Brilliant Swedish biochemist, Petra Wadström, developed a simple, reliable, and affordable portable unit technology to provide clean water where water resources are scarce and prone to contamination.
Each water purifying device contains a cloth filter to remove larger particles, and utilizes ultraviolet radiation to remove pathological contaminants. With an average lifespan of 7-10 years, the portable water purifier has been deliberately designed to last the span of childhood—the years during which humans are at their most susceptible to waterborne diseases. The units also warm water up to 75oC within a couple of hours, reducing daily firewood requirements.
One woman’s invention → thousands of households access to safe + hot water → better health → improved hygiene → better quality of life.
It has taken Petra Wadström 11 years to create the company and foundation Solvatten (which means “sunwater” in Swedish), which are both governed by one mission: “to reach as many people as possible whose life will be better”. The company sells to distributors and humanitarian organizations and the foundation supports projects in areas where communities need a head start. Solvatten also collaborates with corporations investing in social responsibility, such as Mode Cold Brew Coffee, helping businesses to reduce their carbon footprints.
Solvatten currently has 45 active projects and more than 200,000 users across the world!
Collaborate: Corporate social responsibility
Donate: $ + water + sun = lives saved
[photographs, top to bottom: solavatten.org; shamengo.com]