A water franchise built with communities.
Some women and girls still walk up to six hours a day to collect water. WaterStarters exists to change that, by catalysing the entrepreneurial spirit of Kenyan communities so they become part of the solution to water scarcity in their own country.
Powered by MegaGroup and Amref Health Africa, our cooperative approach brings in-house expertise in water solutions, health education and local community experience, combined into a single franchise concept.
What WaterStarters enables.
Commercially viable water systems
Building and refurbishing water supply systems in rural and peri-urban communities, for domestic use, livestock, irrigation and wildlife.
Trained local health workers
Equipping local health workers to promote handwashing and hygiene, prevent waterborne illness, and grow demand for clean drinking water.
Restored time for women and children
Freeing those usually burdened with fetching water to access education and work, advancing gender equality, self-reliance and empowerment.
Thriving rural businesses
Improving health conditions and guaranteeing water availability all year round, so rural enterprises can flourish.
Moving from aid to trade.
We encourage communities that can to co-invest and pay back, setting up sustainable partnerships with communities and entrepreneurs who take ownership of the business rather than relying on donor money alone.
Initial costs are covered through a blend of grants, subsidies, impact investments and loans, and WaterStarters matches donor contributions with commercial funding to secure lasting impact. We empower and connect different worlds, where community chiefs, corporate change makers and mission-driven leaders work together.
Community-led water, at scale.
Everyone deserves safe, affordable water and a life free of waterborne disease. We combine traditional water systems and community-led health promotion with data, technology and pooled funding.
How it works.
Identify regions and communities
Working with local government and our network in Kenya, we identify communities in dire need of clean, affordable water.
Find suitable franchisees
We locate and engage potential franchisees, explaining what WaterStarters offers communities and entrepreneurs.
Formal expression of interest
If the franchisee is keen and we see sustainable potential, a formal expression of interest is submitted using the provided form.
Evaluate the proposed site
Field visits assess the site and scope. We provide cost estimates, draft a franchise agreement, and sign once everyone is satisfied.
Franchisee investment
The franchisee invests at least 15% of initial costs. The remaining share is blended equally between grant money and a loan, repaid through the sale of water.
Implementation phase
We run ground water scans with our partners. Amref trains local healthcare workers while franchisees receive operations and maintenance training.
Construction phase
After water-quality testing, we drill or rehabilitate a borehole and build a water kiosk, pipelines, storage tank and trough, with a prepaid meter and solar panels.
Water access and health promotion
The community gains safe, affordable drinking water. Health workers deliver hygiene education, preventing diseases such as diarrhoea, intestinal worms and parasitic infections.
Online monitoring dashboard
Water consumption, solar production and water quality are tracked automatically. Proactive alerts prevent equipment downtime and show the impact we create together.