Community Water Solutions, Inc

Basic Information

Address: 46 Ledgetree Rd. Medfield, MA 02052

Phone Number: 508.561.8900

Website - Click Here!

Email: kclopeck@communitywatersolutions.org

Director: Kate Clopeck

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Additional Information

Causes Served: Global Water Crisis - Africa

Clearances Required: No

Background Check: No

Population Served: Communities in Rural Ghana

Ages for Volunteer: 18+

Hours of Service: 200

Minimum Hours Required: 200

Days of Service: 23 days

Mission Statement:

Community Water Solutions (CWS) is a not-for-profit social enterprise that partners with rural communities in developing countries to establish sustainable water treatment businesses. These businesses are owned and operated by the communities that they serve, and use simple, affordable technologies to enable the treatment, distribution and storage of clean, safe drinking water.

Philosophy/Belief Statement:

CWS implements sustainable, scalable water treatment businesses owned and operated by the communities we serve. CWS engages with each community to collaboratively create a solution that is customized to their particular needs and preferences, while cultivating a sense of ownership and community self-reliance in the process.
The CWS model is based on two components:
1. We use low-cost, community-scale water treatment and household safe storage solutions to ensure that the water stays safe and clean while users transport it and store it in their homes.
2. We use a hands-on approach to engaging communities as owners, operators and customers of to ensure comprehensive community access, broad adoption and sustained use.

Currently, CWS provides the only sustainable source of safe, clean drinking water available today in the rural communities we serve. In addition, we are able to serve our individual customers at a price per liter of clean water that is three times lower than our closest competitor.

Program History:

CWS has successfully piloted its water treatment business model in seven communities. These projects provide a reliable source of clean water access to approximately 5,200 people, including more than 1000 children. The communities that CWS currently serves in northern Ghana are aware of the connection between clean water and health, and have the ability and willingness to pay the small price (GHC 0.10/ 20 liters) necessary to sustain the operation and maintenance of CWS community treatment centers.

Additional Information:

In order to expand our organization, both at home and abroad, CWS has recently launched the Community Water Solutions Fellowship Program.

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The Fellowship Program is a three-week water education and leadership training experience in Northern Region, Ghana. The purpose of the fellowship is to teach individuals about the global water crisis, and inspire them to become leaders in the field of international development. Fellows are grouped in teams of four and paired with a rural community in Northern Region, Ghana. Before leaving for Africa each team will work together to raise funds to cover the $2,500 / person fellowship fee and to pay for travel to Ghana. On the ground, teams are first trained in water quality testing, and the CWS water treatment methods. They then spend two weeks in the field implementing and monitoring a CWS water business. Fellows will have the option of staying with CWS for a longer period of time to become leaders in the Fellowship program or in other capacities.