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>View discussions about this entry Country: Nepal
Organization: Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO)
Field of Work - Water
Year the initative began (yyyy) - 2000
Project URL: http://www.enpho.org
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? - An innovative technology suitable to local conditions, a sustainable implementation model that utilizes private entrepreneurship, and a process of institutionalization within government.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? - Kanchan Arsenic Filter (KAF) is a simple technology designed by ENPHO and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to remove arsenic, microbial contamination, iron, turbidity and smell from water. It is relatively inexpensive (US$20), uses local materials and has high social acceptance. An implementation model was used that focuses on private entrepreneurs to strengthen the supply chain and extensive use of social marketing techniques to generate demand. So far more than 7,000 filters have been distributed in arsenic affected districts of Nepal. KAF Information Center has been established at ENPHO which has been regularly providing services such as Capacity Building and Technical Assistance to stakeholder involved in the promotion of KAF.
We believe our idea has been unique and different in two ways: Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? - The project has been implemented as follows:
Phase 1: 1999-2002: Research on water quality arsenic removal technologies Phase 2: 2001-2003: Technology development Phase 3: 2003-2005: Piloting in Nepal Phase 4: 2005-2008: Scaling up and institutionalization Initial R&D was done by MIT and ENPHO, two research organizations. To implement the project, ENPHO worked with local organizations to create demand and entrepreneurs were trained to develop and distribute KAF locally so as to ensure a sustainable supply chain. Low interest loans were provided for the poor. How do you plan to expand your innovation? - The key to scaling up is:
a. Institutionalization of KAF promotion through government's regular water and health programmes: b. Strengthening of the supply chain through regular monitoring and follow up training: Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them? - What type of partnerships to do need? For the promotion and institutionalization of KAF we have already established partnership with the Government agency - Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS), Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and more than 20 local entrepreneurs at different arsenic affected areas. ENPHO has been working with NRCS, a humanitarian organization with very good networks at community level, for implementing arsenic mitigation programmes in which KAF promotion is one of the major component. The proposed initiative will further strengthen this partnership. Likewise, with technical support from ENPHO, several local entrepreneurs has been promoting KAF at grassroots level. Hence, this approach will accelerate the linkage of demand and supply chain to encourage local entrepreneurs invest on the mass production and promotion of KAF.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. - The regular use of KAF will reduce the prevalence of arsenicosis disease and other water borne diseases such as diarrhea ultimately improving livelihoods.
How many people have you served or plan to serve? - So far about 7,000 KAF have already been distributed through various agencies including ENPHO in the arsenic affected Terai districts benefiting more than 40,000 populations. The government and several agencies such as UNICEF, UN-HABITAT, WHO are planning to distribute more than 8,000 KAF. The initiative proposed will enhance the process to institutionalize KAF through government mechanism and thereby creating an enabling environment to local entrepreneurs for mass production of KAF at reduced price.
Please list any other measures of the impact of your innovation? - This field has not been completed
Exactly who are the beneficiaries of your innovation? - Populations especially marginalized and underprivileged families currently drinking arsenic contaminated water are the excat beneficiaries of this innovation.
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - The GoN and UN agencies such as UNICEF, UN-HABITAT and WHO had made agreement to support implementing arsenic mitigation programme in Nepal. Through this programme KAF will also be distributed to more than 8,000 households. So, the initiative has been already made to finance this initiative however, the process of institutionalization of KAF is still inadequate in order to address the problem in sustainable manner.
Provide information on your finances and organization: - Current Annual budget (2007 fiscal year)?
Annual budget for the past 1-2 years (2006 and 2005)? Annual revenue generated? What are your current sources and/or streams of revenue? Do you currently have sources of earned income (examples?); If not, why? Annual Budget (Jul 2006-Jul 2007) Income: Nepalese Rupees (NRs.) 39,422,499.57 Expenditure: Nepalese Rupees (NRs.) 37,365,571.28 Revenue Generated: Nepalese Rupees (NRs.) 2,056,928.29 Annual Budget (Jul 2005-Jul 2006) Current Sources of Revenue: What is the potential demand for your innovation? - How do you estimate this demand?
Number of staff (full-time, part-time, volunteers): Currently, KAF is the only household level arsenic removal technology available in Nepal. KAF can be made using locally available materials by locally trained human resource. Studies have shown that KAF users are very satisfied with this technology as it is simple to operate and maintain. As KAF is a simple local product more demand has been generating from the households consuming arsenic and iron contaminated water. This technology can be also promoted to remove pathogens from drinking water. What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? - a. High risk of inferior copy-cat without regulatory mechanism
b. Local entrepreneurs do not realize KAF promotion and sales can be a financially sound and sustainable business idea What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. - In 2000, MIT conducted the Nepal Water Project in partnership with ENPHO. The main objective of this project was to decrease the incidence of water borne illnesses through assessment of water quality of selected urban and rural locations in Nepal and investigation on household water treatment options. Extensive study on arsenic occurrence was conducted and various types of arsenic removal technologies were evaluated in the context of Nepal to assess the best options. During the course of those research activities, a joint effort research team with members from MIT and ENPHO developed an innovative KAF for removal of arsenic at household level. This technology is based on slow sand filtration and iron hydroxide adsorption principles. KAF is a result of six years of multi-disciplinary research and is optimized taking into account the socio-economic condition of Nepal. This filter won prestigious awards at the MIT IDEAS Design Competition 2002, the World Bank Development Marketplace Global Competition 2005, the U.S. EPA P3 Design Competition 2005, and the Wall Street Journal Technical Innovation Award 2005 – Environment Category.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material - Established in 1990, with the support of DiSvi - International Cooperation – an Italian NGO, ENPHO is a service oriented scientific non-governmental organization that envisages contributing in sustainable community development by combining research and actions through integrated programmes in the areas of environment and public health.
In order to achieve its goal, ENPHO is working in close partnership with government, non-government and community based organizations. Contact Information:
Bhushan Tuladhar
Executive Director Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) (NGO) ed@enpho.org Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) G.P.O. Box 4102 110/25 Aadarsha Marg, Naya Baneshwor Kathmandu, NEPAL Nepal Tel: 977-1-4468641/4493188 Fax: 977-1-4491376 Website: www.enpho.org Discussions about this entry |
Development, promotion and institutionalization of Kanchan Arsenic Filter (KAF)
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Seamus B.
Greetings to our friends in Nepal: Your product is of much interest, and could even be applicable to many places in the USA where Arsenic has invasively spoiled many key, sometimes critical watering sources & aquifers in rural areas.
But more appropriated to what you are doing now: I'll be returning to E. Africa soon, with up to a millioin vials of the SilverDYNE Water/fresh produce mineral-based purification soluton, for distribution to DP Camps in Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Chad. However, included in that delivery will be some other essentials for such distraught populations, in general.
And, for the Darfur camps in particular (who have had their watering holes intentionally poisoned by the gov't.-backed Mercenaries), we are also sending over a very small pump originally designed to separate Petroleum Oil from Water, but since has been found to be reprogammable to make capable to separate out a wide range of pollutants. Once we know exactly the type(s) of poisons the Jondalee thugs used in Darfur, we are being given assurances their is a chance to reclaim those poisoned watering sites. Hope this info helps your efforts as well.
Also, I wanted to ask if your system can have any impact on excess Fluoridation in water; a number of the Lakes in So. Ethiopia are bothered with this problem, to the point that their indigeneous populations (the Oromo people) in those areas are severely bothered by an affliction caused by excessive amounts of this mineral in the system. If so, I could put you in touch with some key contacts in Ethiopia that might be interested in representing your excellent, much needed technology. [NB: Since the competition is coming to a close, you can respond directly to me via my bus. e-mail, % atac-iunltd@sbcglobal.net ]