Added: May 03, 2022
Last edited: Jul 05, 2022
Tusafishe constructs high-capacity water filtration systems for large communities and schools. To provide an alternative to boiling water for purification at the household level, Tusafishe trains and supervises community members to build their own water filters using locally available materials. Tusafishe's technology helps users avoid the use of wood for boiling water for drinking purposes, thereby reducing the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. It also reduces dependence on single-use plastics. Since July 2017, Tusafishe has provided clean water to over 30,000 people.
The company deals with three main issues: diseases among the communities and poor sanitation, the way people cut down and burn trees to boil water (solution to plant trees instead), and poverty (people cannot afford filters in refugee camps).
Tusafishe filters water for drinking purposes by using granite and moringa seed powder. The founder was reading about ancient technologies, and in 2018 moved to India to learn from people who had ancient knowledge. Moringa trees have been traditionally used for water purification and the approach seemed applicable among people living in rural areas because they have space to plant trees. The founder got in touch with a friend, an engineer, and a professor, in the US, and they started to work together, realising this technology works.
The solution creates health benefits by reducing water-borne diseases at home and school. The company does that at the lowest price possible. Clean drinking water comes with many savings as there are no days spent at hospitals, less absences in school, etc. It also provides women with income, as they can earn even $60 a month with this solution.
Currently, Tusafishe is piloting a new project where they provide compost toilets for schools. The faecal waste can be used to fertilise moringa trees that in turn can be used to filter water. This is currently piloted in 7 schools in Uganda.
This case study has been created as part of Footprints Africa's work to build a comprehensive open-source database of circular economy initiatives in Africa. We are doing this in collaboration with the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), as part of our programme to support the circular economy transition in Africa.
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