Introducing the eight social businesses selected for the Access Accelerator in Nigeria and Kenya

After an intense selection period, we are excited to announce the eight new social businesses joining the latest Access Accelerator!

The Access Accelerator is run in collaboration with Reckitt and aims to harness the power of business to tackle some of the world's greatest problems. The Accelerator focuses on enabling more people to access water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and in this latest cycle, we have expanded the scope to include businesses that offer sexual and reproductive health (SRH) solutions.

In this round, we are focusing on business in Nigeria and Kenya. We had an incredible 238 applicants, which we narrowed down to 47 interviews before selecting eight social enterprises to participate in the program.

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Urgent action for WASH & SRH

According to the World Bank, around 34 million Kenyans have no access to basic sanitation, 20 million lack access to essential drinking water, and 33 million to basic hygiene services. The picture in Nigeria is similar; a recent report found that only 10% of Nigeria's population has access to all essential WASH services, making the situation worse in remote communities. It also found that 39% of rural households lack access to a basic water supply. Both countries face challenges in improving this situation due to funding shortages, poor infrastructure, and lack of government coordination.

There is a clear link between WASH and SRH in Kenya and Nigeria, particularly for women and girls. For example, WASH is essential for managing periods and fertility in a safe, hygienic, and dignified way, ensuring safe handling of contraception and safeguarding pregnancy and childbirth. WASH is also essential for managing STI symptoms.

The eight social businesses tackling WASH and SRH

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Nazava Water Filters – Affordable water filters for underserved communities

This winning innovation aims to empower communities to easily and affordably access clean drinking water. Nazava Water Filters, aimed at lower-income rural households, purify water from wells, taps, or even rainwater,  and make it safe to drink without using electricity.

They enable households to enjoy cleaner water and better health while reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources like wood, charcoal, or kerosene for boiling water, reducing costs and environmental impact.

Nazava has already reached 45,455 people in Kenya by providing them with a safe drinking water solution that has resulted in increased customer savings, reduced carbon emissions, and reduced time spent for women collecting water or fuel.

Zana Africa - Sustainable, biodegradable sanitary pads and diapers

Access to menstrual products is a struggle for many low-income women in Kenya, but access is also a matter of dignity. Zana Africa creates trusted, high-quality products that resonate deeply with mass-market consumers with their affordable sanitary pads and diapers, as well as their HealthLink chatbot and hotline which offers digital health and safety guidance. 

The company's impact is far-reaching across health, safety, dignity, mobility, cost savings, and improved earnings - especially for women. Female-owned, female-led, and female-focused Zana Africa uplifts women in their community through job creation and income opportunities. Their products also aim to have a minimal environmental impact by internalising the use of proprietary cellulose-based fluff pulp.

Zana Africa has sold over 6 million pads in the last year, enabling 54.65 million hours of dignified menstruation and saving families KES 34 million for essential needs.

Sanivation - City-wide sanitation infrastructure

Inadequate infrastructure is one of the main barriers to improved WASH and SRH access. Sanivation partners with local governments and utilities to develop and operate city-wide sanitation infrastructure, providing clean, safe, and efficient sanitation services to urbanising communities in secondary cities.

Sanivation has a positive social and environmental impact through designing, building and operating waste-to-value sludge treatment plants. These plants ensure safe waste management, create local jobs, prevent environmental pollution, and reduce reliance on firewood by producing biomass fuel. They develop climate-resilient, cost-effective sanitation systems that serve diverse populations, including urban and peri-urban residents, particularly in low-income areas.

In the last year, Sanivation served 143k people.

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MN Environmental Services - Providing modern and functional public toilets

Clean toilet facilities are a basic human necessity, and MN Environmental Services ensures that more people in Lagos State can access them. They install public toilets with shower facilities on a pay-for-service basis in markets, bus stations, and underserved communities in Lagos State. They are also introducing biodigesters for onsite waste treatment at some facilities to improve waste management.

MN's services restore dignity and improve environmental cleanliness by providing a clean, safe, and private place for people who might otherwise practice open defecation. They also educate communities on safe hygiene practices, enabling them to make informed hygiene decisions and prevent related illnesses.

MN Environmental Services currently has 1200 daily users.

Healthtracka - Health solutions for early diagnosis and women's health

Healthtracka uses technology, including AI and messenger services, to provide health information, track menstrual cycles, and help users find the right menstrual hygiene products. They also offer at-home cervical cancer screening, an STI kit for private sexual health testing, and a range of at-home lab testing services.

The company focuses on underserved communities, which has a ripple effect on broader health outcomes by enabling early detection and timely treatment and empowering women with the knowledge to take control of their health. The primary beneficiaries are aged 18-45, from urban, peri-urban, rural settings, and low-to-middle-income families.

So far, Healthtracka has conducted 40,000+ diagnostic tests and reached 2,000k+ women.

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Saniwise - Affordable sanitation solutions

Access to sanitary toilets and a valuable byproduct? It sounds too good to be true, but this is the idea behind Saniwise. They provide innovative and affordable sanitation solutions for informal settlements. The company specialises in eco-toilet installation, pit emptying services, and biowaste value creation.

Their flagship product, the Saniwise eco-toilet, utilises black soldier flies (BSF) to biodegrade human waste, converting it into nutrient-rich organic fertiliser. Designed for ease of use and installation, this eco-toilet is effective even in challenging environments. The product has a social and environmental impact by reducing water pollution, improving soil health, and increasing resource efficiency.

So far, the company has reached 700 pupils served with one eco-toilet + 20 household units.

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Preggify - 24/7 doctor-led pregnancy care

This innovative app is helping to make pregnancy care more widely available to women across Nigeria. Their 24-hour doctor-led service is available via an app for pregnancy care, including support, delivery preparation and post-natal care. They also offer at-home testing kits and empower women to make informed health decisions, facilitating early detection of complications like pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Their services improve access to WASH and SRH through comprehensive health education and disease prevention. Their pregnancy academy educates women on safe drinking water and hygiene practices, empowering them to protect themselves and their babies from waterborne diseases.

Preggify has reached 2,000 users to date through its app and other services.

Geotek Water Solutions - Water monitoring systems

Knowing whether water is safe to drink can be a matter of life or death. Geotek aims to ensure more people can trust their water by developing water monitoring solutions for African communities. Their integrated approach combines the Geotek Monitor for real-time water quality assessment with a mobile app that empowers residents to track water availability and report issues, enhancing public health and promoting climate resilience.

Geotek's real-time monitoring systems have reduced infrastructure failures by 60% and waterborne diseases by 40%, empowering women and children to focus more on education and economic activities.

Geotek serves over 10,000 people through their solution.

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--> We can't wait to see how these eight social innovators develop their businesses as part of the Access Accelerator. Follow along with their journey via our LinkedIn or write us at access@yunussb.com for more information!

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