Uganda's Tusafishe eliminates water borne diseases by providing safe water in a way that is inclusive and preserves our environment

• 75% of diseases diagnosed in Uganda are due to an inadequate supply of safe water

• 60% of Uganda population boil water as a method of water purification

• 18 million tons of wood is used to boil water for purification

• Boiling water alone contributes 29.7 million tons of carbon dioxide yearly

(2017 stats)

The enterprise Tusafishe produces automated low-cost filters to provide safe drinking water for large communities. The filters help reduce water borne diseases amongst students and increase school attendance. It also helps schools save up to $14,400 per year from purchasing clean water and have access to flexible loans to enable them to purchase the filters.

Tusafishe’s products reduce reliance on the conventional high-carbon method of boiling water for drinking purposes. The enterprise has trained more than 240 women in the community to install and maintain water filters, providing them additional income source.

See here the short feature that Uganda’s NTV did on the occasion of their partaking in the bi-annual SEED Awards:

SEED supports enterprises such as Tusafishe- social and environmental enterprises (‘eco-inclusive’) as they develop and commercialise technologies, products and services that help communities adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. They improve the livelihood of vulnerable populations by incorporating them in their value chain as customers, suppliers, employees and buyers.

Only by integrating these enterprises in national and global discussions can we ensure equitable, inclusive and sustainable development of the global economy.

How do we encourage more of these enterprises? How do we mainstream the eco-inclusive way of doing business in our economies? Share your thoughts here!

Interested in more from SEED? Join the Session 7 Enabling Change – to hear our Director Lewos Akenji speak about the role that small enterprises can take in protecting and restoring natural capital across the African continent.