Global Impact Awards support organizations using technology and innovative approaches to tackle some of the world’s toughest human challenges. We look for nimble, entrepreneurial organizations that have a specific project that tests a big idea and a brilliant team with a healthy disregard for the impossible. From real-time sensors that monitor clean water to DNA barcoding that stops wildlife trafficking, our first round of awards provides $23 million to seven organizations changing the world.
charity:water
clean water through real-time data
Project:
charity: water will use its $5 million Impact Award grant to pilot the installation of real-time water monitoring technologies at 4,000 water points across Africa by 2015.Impact: Water is a critical and life-saving resource, but one in nine people across the globe — a total of 800 million — lack access to clean water sources. Water projects and hand pumps are built in remote areas to help get clean water to those in need, but at any given time approximately 1/3 of hand pumps built by groups such as local governments, multilateral agencies and NGOs, are not functioning.
Harnessing the power of technology and real-time data, charity: water will install remote sensors to monitor and record actual water flow rate, allowing more effective maintenance and provision of clean water to over a million people. Insights from the aggregated data will inform better planning for new water projects and published data will not only provide performance accountability for individual projects but will prove the value of transparency across the development sector.
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