Fourteen years ago, after finishing college, Shana Fatina traveled to East Nusa Tenggara province, where she witnessed the crisis of access to clean water in Papagarang village, one of small islands in West Manggarai District. The village is part of the 25% of households in the NTT region that face difficulties obtaining sustainable and safe drinking water. Shana observed the challenges where the Papagarang community should spend 2.5 hours to access clean water from Labuan Bajo, the district’s capital.
Seeing this, Shana felt compelled to address the issue. Alongside her colleagues, she established Komodo Water, a social enterprise focused on enabling sustainable water sources and water management through renewable technology.
Established in 2010, Komodo Water has played a crucial role in expanding access to sustainable and clean water in the remote areas of NTT. By implementing solar water pumps, the company provides water supply services, converts raw water sources into safe drinking water, and provides water products (i.e., gallon water and ice blocks).
Shana happily shared that the local communities, especially women and children, would no longer have to spend hours moving back and forth queuing to gain clean water for their sanitation and household needs. Instead, they can now access clean water directly from hoses in their homes, contributing to SDG 6 on Access to Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy.
Through the provision of clean water access, Shana did not expect that it would create a positive domino effect on the livelihoods of the local communities. In the Maghilewa and Kawa sites, Shana and her team have supported housewives in utilizing water for agricultural purposes. They have also empowered local women, inviting them to become resellers of ice blocks and gallon water, breaking their previous dependence on their husbands’ income from fishing. She shared that each reseller gains a profit of IDR 5,000.00 per ice block and IDR 2,000.00 per gallon of water sold. Now, they can earn more income, reflecting Komodo Water’s contribution towards SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth.
In 2018, Komodo Water experienced limited electricity access due to the high costs of fossil fuels. However, Shana saw this as an opportunity to redirect to a more sustainable path by transitioning the electricity supply needed from solar technology. The communities in the village then also adapted the new technology, with support from Komodo Water.
The same Papagarang Village that Shana visited years back has now become a vibrant village with increased community confidence and a robust economy. Shana shared that Komodo Water supported the economy by building the capacity of local fishermen towards sustainable water processing technology – transforming them into skilled water operators – and in helping to create new job opportunities in the villages of Maghilewa and Kawa in bolstering agriculture.
“The key is how we communicate and build confidence in togetherness with the community, making them feel that this change is not difficult as long as we are together and committed to making a better life,” says Shana.
Through the Blue Finance Accelerator, the six-month accelerator program, Komodo Water has been networking with various practitioners in the blue sector. The program helped Komodo Water to improve its business development by measuring the impact of the business on the blue economy and sustainable development. The experience has empowered Shana to think bigger – that Komodo Water’s alternative business model can be replicated anywhere, with relevant context and impact calculations. The capacity-building activities from BFA have boosted Shana and her team’s confidence in seeking partnerships and investments.
In the initial years, Shana never imagined that Komodo Water’s business model would be sustainable. After completing the program, Shana aspires to expand Komodo Water’s services from coastal to inland areas and evolve into a ‘water intelligent company’, capable of mapping water needs across Indonesia.
"No one shall need to feel left behind. Everyone and every community have the potential to grow, something different that they couldn't see before," said Shana.
From uncovering accessible water sources, the local communities have unlocked newfound opportunities, empowering them to develop their potential and elevate their quality of life.
More information about Komodo Water's services, projects, and developments can be accessed on their website (www.komodowater.org/) and Instagram account (www.instagram.com/komodowater/).
About Blue Finance Accelerator 2023
The blog article is a part of #BlueFinanceAccelerator2023 Human-interest Story series. BFA is a six-month accelerator program that provides capacity development and support mechanisms for business models and impact measurements for startups and SMEs operating in blue sectors. The program was launched by UNDP through the ASSIST JP, supported by the Joint SDG Fund, in cooperation with the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, UNIDO, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Instellar as the implementing partner.
Written by Belinda Nur Fadillah & Agnes Milka Kurniawan (Innovative Financing Lab, UNDP Indonesia)
(belinda.fadillah [at] undp.org (belinda[dot]fadillah[at]undp[dot]org) & agnes.kurniawan [at] undp.org (agnes[dot]kurniawan[at]undp[dot]org))
Edited by Enggi Dewanti & Elizabeth Gabriela
Media Engagement: Devi Nugraha & Enggi Dewanti
(devi.nugraha [at] undp.org (devi[dot]nugraha[at]undp[dot]org) & enggi.dewanti [at] undp.org (enggi[dot]dewanti[at]undp[dot]org))
Originally published by UNDP Indonesia: Komodo Water Expands Access to Clean Water to Empower Local Communities | United Nations Development Programme
Note: The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
