Rwanda targets 100 per cent universal access to clean water by 2024, from 87 per cent. While there are only two years to achieve the target, two young Rwandan women who recently won prizes from Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) competition echo the role of the private sector and young entrepreneurs in ensuring universal access to clean water, and that the target is met in time. The women, Yvette Ishimwe, CEO at IRIBA Water Group Ltd and Christelle Kwizera, a social entrepreneur and founder of Access Water Rwanda, seek to inspire and urge other Rwandan youth to participate in the fourth annual edition of Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH), one of the Jack Ma Foundation’s flagship philanthropic programmes spotlighting and celebrating Africa’s entrepreneurial talent. ABH annually awards 10 outstanding entrepreneurs from across Africa with a share of a $1.5 million grant. Christella Kwizera (left) and Yvette Ishimwe are Rwandan entepreneurs tryinmg to boost water access. The two entrepreneurs said that the engagement of young entrepreneurs in enhancing water access is needed, considering the available opportunities to access finance “We are committed to supplying clean drinking water in schools, markets and urban communities at an affordable price through Tap and Drink Innovation. We install eco-friendly water ATMs and kiosks for public drinking water points in urban and peri-urban low earning communities,” Ishimwe said. IRIBA Water Group, that got a share from Jack Ma’s $1.5 million grant last year, also installs solar-powered pumps in hard-to-reach valleys, a package which is designed for lower-income rural communities with no access to safe water for drinking and home-uses. Ishimwe said that scaling up the innovation across the country could help communities that are yet to access clean water ahead of the 100 per cent target set by the government. “I hope 100 per cent universal access to clean water could be achieved if the government continues to engage the private sector. In my view it could take a long time to achieve the target if the private sector and social enterprises are not engaged,” she said. Ishimwe’s social enterprise innovation has enhanced access to clean water to over 73,000 people across the country through water plants, water ATMs on streets and in schools. “The next step is to reach more in other communities and schools using such grants, which I hope will contribute to universal access to clean water targets,” she said, adding they are also targeting the market in Goma, DRC. She said this year, the enterprise is launching seven more projects in seven sectors of Eastern province in parts of rural areas. Kwizera, the founder of Access Water Rwanda and outstanding winner in 2019, said that the enterprise treats water from springs which is supplied to families in rural areas and also harvests rainwater for urban communities. “The rainwater is also treated to become drinking and potable water,” she said. She said that while access to clean water is a human right, some people have not yet got access to such water. “It requires huge investment to get clean water and water set-ups are still few while some others are not operating as they should. There is still room to improve and, therefore, social enterprises are striving for more capital to help enhance access to clean water,” she said. So far, Kwizera’s innovation has reached 88,000 people who get water every day. “In the next 10 years we target to reach 30 million people in Africa. We want to finish the year of 2024 with 30,000 people having clean water in their home in three countries, including Rwanda. “We want to end this year with 125 livestock farmers with also clean water from 17 last year. We want to also reach 21 schools with clean water with a target to reach newly constructed 650 schools by next year,” she said. Can more Rwandans win the prize competition? Kwizera has urged other Rwandan youth to participate in Africa’s Business Heroes competition saying that the water sector has business opportunity projects that can win. Ishimwe also urged other youth to compete in the 4th edition of Africa’s Business Heroes prize competition, “I have realised that few Rwandans have not been applying yet we have good business projects that can compete. We need to be more confident and compete at an international level.” Applications will be open online until 6th June 2022 with semi-finalists announced in October and the top ten finalists for 2022 unveiled in November. Entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries can compete for a chance to become one of the Top 10 finalists. The official slogan of the competition, “It’s African Time”, is a bold call to action to all talented African entrepreneurs who are challenging stereotypes associated with ‘African time’. Over a 10-year period, ABH will recognise 100 African entrepreneurs.
