Sierra Leone is the eighth poorest country in the world. Here, less than 1% has running water and most of the water used comes from rivers and wells. These wells are deep, open and dangerous. It is unhygienic because of the dirty buckets that keep going in, but also difficult to get water from the well. This is sometimes almost impossible for children who often take on this task and it can be dangerous. A few days ago we heard a story of a child who fell into a well. Most of the local people depend on the wells for washing, cooking, toileting and many also for drinking water. To help the local population, we want to make fetching water easier and safer with the Flamingo Rope Pump. The pump also ensures that the water is more hygienic due to it being a closed off system. During our minor, International Entrepreneurship and Development, we will donate and install several pumps at primary and secondary schools with the Strategic Entrepreneurship Program Sierra Leone (SEP-SL). This gives children and their families access to the water pump. In addition, this will become a way to promote the pump. SEP-SL sells the pumps as a company and with our promotion we stimulate growth and brand awareness.
SEP-SL stimulates entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone and aims to reduce (youth) unemployment. For example, local people can make the pump and villages and schools can buy it for a relatively small price. The pump itself is made from local, cheap and easily replaceable materials, such as PVC pipes and car tires.
