Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.

Partner Description:

Nazava Water Filters is a for-profit social enterprise that sells affordable and safe household water filters in Indonesia and Kenya. Today, it has about 45 resellers in over 30 cities throughout the country. These resellers finance themselves to build their businesses and increase water filter adoption in poor, rural areas. That’s where Kiva comes in.

Kiva loans enable resellers to purchase more goods at once to scale faster and save on shipping costs. This lowers filter prices for end users and optimizes income for resellers, who receive loans at 0% interest and can choose whether to repay on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis.

Resellers who take out loans repay via bank transfer, eliminating the need for collection officers. However, Navaza conducts weekly calls with these clients to discuss any issues or complaints and to collect new orders.

Water filters solve major problems for rural Indonesians and Kenyans. Virtually all water sources available to households (wells, piped water, rain collection) serve up water that is unsuitable for consumption without some form of treatment. In rural areas of Indonesia, 95% of the population boils drinking water -- an expensive process. Indonesian households spend an estimated 8% of their income on drinking water, but health concerns still arise. More than 150,000 children still die from water-related diseases like diarrhea every year.

Nazava’s core product is the Tulip, a ceramic filter candle that is mixed with colloidal silver and filled with activated carbon. Using this technology, households can filter their own tap, well, river or rain water. All of these filters come with an Indonesian-language user manual with clear directions, an indicator for filter replacement, and a one-year warranty card.

Tulip-filtered water is safe to drink and has been used successfully during cholera outbreaks in Haiti and Zimbabwe.

Nazava sells its products through NGOs and other international organizations like the World Bank and UNICEF, but 60% are sold through its network of resellers.