Lifebuilders of Nigeria and Emerging Innovations LLC have partnered to help deliver, WAKA, an in-home family water filtration unit. This filtration kit will provide purified water at moderate to high flow rate (15-30 L/hr), with the filtration component able to last approximately three to five years. On the surface, WAKA is only a water filtration system designed to provide clean water. WAKA is so much more than this. It serves multiple purposes in its design for rural Nigerian homes by supporting clean energy, sustainable aid to women and youth empowerment through socioeconomic development, and health quality improvement.

The intended plan of introducing clean water solutions to rural communities in Nigeria will be administered through the following phases:Pre-Phase-1: Sample and WAKA Testing in Local Communities (estimated time: 2 months)i. EI will provide 5 samples of the product to Lifebuilders to be tested in the local environmentii. Lifebuilders will conduct local/field testing with water quality test results from local scientists.  They will provide feedback on WAKA’s performance such that EI can ensure the product being delivered meets local needs.iii. Lifebuilders will conduct the before-surveys prior to distributing the productiv. Measure of Success: the samples are approved by Lifebuilders and the water quality test results and before-surveys are shared with EI. The engaged communities have identified and approved WAKA as a usefully and affordable solution to their clean water needs.Phase 1: 1,000 Units of WAKA will be Provided to Lifebuilders (estimated time: 5 to 7 months from start)v. EI will deliver a minimum of 1,000 units order of WAKA to Lifebuildersvi. Lifebuilders and EI LLC will conduct the before and after-surveys vii. Lifebuilders will provide feedback on sales.  Initially, Lifebuilders will provide WAKA to schools and other locations to determine the local demand.  Based on performance, the number of units of WAKA to be delivered in following phases will be determined.viii. EI LLC will work with Lifebuilders to conduct preliminary training and education efforts in Ibadan.ix. Measure of Success: All WAKA products are delivered along with a building interest of alternative methods such as WAKA to filter and purify the water in the local communities. The before and after-surveys are shared with EI on a monthly basis to ensure continuous improvement to WAKA prior to the following phases Remaining phases will be completed in efforts to expand to expand the same implementation plans to further surrounding communities and ensure continuous engagement in the initially established communities.

As Emerging Innovations LLC (EI LLC) continues to improve the WAKA filtration kits, EI LLC aims to achieve an affordability that will allow WAKA to be fully available to the economic capabilities of the local communities. To achieve this, both parties aim to have WAKA made 100% locally in Nigeria and specifically, in the engaged communities that have been distributing since initial deployment. Lifebuilders and EI LLC, together, will aim to reduce imported material of WAKA by approximately 40% every year after initial deployment. The first step towards this goal is to have the WAKA filtration kits assembled in the local engaged communities. Also, EI LLC and Lifebuilders other efforts include researching and identifying possibilities of using locally grown moringa seeds as the main filtration technology within WAKA. EI LLC has already begun this research and investigation to determine future possibilities.

Lifebuilders of Nigeria and Emerging Innovations LLC (EI LLC) have partnered together in this initiative. As EI LLC is responsibly for the functionality of the filter unit, Lifebuilders will ensure proper distribution channels and marketing initiatives are properly established. Together, both parties will develop an impact survey to ensure continuous monitoring of effectiveness of providing clean water to engaged communities and to monitor trends of microeconomic growth amongst those that are distributors and their communities. EI LLC will support this initiative by providing the technology solution of an affordable water filtration kit. Lifebuilders of Nigeria will support the initiative through creating a distribution channel and marketing initiative to ensure proper delivery of the filtration unit. EI LLC will work in Ibadan Nigeria with Lifebuilders to train both local community leaders and Lifebuilders volunteers on topics related to assembling the filtration unit. As this initiative is targeted to women and youth in the communities, Lifebuilders and EI LLC will also work to recruit both women and youth to teach them how to assemble and sell the water filtration kits at Lifebuilders’ training camps and focus groups. Lifebuilders will provide the water kits, as a non-profit incentive to those that have been trained, at a subsidized rate to allow them to distribute and sell in their local communities.

Lifebuilders of Nigeria, Emerging Innovations LLC