According to research conducted in 2020 by Water.org, only 41% of Ethiopians have access to basic water needs in the proximity of 30min around their house, which leaves 66 million people without basic water needs.And even those with access to their own houses are not always able to trust their water sources (e.g. tap water) because of poorly maintained pipes and installation issues, which result in contaminated water.
Accordingly, most people can't trust their closest water source fully and need solutions for this. Many rural Ethiopians keep drinking contaminated water, which results in contracting water-born diseases. In the urban areas, people purchase plastic bottles, which pollute the environment, use expensive water dispensers requiring plastic jars, drink unpleasantly tasting chlorinated water or use water filter devices, which are available in only two primary options: the cheap one in a plastic container with a comparatively low lifespan and the expensive ones, which require chemicals or electricity. The result is waste with plastic bottles and water-borne diseases.
A WHO report (2015) shows there has been a little increase in all service leaders from 2015 to 2020, more than 55% of urban Ethiopians have not been receiving water from safely managed water services, which is lower than the average for SSA countries and the world by 9% and 41%, respectively, in 2020 as shown on the figure below.
Figure 1. Comparison of urban drinking water coverage (%) among Ethiopia, CAR, SSA, and world average in a 2015 and b 2020 (WHO & UNICEF, 2015; WHO, 2021)
The Water Gap report by WaterAid’s State of the World’s Water in 2018, warns that the global population without access to clean water has gone up to 844 million, “which is almost 200 million more than previously counted”.
Figure 2. In 2018, just 10 countries account for 60% of the world population without access to clean water, The State of the World’s Water 2018 report by WaterAid
This is where MINCH Household Water Filtercomes in: the first Ethiopian-made table-top water filter.
In Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia, MINCH (ምንጭ) means "fountain." MINCH, the water filter, embodies the same essence of hope and rejuvenation, delivering a stream of clean water to communities throughout Ethiopia.
Set to reach 70,000 households, MINCH is providing an affordable solution which is granted international certification for removing harmful bacteria and protozoa from contaminated water. MINCH is expected to reach 70'000 urban upper middle- to high-class families and private sector enterprises and NGOs by 2025 with 46.40%EBITDA Margin.
Attaining clean water and sanitation is the 6th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the UN in 2030. It seeks to achieve universal access to safe or potable drinking water for all, which is fundamentally a human right. By providing a household water treatment solution, MINCH empowers communities to achieve safe drinking water which will not only improves public health but also alleviates the burden, particularly on women and girls, of collecting water from potentially unsafe sources.
MINCH is a powerful example of how impactful enterprises can address critical needs and empower communities. Join us in making a difference – contact us today to learn more about Oxano Capital.
References:
World-Bank. (2015). Ethiopia urbanization review: Urban institutions for a middle-income Ethiopia Population Division. Department of economic and social affairs, United Nations Secretariat.
WHO. (2017). Progress on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene: 2017 Update and SDG Development global baseline study, Retrieved from http://www.unwater.org/new-publication(Opens in a new window).
WHO and UNICEF, (2015). Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water: 2015 Update and MDG Assessment. World Health Organization. /http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/177752/1/9789241509145_eng.pdf(Opens in a new window).
World Bank. (2021). Enhancing Urban Resilience in Addis Ababa: Resilient Cities Program. Document Number 100980, World Bank Group, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
WorldAid(2018). The State of the World’s Water, Retrieved from https://www.wateraid.org/in/sites/g/files/jkxoof336/files/the-water-gap-state-of-water-report.pdf(Opens in a new window)