EnterpriseWorks/VITA Receives Gates Foundation Grant to Develop Low-Cost Domestic Rainwater Harvesting System EnterpriseWorks/VITA (EWV) has received a five-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to analyze domestic rainwater harvesting systems throughout the world, conduct research to reduce the costs of water storage systems, and develop and test a market-based approach for the introduction of domestic rainwater harvesting systems to provide clean drinking water to areas in need.... [Click Here for Full Story]   EWV launches World HealthWorks, a For-Profit Specializing in Health-Related Products EnterpriseWorks/VITA has launched World HealthWorks (WHW), a for-profit company specializing in the marketing and distribution of health-related products to low-income consumers in emerging economies. WHW aims not only to ensure substantial financial returns for its shareholders and partners, but also to achieve significant health and economic gains for its consumer clients... [Click Here for Full Story]   EWV Begins to Market CrystalPur™ Water Filters in Uganda EnterpriseWorks/VITA has begun to market 5000 CrystalPur™ water filters in central Uganda, as part of a pilot project funded by the Diageo Foundation. The filters will provide clean drinking water to an estimated 40,000 individuals, greatly reducing the incidence rate of waterborne disease in general and diarrhea in children. [Click Here for Full Story]   UNICEF Funds EWV Project to Promote Manual Well Drilling in Africa The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has awarded EnterpriseWorks/VITA a grant to promote low-cost manual well drilling in Africa. Manual drilling is a practical solution that can effectively provide drinking water to un-served rural populations at a small fraction of the cost of conventional drilling. The project will foster awareness with donors, implementers, and governments of the benefits of this technique, as well as provide the tools needed for them to make informed choices concerning the integration of manual drilling into their rural water supply programs. [Click Here for Full Story]   2007 Project Impact Summary Released In 2007, EnterpriseWorks/VITA’s portfolio generated over 21 million dollars in total monetary benefits, providing economic benefits to over 2.3 million men, women and children in some of the most disadvantaged countries of the world. Project beneficiaries and total monetary benefits are reported for EWV’s five primary program areas and are generated from detailed data collection which tracks the type of beneficiary (male versus female, owner, worker, part-time, full time, etc.) as well as the nature of the economic activity and intervention (technology, marketing, management, and other improvements). EWV’s 2007 impacts include data from 30 projects in 14 countries of Africa and Asia. [Click Here for Full Story]   Conservation Marketing Equation Published EnterpriseWorks/VITA has drawn from its 40 years experience working in enterprise-based conservation to publish “The Conservation Marketing Equation: a Manual for Conservation and Development Professionals.” The manual helps practitioners better understand product development and marketing that promotes conservation and social equity. [Click Here for Full Story]

Success Stories

“Fresh Water Flows in Taketake, Niger” Taketake is a rural village of about 300 inhabitants situated a dozen kilometers from the town of Doungou in Niger. Until recently, residents had relied on three traditional hand dug wells lined with logs for their water source. The shallow wells routinely collapsed during the rainy season and rarely provided enough safe drinking water even when functioning properly. As a result, villagers resorted to drinking polluted pond-water, resulting in high rates of waterborne diseases. [Click Here for Full Story]

For more than 40 years in 100 countries, EnterpriseWorks/VITA (EWV) has worked to combat poverty by helping small producers and other entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses that create jobs and increase productivity, market opportunities and incomes. EWV achieves this by expanding access to appropriate technologies, technical assistance, knowledge and finance.