I noticed that you did not identify any barriers to financial sustainability although you state that financing is coming from your personal finances. What are your plans to finance and ultimately grow the program? Thanks.
Hello Krishna,
Based on your title, could you explain how mothers are involved in your work? Also, could you please explain more about your impact and success? How many sachets have you sold? What is the cost?
Thank you
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Hello danafrasz,
In my presentation ,somewhere along the line ,i missed out on my focus on mothers;since mothers fetch water,use it for cooking,bathing infants and children i wanted that focus of all extension work should be directed to change the behaviour of mothers;the 'safewat' and narrow mouthed vessels etc are only the hardware in the programe,the real impact will be on activities like the importance of 'washing hands'.
"Human feces are the primary source of diarrheal pathogens"[UNICEF]
In the book 'better' by atul gawande[picador,2007] 14 pages were devoted to 'on washing hands';he writes as per CDC statistics'each year two million Americans acquire an infection while they are in hospital. ninety thousand die of that infection.......the one thing that consistently halts the spread of infections.wash our hands.'
If we can teach the importance of washing hands properly,we may be able to reduce diarrheal infection;WHO also states hand-washing can reduce this infection by 45%;hoW can hand-washing be developed into a business model required by the changemakers format !
my project is not yet grounded;i have tried the safewat in my home and find it a satisfactoy alternative to the more expensive boiling;but it does not exclude protozoans and 'PUR' which clears turbidity and protozoa and purifies water 99.9% is not marketed in INDIA.Ferric sulphate is the active ingredient for flocculation in PUR;alum can also do that.some trials are needed to formulate a sachet mixture that may reduce the cost from the present RS.5 for PUR.For a long time to come there is need for such simple sachet solutions to safe water production in rural areas and specially tribal areas.
Dr. Denis Byamukama
Faculty of Science
Makerere University
P. O. Box 7062
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 782 519315
Current Status: Staff
Dear Krishna,
You mention that most poor fetch their daily needs of drinking water from a variety of souces including springs[forest areas] or ponds and lakes, which are also used for washing clothes, cattle and humans. It is clear that these sources are very prone to contamination especially the fact that they are used by cattle. In your assessment of the effectiveness of the treatment or removal efficiency of the various microbial agents especially the resistant forms such as the spores of Clostridium species and protozoan cysts. In Uganda, we have a similar product called Water Guard, and in the immediate future, i plan to conduct tests on its ability to treat water in relation to the highlighted microbial agents. The manufaturers and promoters of these products are often silent about the limitations of these products in relation to the type/source of water to be treated by the specific product.
Otherwise, thanks for the innovation, i believe household/point of use approaches is the way to go since it is not easy to have all people who are currently lacking access to safe water getting connected to centrally treating piped networks.
Dear Dr,Denis,
It is true SAFEWAT does not act on clostridum and protozoan cysts;but according to observations of CDC most diarrhea is caused by virus and bacteria;however PUR treatment ensures effective action against these, as well as remove turbidity of water;As the saying goes' the perfect is the enemy of the good';let us put into the hands of the poor a stand-alone agent that purifies water they are drinking today;it should be affordable and available,if not at their door-step; a piped water supply often opened with great fanfare by a VIP at the best provides a public tap and the women,mostly mothers have to Q up and wait for the release of the water at some unspecified time,thus creating Qs even in villages.
If we are sensitive to the needs of the disadvantaged ,we should provide amenities that they can access in their homes;schemes that need their going to some place in the village or outside do not take into consideration their time energy;often in a poor home,the mother has to fetch water first in the morning,cook food with firewood collected the previous evening on way back from work and feed children and rush to her work,mostly as casual labor of low wages.
I noticed that you did not identify any barriers to financial sustainability although you state that financing is coming from your personal finances. What are your plans to finance and ultimately grow the program? Thanks.
Hello Krishna,
Based on your title, could you explain how mothers are involved in your work? Also, could you please explain more about your impact and success? How many sachets have you sold? What is the cost?
Thank you
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Hello danafrasz,
In my presentation ,somewhere along the line ,i missed out on my focus on mothers;since mothers fetch water,use it for cooking,bathing infants and children i wanted that focus of all extension work should be directed to change the behaviour of mothers;the 'safewat' and narrow mouthed vessels etc are only the hardware in the programe,the real impact will be on activities like the importance of 'washing hands'.
"Human feces are the primary source of diarrheal pathogens"[UNICEF]
In the book 'better' by atul gawande[picador,2007] 14 pages were devoted to 'on washing hands';he writes as per CDC statistics'each year two million Americans acquire an infection while they are in hospital. ninety thousand die of that infection.......the one thing that consistently halts the spread of infections.wash our hands.'
If we can teach the importance of washing hands properly,we may be able to reduce diarrheal infection;WHO also states hand-washing can reduce this infection by 45%;hoW can hand-washing be developed into a business model required by the changemakers format !
my project is not yet grounded;i have tried the safewat in my home and find it a satisfactoy alternative to the more expensive boiling;but it does not exclude protozoans and 'PUR' which clears turbidity and protozoa and purifies water 99.9% is not marketed in INDIA.Ferric sulphate is the active ingredient for flocculation in PUR;alum can also do that.some trials are needed to formulate a sachet mixture that may reduce the cost from the present RS.5 for PUR.For a long time to come there is need for such simple sachet solutions to safe water production in rural areas and specially tribal areas.
Dr. Denis Byamukama
Faculty of Science
Makerere University
P. O. Box 7062
Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256 782 519315
Current Status: Staff
Dear Krishna,
You mention that most poor fetch their daily needs of drinking water from a variety of souces including springs[forest areas] or ponds and lakes, which are also used for washing clothes, cattle and humans. It is clear that these sources are very prone to contamination especially the fact that they are used by cattle. In your assessment of the effectiveness of the treatment or removal efficiency of the various microbial agents especially the resistant forms such as the spores of Clostridium species and protozoan cysts. In Uganda, we have a similar product called Water Guard, and in the immediate future, i plan to conduct tests on its ability to treat water in relation to the highlighted microbial agents. The manufaturers and promoters of these products are often silent about the limitations of these products in relation to the type/source of water to be treated by the specific product.
Otherwise, thanks for the innovation, i believe household/point of use approaches is the way to go since it is not easy to have all people who are currently lacking access to safe water getting connected to centrally treating piped networks.
Dear Dr,Denis,
It is true SAFEWAT does not act on clostridum and protozoan cysts;but according to observations of CDC most diarrhea is caused by virus and bacteria;however PUR treatment ensures effective action against these, as well as remove turbidity of water;As the saying goes' the perfect is the enemy of the good';let us put into the hands of the poor a stand-alone agent that purifies water they are drinking today;it should be affordable and available,if not at their door-step; a piped water supply often opened with great fanfare by a VIP at the best provides a public tap and the women,mostly mothers have to Q up and wait for the release of the water at some unspecified time,thus creating Qs even in villages.
If we are sensitive to the needs of the disadvantaged ,we should provide amenities that they can access in their homes;schemes that need their going to some place in the village or outside do not take into consideration their time energy;often in a poor home,the mother has to fetch water first in the morning,cook food with firewood collected the previous evening on way back from work and feed children and rush to her work,mostly as casual labor of low wages.