Pumping water uphill

There are hundreds of thousands upland communities and farms which have no easy access to drinking, domestic or irrigation water.  A maximum of 40 liters/day/household gives lots of challenges.  Farmers depend on unpredictable rainfall and experience low production.  Many migrate to the cities where joblessness among the youth is high.  Our solution is the AIDFI ram which pumps water to high elevations without external energy like fuel or electricity, just waterpower.  The ram pump operates automatically, 24/7, increases the volume supplied, thereby changing the lives of the villagers.  AIDFI, as a social enterprise creates meaningful jobs in the manufacturing and installation of the environment friendly AIDFI ram pump.  Most of its regular staff come from the grassroots and are paid decent wages and benefits with on top of that thankful beneficiaries as reward.  AIDFI has already replicated its work to other countries through technology transfers and wants to do more.

In the world some 785 million people lack access to safe drinking water and 2 billion access to improved sanitation. In the Philippines, where AIDFI is operating, some 9 million people lack access to basic water services (Unicef, July 2017) and in many rural areas, sanitation is just between 25-50%.  The irony is that society expects uplanders to protect water resources but do not have easy access themselves. AIDFI concentrates on these problems in the uplands by pumping water uphill.  The lack of water for households creates so many unnecessary challenges to the families: time or money spent for fetching, kids skip classes for fetching, water borne diseases, skin diseases, lack of sanitation, kids bullied at school for smell, difficulties in doing laundry, limitation in vegetable growing, animal and fish raising or carrying out water related livelihood. Farming has become difficult with unpredictable rainfall and drought (caused by Climate Change), no chance for additional crop cycle or diversification.  Attempts to solve problems in those far flung areas were mostly not serious, election related, or corruption riddled. There are hundreds of thousands of such villages and farms in the world where the AIDFI ram pump could change the lives of people.

The solution is an old forgotten technology which was overtaken by the Industrial Revolution, namely the hydraulic ram pump.  On one hand there are the commercial models which are expensive and hard to import and on the other hand the over the last 40 years by universities developed DIY models which are inferior.  AIDFI designed a crossbreed model based on local materials and spare parts, robust, efficient but at low cost.  A ram pump utilizes the energy contained in falling water to pump u pa portion of that water to high elevations.  No fuel or electricity and GHG emission involved, it is a climate and users friendly technology. Since past programs failed, AIDFI developed a holistic program around the technology: social preparation (set up and training of water associations and community participation), training of local technicians, fair distribution through unique mechanical coin operated water kiosks and continued monitoring through monitoring app.  Constant innovation is involved with as results the kiosk, the app and fabrication of gaskets from recycled plastic).  The idea is that communities have control over the ram system installed, in terms of organization, finance and technology.  Local technicians get a toolbox and receive an allowance from the association.

AIDFI is a Social Enterprise owned by its regular and passionate staff and affiliates through a General Assembly.  It does make some profits but those are re-invested in programs and technologies (innovations).  Most of the staff come from the grassroots and find besides regular employment with decent wages and benefits, fulfillments in helping communities and farmers access to water.  They also get to travel all over the Philippines, and some went to other countries.  The manufacturing and installation of the AIDFI ram pump and systems creates income for around 40 families directly.  There are also independent installation teams who buy and install the AIDFI ram pump and that adds to the employment for the technology.  Then it created employment in Afghanistan, Nepal, Colombia, and Mexico to which AIDFI carried out complete technology transfer of its model. AIDFI has already installed around 1200 pumps in 570 upland villages benefitting some 270,000 people.  As earlier explained the idea is that the people own and sustain the technology and water association and for that AIDFI applies a holistic package around the ram pump systems.  The increased volume of water changes the lives of the villagers and farmers by countering the earlier mentioned problems.

The work of AIDFI is both creation of meaningful jobs for mostly grassroots people, who even without finished courses can make career in the organization by developing their skills through trainings and to create development and livelihood in poor upland communities through the utilization of the AIDFI ram pump technology.  In two villages the earlier set up ram systems evolved into sustainable lemongrass production and processing projects because of the availability of water for irrigation and the distillation process. It created livelihood for farmers associations who manage the factories themselves. This is what AIDFI wants: ram pumps triggering further development.

The ram pump was a forgotten technology, overtaken by the Industrial Revolution and later the cheap energy prices. When I started working with the technology in the Philippines in 1990, it was completely unknown. My first design was kind of a DIY model which turned out to be inferior in quality and performance.  I then quickly moved on to a crossbreed model by taking the best of commercial and DIY models.  The result the robust and efficient AIDFI ram model which we patented.  The actual installations started promoting themselves and the ram got popular.  AIDFI’s work is for 90% focused on the ram pump technology and as a social enterprise the work is carried out with passion and the biggest reward are the happy faces of the beneficiaries. There have been short lived attempts in copying our work but fabricating good quality ram pumps and setting up sustainable systems is not that easy.  Many (out for easy money) backed out, except one who sells his systems at very high prices and we do not consider him a competitor.  The strength of AIDFI is in the holistic package around the technology which earned us a partnership with the Coca Cola Foundation since 2012.  There are other sources of power like wind, solar, grid and fuel but pumps powered by those sources have their limitations by either not able to pump high, expensive source, high transportation cost (for fuel), high repair and maintenance cost and in many cases unreliable sun or wind.

The AIDFI ram is a unique crossbreed model of an old existing technology.  It is designed for manufacturing with local skills, materials, and spare parts.  The main spare part is an ordinary door hinge.  The idea is centralized quality manufacturing with decentralized operation, repair and maintenance, the technology knowledge completely transferred to the village and with cheap spare parts, easily available and replaceable.  For sustainable systems, AIDFI incorporated the set-up, registration and training of water associations which manage the systems. Community facilitators arrange for MOA’s for right to use or right of way and introduce the associations to the local government units and agencies for possible further development.  AIDFI is always working on new innovations.  It manufactures plastic recycling machines through which sturdier ram pump gaskets are produced. Through evaluations unfair distribution and difficulties in collection of water fees were observed and therefore AIDFI started developing a coin operated water kiosk which initially did its job in fair distribution and increased collection (up to three times) but the design had so many sensitive electronic parts. Just recently we developed a unique and promising mechanical coin operated kiosk, which works perfectly and with as main spare part a cheap easily available toilet rubber flap.  The kiosk is planned to be patented.  Another issue was the difficulty in monitoring because of remoteness.  An App was developed through which the associations encode monthly data on water delivered, repair and maintenance carried out, meetings held, and water fees collected and transmit those to AIDFI.  

From a complete unknown technology in the Philippines, the ram is now well known through the actual installations of AIDFI.  The technology was for example in 2012 institutionalized in the Department of Agriculture as one of the three renewable energy technologies for small scale irrigation for High Value Crops through effort of AIDFI.  When AIDFI in 2007 thought that the model was technically ready, it participated in the Ashden Award in which it became a finalist.  This resulted in AIDFI doing three installations in Afghanistan and immediately followed by a technology transfer of Afghan engineers here in the shop of AIDFI in the Philippines.  The AIDFI model is since 2008 being manufactured and installed by the Kargar Brothers.  This was followed by transfers to Nepal, Colombia, and Mexico.  For its holistic community approach AIDFI received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2011, which is also called the Asian Nobel Prize.  As a result, AIDFI started working with Coca-Cola Foundation in returning to nature or people the water used in the bottling process. The partnership resulted in already over 7.5 billion liters pumped uphill to water-less communities.

The ram pump installations are carried out through short term interventions in which period AIDFI as technical service provider tries to work hard on creating ownership over the technology by the community. Mostly this is a period of around 3-4 months in which a holistic approach is applied from social preparation (legalities, set up, registration and training of water association and introduction to local government units and agencies), actual installation, training of local technicians and formal turnover.  Monitoring through the App is continued afterwards and if required, technical or organizational interventions can be done.  Often the association is the first organization in the community and helps the women to be equally involved.  Many associations consist of 50 or even more percent of women since water is a big concern for them.  But besides water also other community issues are being discussed and this empowers the member, especially the women.  There are also communities where the old community cooperation called ‘Bayanihan’ is being revived through common activities, like cleaning of public spaces.  Then many associations register themselves in the local government units and become members of development councils.  This is exactly the idea of AIDFI: the ram pump triggering further development/empowerment in the communities.  There are associations which were able to save substantial amounts from the water fees (mostly between 1-2 dollars/month) collected and besides using those for operation, repair and maintenance, expansion of the project to complete new activities like buying pieces of land for vegetable production, fishpond and means of transport to monitor the project.  In the program of AIDFI funded by Coca-Cola Foundation a livelihood program was added and implemented by another organization which used the local available resources as their starting point.  The training's and later marketing of products concerned coco sugar, virgin coconut oil, souvenirs from bamboo, papaya soap and so on.  AIDFI started working long term in two upland communities with ram pumps and initiated the formation of essential oil producers associations, which grow lemon grass and process those in oil in factories in the mountains since 2005 and 2010, which is marketed by AIDFI.

So far AIDFI has implemented systems in 570 villages and farms with a total of 270,000 beneficiaries reached. This is besides the number of beneficiaries reached by other local installers of AIDF ram pumps and the AIDFI model ram pump being manufactured and installed in Afghanistan, Nepal, Colombia, and Mexico.

On a yearly basis AIDFI now does some 20 ram projects itself which add around 10,000 beneficiaries. 

For the next five years the numbers will be more or less the same with more ram projects shifting to irrigation with lesser beneficiaries than the usual drinking and domestic water projects. 

There are many dreams, ideas and plans for this and the coming five years.  

For the next year to:

• Patent the newly developed mechanical (coin) operated water kiosk which provides 20 liters water for a one-peso coin (2-dollar cent), to protect the invention from being copied
• Install initially a minimum of 200 water kiosks for fairer distribution and higher collection
• Distribute some 50 mobile phones with monitoring App to water associations
• Install 20 ram pump water systems
• Sell a minimum of at least 50 ram pump units to independent installation teams or private clients
• Find funding for the transformation of the present techno park to an interactive ram pump park showcasing the different applications (actual working ram installation, drip, sprinkler irrigation, water filtration among others)
• Search for CSR partner willing to off set its water or carbon footprint in ram projects

Next five years to:

• Continue ram installations for both drinking and irrigation
• Establish selling points for ram pumps all over the country
• Partner with micro credit groups for financing of ram systems
• Set up some 1000 water kiosks
• Train new independent installation teams in Philippines
• Carry out ram installations in other countries, most probably at least in Chile, Costa Rica, Thailand, and India
• Carry out technology transfer to interested parties in other countries
• Organize water summits attended by water associations of installed ram pump systems for all over Philippines

For this year there are several barriers caused by the COVID-19. 

• There are different restrictions for movement in different places (read islands) in the Philippines through which AIDFI is not able to survey or install systems.
• Our main funder Coca-Cola had decided to divert all planned funds for water projects to COVID-19 activities in urban, peri-urban and schools, so no new ram projects for the rest of 2020 funded by Coca-Cola Foundation.    
• Despite being an environment friendly technology (using only surface water and not emitting GHG), AIDFI needs in some cases to go through the slow legal process for environment clearances.

Next five years:

• Uncertainty of continued programs with Coca-Cola despite their intention
• Same environmental clearances issues
• Dealing with government funded projects because of bureaucracy and corruption

For this year:

• Concentrate on finding and implementing ram projects in areas with less restrictions, preferable on our island of Negros and neighboring island of Panay
• Continue communication with Cola-Cola to keep the relationship warm but also scout very actively for other funders and that includes local government units, national government programs, NGO’s and private clients
• Search and approach possible CSR programs for ram projects
• Develop a strategy in which the technology can be explained and demonstrates easily to those involved in the environmental regulations

For the next five years:

• Search for CSR programs
• Apply the developed strategy for the environmental regulations
• Develop a solid system of dealing with government projects by sub-contracting with clear terms without any form of corruption on our side

40 regular staff, 1 contractual

AIDFI has highly committed, passionate, and skilled staff with years of ram pump experiences and the only one in the world concentrating full time on ram pumps for rural development on scale.  Many staff come from the grassroots and very much know the situation and culture of the target beneficiaries. The team is complete in terms of having different departments complement each other and complete the necessary approach to manufacture quality pumps and accessories, durable systems, and well-prepared communities for the sustainability of the projects.  AIDFI has an active and passionate Board and Management Team.  The CEO is mainly linking the Board and in charge of networking and fund sourcing.  The CEO already worked with ram pumps in 1984, has experience in fabrication and international installation and presentation of the work of AIDFI.  He was last year awarded as the 2019 St. Teresa of Calcutta Award as ‘Engineer of the Poor’.  While the COO (Management Accounting graduate) oversees all operations.  The team covers innovation, technical services (surveys, studies, and guidance of installations), community & enterprise development, warehouse and logistics, technical production and installation and sales & marketing.  AIDFI has assets like a 3000 m2 lot with office and 650 m2 workshop equipped with precision machines.  There is also the new product development center (innovation lab) and the plastic recycling area for production of ram parts. It also owns trucks for the transportation of ram systems.  AIDFI is anytime ready for international assignments or technology transfers with international experienced staff.

Before 2012 AIDFI was running the ram pump program one project at a time with different clients or financiers.  In 2012 the Bureau of Soil and Water Management (BSWM) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) here in the Philippines was selecting renewable energy driven pumps for small scale irrigation of their High Value Crop Program.  AIDFI presented its ram pump in a workshop and used its working miniature ram set for demonstration and was selected.  The BSWM on a yearly basis implements around 25 systems and most of the ram pump come from AIDFI and AIDFI has also installed many systems for the BSWM.

Also in the beginning of 2012 AIDFI was selected with the ram pump as a technical solution for the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc.(CCFPI) to offset the water used in their bottling by providing the same amount of water to people (villages) or nature. The program called Agos had a huge impact and despite the fact that the target has been reached, continuous. After mainly working with drinking water projects, the program expanded to productive use.  There are two programs wherein CCFPI, DA and AIDFI are partnering together.  CCFPI providing the funds, DA identifying the agricultural sites and AIDFI implementing the ram pump irrigation projects. The target sites are in the poorest agricultural provinces and in agrarian reform communities.

The program with CCFPI is mostly in batches and has made the implementation for AIDFI more efficient.

Customer segments

- Government agencies

- Corporate Social Responsibility programs

- Foundations and other NGOs

- Private individuals

Value proposition

We offer low-cost technologies solutions for far-flung communities and private individuals. Our main product is the ram pump which is sold per unit or included in a whole water system. Aside from these technologies, we also sell essential oil produced from our assisted communities on the island of Negros. We offer complete packages from survey to social preparation to post project monitoring.

Revenue streams

- Grants

- Small donations

- Revenue from technologies

- Revenue from essential oils and by-products

- Revenue from Coffee shop operations

Channels

We communicate to them by pitching through contests or directly with target customers who are looking for a solution such as ours to help them achieve their target goals.

Customer relationships

We developed a constant monitoring tool that enable us to provide customers on a regular basis data on the provided systems installed. For some, the relationship lasts longer than the endeavor up to a period of 10 years.

Key activities

- Production

- Social Preparation

- Project Monitoring

- Technical Services (survey and installation)

- Post-Project Monitoring

Key resources

- Pool of highly trained technical people

- Years of experience on the ram pump technology

- 1,000 square meters building with workshop complete with machines and equipment for production

- Transport vehicles

- Operating capital

Key partners

- Communities

- Funding agencies

Cost structure

- Material cost

- Labor cost

- Salaries

For now, the activities of AIDFI are covered by a combination of grants and revenues. Grants make up 70% and revenues make up the remaining. AIDFI spends its funds in a very cost-effective way but deliver high quality end results.

The revenue or savings that come from the products and projects are put in a separate savings account. In our current 5-year strategic plan it was stressed that by becoming financially viable we should enable the foundation to still continue operating for a period of 1-year regardless of having no projects for that period. Currently, the foundation is able to this for a period of 6 months.

One major contributor to our grants is a partnership program with the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. (CCFPI) through their Corporate Social Responsibility we are bringing clean drinking water to communities and irrigation water to small farmer groups. This program has been running for over 8 years now.

AIDFI has been actively looking for programs the same as with the CCFPI and includes this as part of its pitches to investor events in contests.

We have also partnered with Government Agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) to help implement their small-scale irrigation projects. So far, this has been a continuous program for already 5 years. Lately, the DA has partnered with the Coca-Cola program expanding to bring irrigation water to small farmer groups.

Later on, AIDFI hopes to generate more revenue streams through crowd funding and donation programs from individuals or corporations.

- The dependency of AIDFI on one big donor.  Maybe Solve can assist in the search for another or more CSR programs of companies which would like to off set their water and or carbon foot print since both are possible with the ram pump.  There are calculations of carbon saved by the use of the non GHG emitting ram pump. Water off setting is also easy to calculate since each pump has a water meter at the end of the delivery line.

- Not mentioned as a barrier but very much welcomed is if there are technical issues, further improvement on the ram or water kiosk which can be made together with Solve or its partners

Promotion of the AIDFI ram pump through the Solve channels, maybe resulting in new projects or even technology transfer.

- New CSR partner through Solve would help AIDFI continue and maximize its operation to implement quality systems for more beneficiaries in far flung communities.

- Technology Innovations would have as goal to simplify or coming up with more robust and less susceptibility to repair and maintenance.

- Media coverage with as goal possible new CSR partner, projects or technology transfer to another country.

Difficult to answer that question now.  If we get to know the possibilities at MIT and the network of Solve members, we can think of appropriate ideas.  I can imagine that at the MIT there are test facilities and knowledge which made help our ram or new water kiosk to be further improved.

The ram pump technology has a great impact on women and girls.  Before the ram system came in a village, water was fetched manually from much lower elevated sources, often between 50-200 meters and had to be carried over difficult and during raining season dangerous tracks.  This limited the daily consumption to two containers with a total of 40 liters.  Just enough for drinking, cooking and dish washing and a little bit for other purposes. Most of the houses in the village in such situation didn't have any CR, making it difficult to take a bath and had to make outdoor their CR, especially for women and girls. Actually all aspects of their household activities were difficult.  There were many health issues because of waterborne diseases and skin diseases through lack of bathing. For laundry they had to bring clothes down and up to the water source below and needed to bring children because they couldn't trust them to stay alone at home. Then without water left no vegetables could be grown easily, or flowers or raising of animals or fish. A very difficult life with the most affected the women, girls and elderly. Not only completely changed that situation with free flowing water near their houses in an increased volume,  but also women got a big say in the newly established water associations.  In many of such associations women make up 50 or more percent of the officers.  Their voices are heard and not limited to the water issues.

AIDFI is a unique organization, even among the Philippine Social Enterprises. Most Social Enterprises are of single proprietorship, select a social problem and deal well with their workers and get their raw materials from communities at a little higher price but with the profits going to them (the biggest part of the whole chain of transactions). AIDFI has chosen for a higher and therefore more difficult form of organization, namely the ownership is with the General Assembly (GA) consisting of regular staff (which nearly all staff are) and some sympathetic affiliates. The Board elected by this GA is composed of 9 members with 6 from the regular staff and 3 from the affiliates.  To us an ideal mix of knowledge on the ground and objective opinions and fresh ideas from affiliates with their own set of skills, knowledge and network. In the past AIDFI worked with some engineers but this largely didn't work out since the pay was for them too low or the degree of technology was not complicated or challenging enough for them.  The guidance for AIDFI in terms of technology is simplification: 'the designer knows he has reached perfection, not when there is anything to add but no longer anything to take away'.  Now nearly all staff come from grassroots and are selected on the basis of skills and willingness.  Former sugarworkers can start with us as helper or even driver but end up as surveyor, designer.  Many of them eagerly learned AutoCAD and grow in AIDFI.