During the first week of November, Myriado Cleantech commissioned two water purifying machines of the type Sun4Water in Ilula, Tanzania. In addition to the two machines the contract also included on-site training for local technicians to take charge of the maintenance. These machines were bought by IOP-Luxembourg, a non-governmental organization, with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. IOP stands for Ilula Orphan Program and is active in supporting orphans as well as more general measures designed to fight poverty and promote development. One of the machines is located at the IOP center, a building that serves as an orphanage, the organization’s Tanzanian headquarter, as a basis for foreign volunteers. The second machine is located at the “Lord´s Hill High-school”, a secondary school serving the local community located a few kilometers from the IPO center.

The deployed technology – decentralized plants based on solar power – is particularly well suited for this application in rural Africa as grid power is not always available. Also, access is not easy, giving the light weight design a clear advantage. Water-borne disease is a real concern in the area, with drinking water normally being sterilized through boiling on wood-fires which contributes to deforestation. The plants can provide up to 5000l of safe water per day and it can be hoped that this will contribute to the reduction of water-borne illnesses and thus contribute to the general health of the pupils at the school and the orphans.