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Background Info
It was invented in 1991 in South Africa to help make water more accessible to women and children living in rural Africa.
The roller is a 90 litre plastic water carrier that can be rolled along the ground using a metal handle. It reduces the effort of carrying water long distances.
What problem does it solve?
Over 1.2 billion people live in areas where water resources are scarce. In Africa, over 40% of households do not have access to piped-in water.
People have to walk long distances with buckets and jerry cans on their heads. This can have long-term impacts on health as they can develop neck and spine injuries.
Women are left to collect the water which leaves them no time to make money. Many children are also involved which keeps them out of school.
Advantages
The 90kg drum weighs just 10g when rolled on level ground – making it much easier for people to move from one place to another.
The large opening means that it can be easily cleaned and will store water in a hygienic manner.
The drum is made with thick plastic that should last for between 5 and 10 years.
The design is maintenance-free and should support daily use over a long period of time.
There is no need for any spare parts, washers or rubber seals that might break down over time.
One drum is equivalent to 5 buckets of water – which will save people time and effort in collecting water – thus releasing them for education or employment.
Disadvantages
Each roller costs about $125 – which is too expensive for most people to buy so any users rely on getting these from NGOs and charities.
The rollers do not stack easily, which makes bulk transport costly.
The project currently is funded through social funding and community fundraising.
In 2017 it was estimated that 51,000 Hippo rollers had been given out.
Some argue that this is nothing new – it is just a plastic barrel that holds water and it would be better to spend money on creating better access to clean drinking water or digging wells.
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