The Hippo Water Roller Project aims to alleviate the daily struggle of transporting water for women and children in disadvantaged communities. It does this by providing a rolling water drum called a Hippo Roller that can carry 90 liters of water, reducing physical strain and time spent collecting water from distant sources. Over 165,000 Hippo Rollers have been distributed across Africa, benefiting hundreds of thousands of people with improved access to water, education, health, and opportunities. The document requests corporate investment and support for the project's goals.

1. THE HIPPO WATER
ROLLER PROJECT
Appropriate technology for improved access to water
The Project aims to alleviate the daily struggle endured by women and children by
helping them improve their ability to transport much more water, much more easily
and in less time from water points that are often located far from their homes...
MAKING ACCESS TO
WATER A SOCIETAL PRIORITY

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3. PROJECT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
• Contributes to the development of the disadvantaged and promotes,
inter alia, skills development, job creation, education and health
• The project is aimed at making a difference to millions of impoverished
communities around the world who don’t not have the luxury of adequate
access to water
• To reduce chances of long-term physical injuries to these women and
children in disadvantaged communities usually associated with carrying
heavy buckets of water
• To encourage collaboration amongst stakeholders to enable maximum
impact of current and future initiatives (Partnership with Government
and Community)
• This program should be understood to be a direct response to the
Millennium Development Goals
To reaffirm your commitment as a partner in uplifting disadvantaged communities in South Africa
Investing in access to water brings
economic benefits and so much more…
Achieve universal primary education:
Improved water access allows children to attend school; sanitation
in schools encourages girls to attend; boys freed from herding
livestock to distant water points; and water and sanitation facilities
at schools attract teachers and improves female attendance
PalTeravagimov/Shutterstock.com
WHY IS A HIPPO
ROLLER NECESSARY?
• Many people are forced to carry water to their homes often over long distances
• Heavy 20 litre (5 gal) buckets are carried on their heads causing long-term injuries
• Very strenuous and time consuming
• UN quotes 1.2 billion without access to water on tap in their homes
• Affects mostly women and children
• Water on tap is a reality that many will never get to enjoy
WHAT IS A HIPPO
WATER ROLLER?
Award winning South African invention
Designed for use in tough rural conditions
Strong drum and handle for rolling along the ground
Effective weight is only 10 kg (22 pounds) on level ground
Carries 90 litres of water (24 gal) = 4 or 5 buckets carried on the head
The Hippo Water Roller carries 90 litres
(24 gallons) of water inside a rolling wheel –
the weight of the water is borne on the ground.
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BENEFITS OF
A HIPPO ROLLER
• Carries more water more easily than traditional methods
• Lasts for 5 years and more
• Saves substantial time and energy
• Prevents long-term injuries caused by carrying heavy loads
• Provides a flexible infrastructure to access multiple water points throughout the year
• Beneficiaries experience the benefits of the Hippo Roller immediately
• NGOs and community based projects would be far more effective in meeting their
own objectives by improving access to water
• Empowers women and children enabling them to:
- attend more school
- secure a proper education
- break free of the poverty cycle
- attend to other important tasks in the home
• Cultural changes:
- even men are proud to be seen using this technology and have started to assist
with this perceived menial task
• More water means a better quality of life:
- there is now greater potential for growing vegetables

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RETURN ON INVESTMENT
• Real benefit to the community
• Publicity, advertising/branding opportunity
• Adds value to business objectives
• Compliment and enhance corporate image
• Measurable
• Change in electricity consumption – young mind-sets
• Change in share of mind
• Change in share of market
• Change in brand equity
• Value of media exposure and publicity
• Tax deductions
CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT
Social Responsibility (CSI)
• Broad-based – 1 x Roller impacts on 7/12 people (on average)
• Benefits mostly women and children
• Addresses a basic human need of access to water
• Low cost per person per year (less than R30/$5)
• Benefit is immediate – no long-term ongoing investments before results are visible
• Stimulates economic activity
• Girl-child benefits:
- substantial saving in time spent collecting water
- able to attend school more often and obtain an education
Health Benefits
• Removes long-term injuries caused by heavy burden of water
• Premature ageing of the spine
• Hair loss
• Require less nutrition (energy)
Personal Dignity
• Young girls are now able to braid their hair to look more attractive
(desire to look like “city girls”)
Branding Opportunities
• Corporate colours used on the drum and cap
• Option to include logo on the cap of the roller
• Marketing campaigns
• Hand-over ceremonies
• Include media
New Invention Eases the Burden
of Rural South Africans – 1996
It [water] is the nations most vital resource, and yet, for
more than 11 million people it’s not on tap in the home.
Some walking for up to six hours each day in doing so,
but things are changing… With the financial assistance
of others, there’s now the real possibility that a burden
carried for so long can be set aside forever.
– CNN Correspondent: Mike Hannah

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SOME STATISTICS
• 165,000 Hippo Rollers distributed to date
• 1 Roller benefits 10-12 people
• 250,000 direct beneficiaries (average of 7 per Hippo Roller)
• Distributed around the world – manufactured in South Africa and is
currently being implemented in at least 16 other African countries
• 19 years of being tested and proven in the field
THE FUTURE
• Huge potential in East, Central & West Africa – recently evaluated Hippo roller project in South Sudan (December 2011)
• Currently active in: South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, DRC (Congo), Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
A personal appeal is made to your organisation
to actively support a national project which
will positively change the lives of millions
of our fellow South Africans.
– Nelson Mandela

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