The Safe Water Project is a much needed initiative that is changing lives.
Nearly one billion people live today without access to safe water.
That’s almost one out of nine people without our most basic need.
People in the developing world have water, but it’s not safe to drink.
Enviro-Stewards began the Safe Water Project in 2004 as a way to empower communities to sustainably provide safe water and change lives.
A social enterprise, the Safe Water Project is development-focused, and is not a “relief” organization. This means that, unlike other not-for-profit organizations and charitable foundations, it is not centred around collecting and disbursing funds — it is focused on creating long-term, sustainable solutions.
The Safe Water Project’s focus is to provide training, tools, and mentoring to equip social ventures with the ability to provide safe water to their communities. To accomplish this goal, we work with grassroots groups to build local capacity, provide meaningful employment, and to empower these communities to help their neighbours to do the same.
Social Entrepreneurship Is Changing Lives
The Canadian Social Entrepreneurship Foundation describes social enterprises as:
Organizations which apply market-based strategies to achieve a social purpose. The movement includes both nonprofits that use business models to pursue their mission and for-profits whose primary purposes are social. Their aim is to accomplish targets that are social and/or environmental as well as financial, often referred to as the triple bottom line.
Social enterprises, like the Safe Water Project, are shifting the mindset from people making “a one-time gift” to contributions made in support of a long-term solution. This type of initiative has the power to change lives in areas of the world that need the most help.
The positive and lasting impact that comes with assisting social enterprises is dramatic and can set your organization apart from the competition. Whether you have a social business venture or a nonprofit, being a social entrepreneur matters.
Biosand Filters
Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day.
Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime.
But what if you were to teach a person how to teach others to fish?
The Safe Water Project is changing lives by equipping groups to make, sell, and install biosand filters in rural African communities that have unsafe water sources.
The project empowers local communities so they can continue to provide clean water to their community without external support.
When the biosand filters are installed, they help to develop struggling communities by:
- Providing a clean, healthy source of potable water.
- Building a local economy through the purchasing of the water.
- Creating local jobs through the construction and maintenance of the filtration systems.
Safe Water Project Locations
Get Involved
It’s never too late to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
As we approach the giving season, consider supporting the Safe Water Project with their next safe water project initiative.
Using the development based approach, every $0.50 is enough to provide one person with safe water for approximately one year — and $100 provides a biofilter that serves eight people for approximately 25 years.
Organizations can partner with us to provide ongoing support, individuals can sponsor an entire water project — or you can choose to provide a gift in someone’s name this holiday season.