DrinKup©

What it is

DrinKup© is a social enterprise that focuses on bringing the most vital resource, clean drinking water, to the people and communities that need it most. DrinKup© is a "microfranchise" model which will give young entrepreneurs in developing communities the opportunity to raise themselves out of poverty, while collectively providing millions with access to clean drinking water. DrinKup© supports these selected franchisees with the franchise, filtration devices, and training, to collect, filtrate and sell clean drinking water to their area.


How it helps

The advent of clean drinking water for developing communities has innumerable economic and social benefits. First, providing clean drinking water reduces the pervasiveness of waterborne diseases in these regions; thereby creating a foundation for development. The customers of DrinKup© franchises, who would otherwise be forced to walk up to 8 hours per day to the nearest water source, will be able to procure water locally at a fraction of the economic cost. Directly delivered clean water is a vital service that creates thousands of annual productive hours for the consumer. Additionally, the skill set a franchisee develops through running a DrinKup© franchise is transferable and provides them with life-long leadership skills. The franchisees have the freedom to manage their own time, empowering them to pursue diverse career paths or further education; all on their own cultural terms. The franchisees can expand their operations, raising the local level of employment and passing on their knowledge and expertise to new generations.


Why it works

DrinKup© is a scalable and sustainable social business that is driven by the leadership and entrepreneurial spirit of individuals from the same developing communities that it serves. The DrinKup© franchise is a profitable business model for the franchiser, franchisee and for customers. This allows the model to be scaled to provide clean drinking water to the millions of families who cannot access it without incurring extraordinary economic and human costs. Additionally, franchisees develop their businesses and create employment for their community while transferring their business knowledge and skills, creating continuity and long-term sustainability. Finally, DrinKup© allows the development process to be community-led and work within the existing cultural framework.

Special Recognition
This project would not have been possible without the research and support of Sarah Katyal, Greg Horsefall and Ashley Hartwall.

• Mushfiq Wahed wrote (2 years ago):

  Congrats for your success in Pitch for Change Competition in the Social Enterprise Conference. My support is always with you! :)

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• Edward Koh wrote (2 years ago):

  Read about your success at the recent Social Enterprise Conference. Congrats! As a fellow Schulich alum, I just wanted to give you guys my support.
  
  Edward

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