The story of Spouts International, the largest manufacturer of ceramic water filters in the region, started 12 years ago in a small chicken coop in rural Uganda.
According to Daniel Yin, the chief executive officer of Spouts International, it was inspired by Kathy Ku, a young college student who spent the summer of 2010 in Uganda and was struck by how many people around her were getting sick from dirty water.
“Seeing that these diseases could be prevented, she knew there was a better way. Spouts was created in 2011 with the simple idea that ceramic water filters could be made and sold locally, providing an amazingly effective product through a sustainable business model,” Yin said.
He said their first factory shared the space with 200 chickens where it took them weeks to create a single filter.
“Finding the right clay and calibrating our kiln was a process filled with frustration and learnings. The product looks simple today but it was a long journey to get there,” he says.
Since 2011, he says, they have increased the factory’s production capacity to 10,000 filters per month, diversified their product offering and provided 1 million people with clean water, clean air and clean energy.
“As a social enterprise, we focus on reinvesting our profits to achieve sustainability and expand our reach. Our highest priority is ensuring our business is able to continue serving customers for years to come, maximizing the positive impact for households who use our products,” Yin says.
Over the years, Spouts International has grown to become the largest ceramic water filter manufacturer in Africa and currently employs close to 500 people across Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.
Their mission to provide “Clean Drinking Water to all Ugandans” kept them going in the early days as access to clean drinking water is a human right.
The mission has expanded since but the core has remained the same; giving access to high-impact products to communities.
“Our water filters became the pathway to building our last-mile distribution team. They also became the pathway to our entry into the global Carbon markets. From a filter, we were able to build partnerships in the clean-cooking space. Climate financing, when done right, can really open doors to drive more impact at scale,” Yin said.
Their main offices are located along Kiyingi road in Nsambya, Kampala. They also have offices in Kenya and Rwanda.