We would like to take the opportunity to once again thank our main donors, Hall Rotary. Hall Rotary provided us with the seed funding we needed to pilot our project in Timor-Leste and we have achieved an enormous amount in the three years since. We appreciate the generosity of its members in backing our organisation and its support has been the cornerstone of all our work here in Timor.
Above: Delivering the Abundant Water filters throughout Timor-Leste
Both Abundant Water and Rotary were eager to trial a ‘social business’ model in Timor-Leste and despite the challenges of the previous year, we have demonstrated that this approach is viable in its financial sustainability and its social impact. To date, our program has distributed 5,324 filters, trained 50 vendors, installed filters in 13 schools and reached over 34,575 people. Our survey results have consistently showed high rates of continued filter use, individuals reducing reported instances of illness, households saving firewood and money, and saving time that was previously spent boiling water and collecting firewood.
Above: Using Abundant Water’s water filters in Timor-Leste
Rotary’s contributions have helped support every aspect of project implementation and impacted many lives. It has supported the ongoing training of our two local program managers and helped give our 43 active vendors the support needed to develop and grow their micro-enterprise. That means that 43 local community members are currently generating income from filter sales and bringing clean water to those most in need. This approach has created greater financial sustainability for our program, with the income generated helping maintain a constant supply of filters for households.
Above: New filter vendors in training in Timor-Leste
Although we know our work in Timor-Leste is only just beginning, our partnership with Rotary has so far demonstrated financial sustainability, social impact and resilience. Our vision of a financially viable, decentralised vendor network getting ceramic filters to rural areas has now taken shape, with strong sales now taking place in 12 of Timor-Leste’s 13 municipalities. While hundreds of thousands of Timorese still lack access to clean drinking water, we believe our model has shown it can be both financially sustainable and scalable. We look forward to a long and bright future, all of which was made possible with the support of our long-time friends at Rotary.