Solarsack and Caritas in innovative partnership for clean water
The Danish start-up Solarsack and the international NGO Caritas are initiating a project that aims at bringing clean water to developing countries and support local economy.
Solarsack has invented a plastic bag that can purify water when it is exposed to sunlight. Each bag contains four liters that become purified when it has been exposed to the sun for four hours.
The low-cost, portable, energy friendly solution is now ready for testing in Uganda with Caritas Denmark’s partner, Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI).
The project’s first phase includes setting up and testing the communication surrounding the use of the solar sack. Both in rural villages and in the refugee settlement in Kyangwali in Western Uganda.
“In the first phase, we are focusing on the potential users to see what it takes for them to understand how to use the product correctly. At the same time, we will clarify the extent to which they consider the product to be an appropriate and relevant solution for them to access clean water,,” says Alexander Løcke, founder and CEO of Solarsack.
Following phase one, Solarsack will be making adjustments to the product based on phase one findings before proceeding to the next step.
The second phase of the project is scheduled to take place during the spring of 2019. By then, 1000 solar sacks will be distributed for testing in Uganda, Chad and Myanmar.
The third and final phase is expecting implementation later next year. By then, the business model will also be ready for testing. It will focus on women in Caritas-supported savings-and-loan groups who will sell the solar sacks through a Tupperware-inspired business model – building a local economy and solving the challenge of lack of access to clean water at the same time.
“The partnership project between our members Solarsack and Caritas is a great example of innovative start-ups and international NGOs working together, sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas and know-how and creating solutions that benefit those in need in a sustainable way,” says Jacob Ravn, CEO, access2innovation.
