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OMILERO
Omilero is a Yoruba word that is means "water is the cure'. In this spirit a group of volunteers have coalesced around a shared commitment to support an indigenous, sustainable, and economically viable source of clean water in the communities of Ogbomoso and Iwo, Nigeria. The objective for project is: to support a pilot that determines the marketability of ceramic water filters; the support services necessary to implement the ceramic water filter technology within the targeted cultural context; and to ultimately develop an infrastructure for effectively providing tools and ceramic water filter technology while creating a micro business that ensures ongoing access to the opportunities that clean water affords.
Our journey to creating a sustainable impact on the access to clean water started in 2007 as a Social Justice project at Seattle University. During the school term we were kicked off a feasiblity study to determine the market for the ceramic filters. Our group of six financed and managed the original purchase and distribution of 40 ceramic
filters which provided clean point of use water to approximately 300 people within the Ogbomoso and Iwo areas of Nigeria. These filters have been tracked for the last three years to determine how the families used them and if they provided a value. Here are some comments from the recipents of the initial water filters. "The water tastes and looks better after it is filtered." "I want to thank your organization for the opportunity given to us to have access to clean drinkable water, by this rare opportunity, you have saved our households from water born diseases. We are very grateful." Every month a project coordinator would visit the families to check in on the filters, asking for feedback, ensuring the water is testing negative for bacteria and the filter is being cleaned correctly. With every report from the coordinator, we found that the filters were continuing to provide the clean water that the families needed and they was a great desire for more as the one filter was being used for the entire village in some cases. With the success of the feasiblity study, we are now ready to start the second phase of our project which is to bring in a full container of ceramic water filters from Ghana. Ceramica Tamakloe, Ltd in Ghana is our source for the water filters. Through partnership with GAL Express, a shipping company in Lagos, Nigeria, the ceramic filters will be imported from Ghana. The plastic buckets that the ceramic filter will sit in will be purchased in Nigeria which brings investment to the local economy. The filters will be sold in local markets at a subsidized rate to determine the willingness to pay for these products. The goal of this phase of the project is to ensure that the product is sellable within the local economy and that a revenue stream will be created. The revenue created will be cycled back into the project to purchase more filters. We appreciate your support of this impactful project through your donation. If you would like any further details please don't hesitate to see Omilero's website or to contact Info@Omilero.org.
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