When it comes to eradicating poverty in developing communities, health and sanitation services are an important part of the equation. Having a proper bathroom, along with maintenance, prevents people from defecating openly.
Social business Sanivation is trying to address this issue by not just giving people toilets, but also turning poop into fuel pellets. Specifically in "urbanizing communities" in Kenya and eastern Africa, Sanivation hopes to improve health and environment with the clean, efficient and safe sanitation services they provide.
Their business model involves collecting customer waste, treating and transforming the poo and then reusing it as an affordable source of fuel that's an alternative to charcoal. In addition to installing toilets in homes and servicing them for free, Sanivation also helps refugee camps.
Feces-Transforming Enterprises
Sanivation's Sanitation Services are Empowering Developing Areas
Trend Themes
1. Sanitation Transformation - Disruptive innovation opportunity in developing communities by transforming feces into fuel pellets for clean and efficient sanitation services.
2. Waste-to-energy Solutions - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the renewable energy industry by leveraging human waste as a sustainable source of fuel.
3. Social Entrepreneurship for Health - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the social entrepreneurship sector by providing affordable and safe sanitation services to improve health and environment in developing areas.
Industry Implications
1. Sanitation Services - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the sanitation industry by incorporating waste treatment and reuse for sustainable and eco-friendly solutions.
2. Renewable Energy - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the renewable energy sector by exploring waste-to-energy solutions using transformed human waste as a renewable fuel source.
3. Social Entrepreneurship - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the social entrepreneurship industry by combining business models with health-focused solutions, such as providing affordable sanitation services in developing communities.