According to UNICEF, 5.78 million Rwandans don’t have access to safe drinking water within 30 minutes of their houses. With over 3,000 children dying every year from diarrhoea caused by unclean and contaminated water, the need for safe drinking water cannot be overemphasized.
Many poor people have to go to contaminated ponds to fetch water that is usually unsafe to drink and a lack of a better option leaves them ]no choice but to leave their health in the hands of chance.
Unclean water supply is a major issue in Rwanda which led to the development of Iriba Water Group, a water solution company in Kigali. Founded in 2017 by Yvette Ishimwe, Iriba Water Group was able to raise $136,336 in 2021 to finance its production of safe drinking water for low-income communities.
In Rwanda, girls and women do most of the domestic jobs of which a significant part of that is fetching water for the household. It is common to find young girls at home during school hours because of the lack of clean water close to their various homes. This has led to a large number of uneducated girls in poor communities, a problem Yvette Ishimwe is helping to solve gradually.
The Impact of the Iriba Water Group on the Rwandan Low-Income Communities.
Since its establishment in 2017, Yvette Ishimwe and the Iriba Water group have been recognised by the Late Queen of England, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, and many other reputable public and private organizations worldwide.
Iriba Water Group has provided safe and clean water to over 309,000 people and their water ATMs have been installed in public places such as markets and bus parks to supply water to low-income workers.
The use of reusable water containers has not only helped reduce Rwandan plastic pollution but also makes clean drinking water 70% cheaper than packaged drinking water, making it affordable to those who can afford packaged water.
Iriba Water Group has managed to empower many youths and women by providing over 67 decent jobs for them – this is because Iriba’s Water ATMs are mostly managed by the youth and women. The group has created over 73 Tap and Drink ATMs in schools and communities.
The Iriba Water Group has been able to supply Rwandans safe and affordable drinking water which has helped reduce deaths caused by unsafe water in low-income communities. Their goal is to expand their reach throughout Africa and offer eco-friendly water solutions.
Iriba Water Group is also available in Central Africa Republic and Republique Democratique DU Congo.
