CARIBBEAN : Clean water, good business

Water borne diseases pose significant public health problems as they seriously affect those whose immune systems are developing, such as young children, or which are weakened by, for example, HIV/AIDS. Public health issues also arise from water-borne arsenic and pesticide poisoning, parasite infections which lead to malnutrition, and mosquito borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.

In response, the BLCF provided funding in Haiti for the joint Procter & Gamble and Population Services International project to distribute a low cost water purifying solution through rural women's groups, with the aim of benefiting local communities.

The technology combines chemicals for disinfection, coagulation and flocculation in a sachet which can treat small batches of water at home. It is simple, portable and treats water from any source. However, as it was a relatively unknown product and the population were used to purifying water with chlorine, the project's success depended on creating awareness and behavioural change at grassroots level.

The project began in late 2004 with an intensive educational programme and a marketing strategy targeting income-generating activities for 700 women with the support of micro finance. By 2006, sales were declining among ongoing international NGOtarget audiences so training and promotion were expanded to hospitals and universities.

Health infrastructure for under served communities is now improving, further avenues for access to credit have been created and links have been built with community-based development agents. In the longer term, the successful promotion of PuR in Haiti may depend on the effective coordination and participation of hundreds of smaller partners such as volunteers, missionaries and local NGOs who work in the more remote, isolated areas.

For more information contact BLCF fund manager, the Emerging Markets Group at this address