Water for Work & Wealth

Jibu

Water for Work & Wealth

With 40% lacking safe water, we empower entrepreneurs in 8 African countries with water franchises—creating jobs and sustainable access to clean water

Kigali, Rwanda

RWA

Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit

In East Africa, youth unemployment is a systemic crisis—exceeding 60% in Northern Uganda and reaching 67% in Kenya, the highest globally. With over 150 million youth aged 15–35 in the region, entire economies are at risk of losing a generation of potential. Three interconnected barriers drive this challenge: Lack of access to capital: 84% of youth-led businesses in Uganda rely on informal loans at 22–35% APR. In Kenya, 62% of graduates are denied bank loans due to lack of collateral. Skills-to-market gap: Despite rising education rates, nearly half of university-educated Rwandan youth remain unemployed. Vocational training reaches only 12% of the Kenyan workforce. Informal sector saturation: In Kenya, 80% of new jobs are informal, paying less than $2/day—insufficient to keep pace with 40% annual food inflation. Youth—especially women—face additional barriers. In Tanzania, 58% of unemployed women cite water collection as a barrier to employment. Across the region, disillusionment is growing: 73% of Burundian youth said they’d “accept bribes” to secure work. Jibu addresses the root causes—affordable capital, local infrastructure, and dignified livelihoods—by empowering youth-led enterprises through a proven franchise model that scales clean water access and economic opportunity together.

Jibu provides safe, affordable drinking water through a scalable, locally owned social franchising model that combines patent-protected technology, community infrastructure, and entrepreneur-led retail. Jibu equips local franchisees with ultrafiltration systems to purify local water sources (tap, well, etc.) at over 8,500 retail points. Water is sold in reusable 20L flip-top bottles—patented to be refillable over 100 times—cutting plastic waste and reducing costs by 75% compared to alternatives. Jibu provides upfront capital and training, while entrepreneurs repay through volume-based fees after a grace period—ensuring affordability, ownership, and long-term sustainability. A pioneering remote-monitoring system (the first of its kind for water filters) tracks purification performance in real time, guaranteeing quality and operational efficiency. Beyond water, 70% of franchisees expand into LPG and fortified porridge, leveraging Jibu’s distribution network. A sale-leaseback financing model lowers barriers for underserved entrepreneurs—especially women and youth. To date, Jibu has launched over 200 franchises in 8 countries, created 3,500 jobs, and distributed 700M+ liters of safe water—saving low-income families $9M annually. Through public-private partnerships, Jibu also helps municipalities extend piped water access—creating shared infrastructure that benefits entire communities.

Jibu serves two primary groups: low-income consumers without reliable access to safe drinking water and aspiring entrepreneurs—especially women and youth—lacking the capital and support to start a business. In East Africa, over 50% of households live on less than $5/day. Many rely on unsafe sources or spend precious time and fuel boiling water. Jibu’s affordable, refillable 20L water bottles drastically reduce health risks and cut household costs—freeing up income for food, education, and healthcare. At the same time, thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs face systemic barriers: limited access to financing, mentorship, or formal job opportunities. Jibu removes these barriers through a social franchise model—offering startup capital, training, and a proven business model. Franchisees can earn up to $76,000/year in revenue, creating lasting income for themselves and jobs for others. The broader impact is community-wide. Jibu has created 1,500+ full-time jobs and empowered over 35% of its franchisees to be women—far exceeding regional averages. By investing in local ownership and reinvesting profits locally, Jibu builds not just water access—but wealth, dignity, and resilience.