Droplet - Little Children With A Big Impact

01. INTRODUCTION

“How might we enable the people of Kenya to access clean, affordable, drinkable water considering the significant impacts on the health an wellbeing of the community?”

Droplet is an UV-solar water purification system that harvests rainwater and solar energy through schools infrastructure, aiming to provide children in the developing World with access to clean, safe drinking water – with corresponding health, social and economic benefits.

By 2017, we will be seeking to raise £1 million to reach 500,000 children at a cost, per child, per litre of 1p – better value, more secure, more efficient than any other available solutions.

Rainwater harvest through schools

UV-solar water purification system

Drinking water & Eealth care education

Influence on communities

The winner of Imperial College Business Plan Competition 2013, with £10,000 prize and extra £10,000 grant funding from UK NGO

02. SYSTEM OVERVIEW

The team Droplet collaborates with UK and Kenyan NGOs to deliver our system solution. It starts from the Droplet flatpack, which includes a solar panel kit, an uv lighting with uv replacement, and Droplet manual and educational brochure.

With the support from our local partners, schools can build up the Droplet unit easily and get educational programmes about health care. Clean water is the most cost-effective healthcare intervention, and Droplet is set out to help little children make a big impact.

03. DROPLET FLATPACK DELIVERY The Instructions & Manual: They help schools to source other items locally, assemble and maintain the Droplet unit sustainably, This flatpack enables an easy and uncomplicated start to set up Droplet.

A solar panel kit & an UV lighting with UV replacement

The educational brochure: With local partners’ support, schools can provide health care programmes about hygiene and water.

After schools sign up to Droplet programme, they will receive a Droplet flatpack, including of a solar panel kit, an uv lighting with uv replacement, and Droplet manual and educational brochure. The above materials are are difficult to source locally, so Droplet team delivers these overseas with a flatpack design.

04. DROPLET INSTALLATION & RAINFALL COLLECTION

In June 2013, the team Droplet went to Kenya, collaborating with local NGO, Ogra Foundation, and built the first trial prototype in Ringroad Primary School in Kisumu, Kenya. We utilized existing infrastructure such as the roof, guttering, and the big water tank, and built the UV-solar water purification system in place. Now this Droplet system works well and provides clean drinking water for 400 children.

05. UV-SOLAR WATER PURIFICATION This illustration elaborate how the system works technically.

The video is available online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_KqppvaKXY

06. CLEAN DRINKING WATER & HEALTH CARE PROGRAMME

Droplet provides not only affordable drinking water but also educational programmes. With the support from our local partner, KOP (Kenyan Orphan Project), schools can receive help, guidance and resources to deliver educational programmes around health care and wellbeing with a focus on hygiene and water. This will help the children and therefore the whole community avoiding many causes of infection and water borne disease.

07. INFLUENCE ON COMMUNITY

Our system is primarily aimed at school children, providing water and educating about health issues, but our longterm goal is to influence the whole community, helping little children make a big impact. With that, Droplet wants to build local capacity and ownership. At this moment, we’ve got very positive feedbacks from the locals after the first trial prototype, and now we are about to build the second prototype in Rabuor Primary School this October.

With the prize we won and the grant funding, Droplet is ready to benefit more children and their communities.

08. BUSINESS MODEL

We spent ÂŁ920 on the first prototype and then we count the capital cost and operational cost depends on this field trial. We estimate the operational cost according to bulk buying, and then we cumulate that in 5 years, we can provide 500,000 children at a cost, per child, per litre of 1p. Therefore, Droplet is better value, more secure, and more efficient than any other available solutions. The figure on the right side shows our buyer profile.

Also, based on the feedbacks from our local partner, Ogra Foundation, we see great possibilities using the Droplet solar panels. For instance, the surplus energy could be used for charging mobile phones, to raise revenue for schools in a social enterprise model.

09. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Lack of access to clean, drinkable water is recognised by the UN Millennium Development Goals as a global priority, given 3.4 million people die each year from water-related diseases; the equivalent of 1 child every 21 seconds. Therefore, our project Droplet sets out to change it. We’ve accomplished the first prototype and the Droplet system could be applied to different areas all over the world. In Kenya, our initial region, Kisumu, has continuous rainfall throughout the year. We also see great potential in scaling and adapting Droplet to various regions where enough year long rainfall is provided.

10. DROPLET ROADMAP

Droplet is a specialised team handpicked from business, engineering and design background.

This July, we have succeeded in raising grant funding and winning prize. In 2013, we’re about to take Droplet further - The roadmap includes our 5-year plan. Currently, Droplet is a start-up social enterprise, operating as a charity in this early stage. We as a team sincerely look forward to benefiting more people in the near future.