It seems simple, just a round container connected to pipe. But this simple design is changing the way many live their day-to-day lives.
The WaterBall was designed by engineer Kyle Hunter after meeting and observing women and children in Latin America who were required to walk miles each day simply to reach a safe water source. The WaterBall allows people to transport water more quickly and with less physical strain. (Watch the video The WaterBall Rolls Out)
The typical trek to water sources consumes enormous amounts of time for millions of people in the developing world. An average woman in sub-Saharan Africa will walk an hour to a water source, and make multiple trips per day, often through unsafe areas.
So how does this connect to this year’s World Water Day theme: Water and Energy?
Well, energy does not necessarily need to be defined by technology. In fact, at WaterStep we can measure energy saved through human expenses: time, effort, even safety. When women are freed from the daily burden of access to water, that gives them more energy to pursue an education, focus on their families, or invest time in a skill or trade that could help support them.
That possibility is why this simple tool is able to transform lives globally. Water and energy connect when less energy needs to be expended to reach a safe water source.
That is what we’re all about at WaterStep: Joining you to save lives with safe water.
This World Water Day, let us know your thoughts on water and energy. How do you think saved human energy can change the world? Comment below or tweet @WaterStep with your thoughts.