Physical Health Ghana Project #32263

Sustainable Solar-Powered Water Kiosks in Ghana

by Project Maji

Sustainable Solar-Powered Water Kiosks in Ghana

Project Report | Jan 4, 2022
Constant Innovation for Safe Water Access

By Sunil Lalvani | Founder & CEO, Project Maji

MajiPlus rolled out in Assomdwee Community

A happy new year to you and your family from your friends at Project Maji! Thank you for supporting our work in rural water-poor communities in Ghana. In this report, we will share the extraordinary progress we have made in the past quarter.

MajiPlus

Ghana has been the locus of our innovation journey. Most recently, we have concluded the pilot of an action-research partnership in collaboration with Practica Foundation, testing a sustainable safe drinking water distribution network. The successful pilot culminated in the development of MajiPlus rolled out in Assomdwee Community, Central Region Ghana. The MajiPlus system design consists of a network of compact mini water kiosks with a 1,000L storage tank, all connected to a central borewell and solar-power source. Depending on the water needs, this grid can be expanded or reduced. The concept uniquely matches water production with actual demand, resulting in an overall much smaller, more efficient and more affordable system, while having the same water sales capacity of an equivalent decentralised system per access point. The system effectively eliminates inefficiencies bringing down costs and increasing revenues from each waterpoint. It serves as a blueprint of a smarter and more sustainable safe water distribution network for all providers, to be replicated and scaled in multiple countries, unlocking new finance to contribute towards SDG 6.1, universal access to safe drinking water.

The pilot was followed by a joint Sector Report available on Project Maji website.

A pH Adjustment Solution in the Pipeline

That’s not all. In Ghana, hydrogeological assessments at certain potential Project Maji sites have shown the groundwater is slightly too acidic to meet WHO guidelines for drinking water. As a result, several communities in need of a water source cannot be granted one. Thus, in collaboration with the African Water Corridor, Project Maji has partnered with an undergraduate Civil Engineering Student at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands to design a pH adjustment solution. Thyara Leysner, a final-year student, is currently working on this solution to be implemented across our Ghanaian sites, as part of her thesis for the completion of her undergraduate degree. A successful pH adjustment solution will truly accelerate safe water access and help us reach those currently left behind. We will share regular progress updates on our social media channels and our website to keep you informed about this game-changing innovation.

Finally, we also want to take this opportunity to alert you to our year-end fundraising goal of bringing CLEAN WATER TO 100 NEW FAMILIES. Your fundraising link will stay active for 60 days! Please share & help us hit our fundraising goal.

Warm Regards,

Sunil Lalvani

Woman fetches water from MajiPlus System

Thyara Leysner, TU Delft

Thyara testing the pH adjustment solution

Links:

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Sep 14, 2021
Introducing Project Maji River Solution

By Sunil Lalvani | Founder & CEO, Project Maji

Project Maji River Solution Explained

Dear Donors,

We are sharing a quarterly impact update on the Solar-Powered Water Kiosks in Ghana project that you have generously supported. This time we are excited to share with you an innovative iteration of our solar-powered water kiosk – The Project Maji River Solution.

As the name suggests, the standard solar-powered Maji cube that pumps water from underground aquifers has been adapted to pump water from a river. With the addition of an appropriate and proven rapid sand filtration unit, this solution eliminates the harmful larvae from the river water and provides these communities with sustainable safe access to their preferred water source while eliminating direct contact with the infested river.

We have installed two river solution kiosks till date, with three more to be installed in October 2021. One of these communities that has received the river solution already is Teikpitikope on the banks of the Volta River. Previously the villagers were suffering from bilzharzia (schistosomiasis) but clean water has transformed their lives for good. This is a perfect example of how our interventions contribute to good health and wellbeing of rural communities in Ghana.

We owe our impact to supporters like you who empower us and to the communities who cheer us on. Thank you for your generosity! We will keep you posted on our progress in Ghana.

Finally, we also want to take this opportunity to alert you to our participation in theGlobalGiving's Little By Little Campaign. This week until 17th September, all donations of upto $50 will be matched at 50%! We urge you to support us this week and have your impact multiplied!

Forever Grateful,

Sunil Lalvani

Visual from Teikpitikope Community

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May 17, 2021
Maji Buckets Win Big!

By Sunil Lalvani | Project Leader

Community leader uses Maji Bucket to wash his hand

We are sharing a quarterly impact update on the Sustainable Solar-Powered Water Kiosks in Ghana project that you have generously supported. Since Ghana has been the focus country of our COVID-19 response, the past few months have seen us constantly innovating to ensure we deliver the most effective COVID-19 solutions. The most notable of these is the Maji Bucket, a zero-touch foot-operated handwashing station developed in the field to facilitate safe handwashing.

In this report, we are so excited to share the prestigious accolades the Maji Bucket has earned over the past few months. Earlier this quarter, the Maji Buckets were awarded with the Best Awareness Campaign at International Humanitarian City Members Global Meeting 2021. The innovation was recognized by IHC as a fundraising tool that successfully raised funds and awareness around the need for handwashing as a life-saving solution through the #Sweat4Soap Campaign. The successful campaign amassed over 42 million social media impressions. Click on the link below to learn more about the incredible success of the #Sweat4Soap Campaign.

Next, the Maji Buckets have been selected as a Best Practice Project to be showcased at EXPO 2020 as a solution that presented a tangible, replicable and scalable solution to the challenges posed by COVID-19. Made with inexpensive locally available parts, the Maji Bucket is a low-tech solution that effectively facilitates safe handwashing and shields vulnerable communities from the spread of COVID-19. Till date, through our COVID-19 response, the Maji Buckets have reached 75,000 people in one of the world’s most remote rural communities. We, at Project Maji, are particularly proud of the impact the Maji Buckets have helped us deliver in the communities we serve. We recognize that this is a life-saving solution that must be replicated across as many rural communities as possible. Being featured as a Best Practice Project at Expo 2020 helps us connect with communities and countries who may be able to benefit most from this solution in the wake of COVID-19 and beyond.

Thank you for believing in the work we do and supporting us in such uncertain times! With all of you by our side, we will continue to deliver the impact we promise and more.

Maji Bucket in Action

Maji Bucket - A Zero-Touch Handwashing Solution

Sunil Lalvani at the IHC MGM Award Ceremony

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