Preserving the Drinking Water Supply?

  • 40% of the world’s population lives in water-scarce communities

  • One billion individuals worldwide live on less than $1/day

  • Water collection labor is an unhealthy job given to women, who over time sustain injuries from placing 50 lb water containers on their heads

  • Water collection time (up to 2 hours round trip) takes away from education and work, keeping families in cycles of poverty

  • Recycling greywater allows families access to more drinking water

Pilot Program:

  • Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Malawi

  • Chingcombe, a rural village in Malawi

  • Rural villages in India

It all begins with an idea…

Our vision is to provide an innovative, low-cost, low-tech water filtration system to address the pressing water needs of the world's most impoverished communities.

  • recycle greywater to reduce strain on the drinking water supply

  • include individual community members in the solution

2019: Explore

  • Visited camp and identified opportunity

Our Journey

2021 - 2022: Development

  • Began the design process for a greywater filter

  • Get feedback on initial ideas when visiting camp

  • Learn more about materials available at the camp and in Malawi

2022-2023: Design

  • Began the design process for a greywater filter

  • Get feedback on initial ideas when visiting camp

  • Learn more about materials available at the camp and in Malawi

2022-2023: Testing

  • Hired two on-the-ground facilitators

  • Traveled to Malawi to begin prototype testing

  • Set up the feedback process

2023 - 2024…

  • Review user feedback

  • Revise design

  • Apply for innovation contests & grants

  • Create materials needed for funding pitches

2022: Research

  • Conducted research into the needs of  the families and camp environment

  • Identified water shortage, who does the water collecting work, how does this affect family life & health

  • Continued to develop relationships with the community

Awards

BKS came 2nd in the NFTE World Innovation Contest Spring 2023
Grand Prize Winner (2nd) of Diamond Challenge International Innovation Competition Spring 2024

Currently entering the MIT Solve.