Wastewater was directly dumped in the environment, flowing party to a nearby river, polluting soil, water and groundwater. This represents very poor sanitation conditions and degradation of the environment. Plus, the local community also being aware of climate change and pollution, seeing themselves living in such conditions without knowing what to do is very self-degrading and puts them in a hopeless situation.

The construction of vermifilters, which are filters for treating wastewater with various layers, such as a vermicompost layer and adsorption layers of different kinds (crushed plastic bottles, rocks, geotextile), the entire system kept aerated, helps remove this pollution flow to the water and soil, and instead use this waste stream as a new resource of clean water on one side and compost on the other.

Clean water for the owners to water their own crops, and therefore be more self-sufficient. Additionally, the group responsible for the operation and management of the filters (because they need to be supervised (not too dry or too wet, etc..) can make profit out of selling the vermicompost, in a sustainable way, since the worms active in the filter produce constantly more fertile soil and multiply themselves. It was meant to be operated and managed by a group of women only, which enhances their independency towards household income, and empowers them inside their own community. Happiness alongside sanitation and hygiene is enhanced with this project.

The project leader and coordinator and manager is Cindy Lorena Ospina Gallego, a colombian women who was at that time doing her Master Thesis on these 2 prototypes. They worked well and are still operated by the women of the community, showing its great potential and sustainability, and engages the application towards a circular system.