Now that the Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem 2022 winners have been formally introduced, you’ll need to study extra about every successful group and the story behind every innovation. The Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem is an internet competitors that awards money prizes to early-stage tech entrepreneurs fixing the world’s hardest issues. Since 2017, the competitors has awarded $3.25 million USD to 78 start-ups from 25 international locations.
We’re excited so that you can study extra in regards to the 2022 successful groups addressing a few of the largest challenges we face by means of technology-based options.
I had the chance to fulfill with Raghav Goyal and Eish Nangia, Co-Presidents of Asbah, which was awarded $15,000 USD because the winner of the Cisco Staff’ Selection Award. Asbah gives clear and protected consuming water at a low-cost to underserved populations in city and rural areas of India by constructing and sustaining neighborhood water filtration crops. The water is disbursed with the assistance of rechargeable digitized playing cards which can be used for fee. Every plant is managed by two girls entrepreneurs who’re members of the neighborhood the place the plant is positioned. Presently, Asbah is impacting 67,500 lives each day by means of its 21 crops working pan India.
What drawback is your know-how answer making an attempt to resolve?
Raghav: In India, discovering clear and protected consuming water is difficult. Water might be each unaffordable and inaccessible. Individuals might must journey as much as 10 kilometers (≈6 miles) simply to acquire half a day’s value of consuming water. To handle this drawback, we got here up with a know-how answer to construct water filtration crops in areas positioned inside underserved communities, eliminating the barrier folks face of getting to journey lengthy distances to acquire drinkable water.
Are you able to clarify how the answer works?
Eish: Rural areas in India obtain water provided by the federal government by means of pipelines, however this water is usually unsuitable for consuming. The strategy we use to find out how clear this water is yields outcomes which can be under the appropriate restrict. Asbah’s water filtration crops filter the water and take away unhealthy parts, making it protected and drinkable.
Raghav: Our water filtration crops additionally act as big water dispensers which a number of folks can draw from at one time. We use a triple filtration know-how to scrub the water, identical to what’s present in dwelling water air purifier units.
Individuals who go to Asbah’s native water filtration websites to gather consuming water for his or her households wouldn’t have to fret about bringing money to purchase water. They’re given a card with pre-loaded funds to make use of for buying water and might merely swipe their card to pay.
The water we offer prices 4 INR (≈0.05 USD) for 20 liters (≈5 gallons), which is significantly lower than the 20 INR (≈0.24 USD) we often pay in India for 1 liter of water (≈0.26 gallons). This permits even the poorest of households to afford protected consuming water.
What’s modern about the best way you might be fixing the problem? What units your answer aside?
Eish: In most locations in India, you should buy clear consuming water in packages or in water bottles. By establishing filtration crops throughout the communities themselves, Asbah is bringing clear water on to folks in want. We additionally plan to increase our mannequin to incorporate a service which is able to ship water conveniently to peoples’ houses.
Raghav: There are different entities in India that present water at no cost to households. Our enterprise mannequin differs as we offer water at a really low price. This funding permits us to carry the know-how utilized in our water filtration crops to the communities, offering a sustainable answer.
What impressed you to develop this answer?
Raghav: In India, you don’t need to go far to seek out inspiration. Even in case you are simply sitting at dwelling, you can see inspiration. All over the place you flip, persons are making an attempt to do one factor or one other. We wished to handle a difficulty that’s confronted by folks each day.
We acknowledged {that a} necessity which all of us take as a right akin to clear consuming water shouldn’t be accessible to so many individuals. A bit effort from our facet might carry vital change. We’re additionally impressed by the relationships we’ve constructed with the ladies entrepreneurs we make use of to handle our water filtration crops and by the households we serve.
Eish: Our enterprise mannequin shouldn’t be full with out the ladies entrepreneurs we rent. They’re those who’re dealing with points and discovering options to issues which will happen at our crops every day. Encouraging and supporting them is one thing we prioritize. We’re grateful to all the ladies entrepreneurs on the market who’re serving to us in creating change.
After we arrange a plant inside a specific space, we make use of two girls who’re from that space to handle the plant in shifts. They’re compensated with a set wage. Moreover, 10 p.c of the plant’s month-to-month revenue is allotted to every of them. This empowers girls by offering them with a chance to contribute financially to their households to care for his or her households.
What recommendation do you’ve gotten for different social entrepreneurs?
Raghav: Preserve pushing ahead and believing. We arrange our first plant by means of crowd funding—we actually went round with packing containers asking folks for donations. As soon as we collected sufficient cash, we constructed our first plant in 2017. 5 years later, we’ve expanded to 21 crops. Comply with the method first, with out worrying in regards to the outcomes.
Eish: Following the method with out worrying in regards to the outcomes is the mindset of our complete group. We give attention to bringing one thing good to society, placing within the effort and going the additional mile. In doing so, we are able to obtain success.
Keep tuned for extra articles in our weblog collection, that includes interviews with each Cisco World Drawback Solver Problem 2022 successful group!
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