduction of the water purifiers in the cities and villages. TEC will take a major part in eduction about hygiene and sanitation.
The engineering college SMK of Pontianak will produce the water purifiers. Water4Life will supply the necessary machinery and eductaion, as to ensure that a lasting and good quality produc can be produced.
By this way of working we give the people an affordable option to supply themselves with safe drinking water. Therefor the water purifiers are produced against the lowest cost price possible. By making our knowledge and experience available the local people learn techniques to purify safe drinking water themselves.

Water4Life in Kalimantan on YouTube

India
Tsunami affected coastal area

In 2004 a cooperation was started with DHAN foundation. DHAN foundation has it's headquarters in Madurai, in the south India state Tamil Nadu. DHAN has a huge network amongst the poor population and is originally an organization that fights poverty through microfinance. DHAN has grown to a foundation that now has a much wider scope of activities, such as supplying access to safe drinking water on household level.
After several tests with varying models in the period of 2004 to 2007, the decision was finally taken to continue the project with a stainless steel gravity filter with ceramic filter candles. More can be read about this in the 'technology section'. From the tests it became clear that this concept is, in view of the local habits and preferences, the best and most affordable technology that is accepted best amonsgst most users.
In the period between June 2007 till December 2007, 10000 purifiers have been locally produced and distributed amongst the poorest en most affected inhabitants of the regions in Tamil Nadu that were hit by the Tsunami.

In May 2008 fieldtests were executed which showed that after approximately 4 to 6 months of use, 80% of the people were actually still using the water purifiers on a daily basis. In comparisson to studies of other NGO's in other countries with comparable filter technology this score is good. The satisfaction score is therefore very high. Mostly people appreciate the visual result of clean water, but also items like better taste and healt improvement are mentioned.
The tests also showed the necessity of good training sessions and an activly inspecting service network for the success of the project.

Indonesia
Orong Kekeran on Lombok Island

In 2008 a cooperation was started with the Friends of Lombok Kekeran foundation. This small foundation fights for longer and lasting improved healthier life of the inhabitants of the village Orong Kekeran.
The first usertest with the water purifiers from India showed that the villagers are enthusiastic about the product. Boiling water is no longer necessary after all. Therefore a decision was taken to work with some supervision of Water4Life to set up a small scale production for water purifiers of the gravity type.
In June 2008 the first locally producted purifier was presented. Some improvements are necessary before the purifier can be used but these first results are encouraging. It is expected that in the course of 2009 the first series of water purifiers will be manufactured.


Link to: Progress report by VLOK foundation - December 2008

Gambia
Kubuneh Village

During the fall of 2008 Renée Rutten has executed a small survey during her internship to discover wether there are possibilities to use the technology which is promoted by Water4Life in Gambia. Now it is clear that the circumstances in the villages are such that use of the water purifiers will improve the quality of the drinking water. It is necessary to do further look into the possibilities to actually introduce the purifiers in a sustainable manner. Read more through the link below.


Link to: Progress report by Renée Rutten - December 2008
Link to: Final report by Renée Rutten & Claudia Hernandez - June 2009

Kenia
Kibera en Masai

In 2008 the first contacts were established with various local NGO's in Kenia that look promising. Some water purifiers were tested with the local inhabitant, amongst others with the Masai tribe which lives in the West part of Kenia under difficult circumstances. The Masai people were very enthusiastic. Also we are working on plans to put the filters in action in the second largest slum of Afrika, Kibera in Nairobi. At this point in time we are checking the feasibility and planning of this project in cooperation with the partners.

Zambia
Mpongwe district (Copperbelt province)

Tim Welten is a student 'Biological and Medical Lab research' of the faculty Life Sciences of the Zuyd University.
In 2009 he conducted a study in Mpongwe district in Zambia to find out the usefullness and feasibility of implementation of the water4life water purifier in Mpongwe.

This is the summary of his study:
Clean, safe drinking water is still something that 1 in every 6 people on the world have no access to. Contaminated water contains various biological agents which can cause diseases. One of these areas where people don’t have safe water at their disposal is the Mpongwe district in Zambia.

The foundation Water4life has developed a solution to the problem; a water purifier unit consisting of 2 buckets, with a set of filters in between to clear the water.

To implement such device research had to be conducted in 3 area’s:
- How bad is the quality in the Mpongwe district?
- What is the level of knowledge of people on the area of safe drink water?
- What are the possibilities for the production of the filters from Water4life on a local level?
Microbial analysis of water samples showed that the water in the Mpongwe district is heavily contaminated. Even the tapwater is not to be thrusted. However, with the use of the Water4life Gravity unit the water becomes safe to drink.

The people in the Mpongwe district are aware of the quality of the drinking water, and do acknowledge that the water is an important cause for many of the illnesses that do occur. All people asked where enthusiastic about the Water4life Gravity unit.

According to the Mpongwe Business Association there is enough craftsmanship present in Mpongwe to locally produce the 'buckets' of the Water4life Gravity unit. According to the MBA, the filtercandels, the hearth of the Water4life Gravity unit, should at first be imported, and in a later stage locally produced as well. The MBA stated that students from the Zuyd University, with the help of GCMF and Water4Life, would be more than welcome to help setting up a business plan.


Link to: Full report by Tim Welten - November 2009