Projects

All our our projects must adress at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Briquette Production – Goma, DRC: Renewable energy, made from waste
  • Central Prison of Goma, DRC: latrine system improvment with Peepoo
  • Lunette Project – Kibera, Kenya: sexual and health education for girls
  • Panzi Hospital – Bukavu, DRC: Peepoo sanitation system setup
  • Water purification program – Nyarugenge district, Rwanda: Solvatten solar water heaters
  • Solvatten

Clean and warm water at home

Solvatten is a combined portable water treatment and water heating system that has been designed for off-grid household use in the developing world. It is an easy, innovative solution that provides access to clean, hot water to people worldwide. Thanks to its durable design, Solvatten is an affordable and convenient way to get clean, hot water.

In the developing world, millions of primarily women and children must walk dozens of miles each day to fetch water and firewood. Reducing the daily use of firewood for heating water and utilizing a solution that can be used on unimproved water sources closer to home makes life much easier for these people. Solvatten has an average lifespan of 7-10 years, essential during the first years of life when children are at their most susceptible to waterborne diseases.

Solvatten makes water safe AND hot — up to 75°C/167°F. Water at this temperature has been freed of microorganisms and is perfect for a number of household and hygiene purposes including cooking, hand washing, bathing, and cleaning. Once the water has been purified, an indicator tells the user when it is complete. The water will cool down quickly in the shade in order to be used as drinking water. Solvatten can be used on partly cloudy days, but not during heavy rain or thick cloud cover.

CSR Solutions Rwanda, would like to thank SOLVATTEN AB, a company based in STOCKHLOM, SWEDEN that provided these units in a humanitarian way to 288 households in 4 selected sectors in Nyarugenge District. We would like also to thank SOLVATTEN staff who were ready to facilitate the importation of SOLVATTEN units from the origin country (SWEDEN) to Kigali, Rwanda.

The financial resources put in place by SOLVATTEN AB helped us to make some activities in two phases of the project.

OBTAINED DURING THE TWO PHASES (Phase 1 and Phase 2)

NYARUGENGE DISTRICT, KIGALI-CITY, REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

The two phases operated in two sectors of Nyarugenge which are Gitega and Nyamirambo, CSR Solutions Rwanda in collaboration with authorities of sectors, selected 288 beneficiaries in two sectors during the phase 1 and phase 2.

To carry out the assessment, all 288 beneficiaries were called upon and they willingly turned up to share their experiences about the use of Solvatten and the benefits they derived from the use of Solvatten. Out of the 288 beneficiaries, due to COVID -19 pandemic period, a sample of 215 were interviewed and their responses were collected through direct interview (individual) or via their mobile phone (sms or direct call). The beneficiaries were taken through a guided interview using predetermined questions and their responses recorded below:

Number of days the beneficiary got the Solvatten ready:

The beneficiaries (95%) reported that they managed to get the Solvatten to use twice a day for an average period of 25 days (a month) and this was especially during the dry season and once a day during the unexpected rainy times or cloudy days conditions.

Time of the day when Solvatten was used and observed changes:

The beneficiaries, especially 85% of women concurred that they used Solvatten to prepare their water twice daily ranging from around 8.00 am to approximately at  3.00 pm. The Solvatten unit contained water prepared four time a day mainly during the dry season (May, June, July, and Mid-September along the Year or on sunny days. During the rainy season (Jan, Feb, March and April), the beneficiaries interviewed were able to tell when the water is ready by observing the color when the indicator turn from the red to green color and take up about two to four hours outside under the sun, for the water to get safe, hot water when it is ready, and the color turning green, one would also see the face green bubbles or emoji.

100% of people who have used this device seen the color of the thermostat turns green when the water is treated.

Period of the year when Solvatten unit was most effective in households:

The beneficiaries used the Solvatten units reported that Solvatten was very effective during the sunny days and much more effectively during the dry season, that is the period from May to September along the Year. The effectiveness of the Solvatten was very much reduced on rainy season or cloudy days which occurs from around  April to October of the year and the use of Solvatten was reduced to once (10 liters to zero quantity of safe water treated a day).

The most of people (95%) in charge of using Solvatten units in households (especially women) reported that they often made time to attend to the Solvatten unit after their garden or farming work which begin from around 5.00 am and back to home for starting water treatment operation with Solvatten around 10.00 am.

Most of them said that, they avoid leaving the device outside early morning so that it doesn’t get stolen. They put them outside when they return from their farms work.

People who stay at home go about their business such as children who go to school and no one can stay home to watch over them; reason why users starting water treatment operation late.

Maintenance of Solvatten Unit:

The 100 % of interviewed reported that they have been able to keep the Solvatten clean and washing takes about 5 minutes, varying from individual to individual and they are commonly washed after every three days a week when it used; The general consensus or observation made to beneficiaries, is that Solvatten is easy to use and maintain and not time consuming.

Damage to the Solvatten:

During the two phases of pilot project of SOLVATTEN in Rwanda; 12 % of beneficiaries reported that they did not use their devices properly, because some were stolen and others were damaged accidentally (breaks of the plastic glass in front of unit). 

Use of the Solvatten water:

The women concurred that Solvatten water was used for six main purposes and in different on average proportion:

  • Drinking : 80%
  • Cooking (Mainly the tea): 3%
  • Personal Hygiene (bathing) : 5%
  • Saving energy : 7%
  • Other domestic use : 2%
  • Income generating activity: 3%