After a 2-year hiatus YVW is again entering a team into the Winnovators Challenge! This is a competition between water corporations in 3 parts: Solve, Fund and Learn. Solve requires proposing a sustainable solution to a real world sanitary/hygiene challenge which is culturally sensitive and includes an implementation plan. Fund involves raising funds to support WaterAid in the implementation of the winning project. Learn requires the team to track the development of team members throughout the project. In 2019 Yarra was successful in winning the best fund award, but this year with the support of the business we want to take out the whole thing! 

The challenge we have chosen aims to address the disposal of sanitary products in a safe, dignified and sustainable manner for a rural community in India. Traditional methods of cleaning with ash and cow dung to promote purity result in serious health concerns. A lack of household water supply also forces cleaning of products to be conducted in the open at community water sources, where women are reluctant to wash reusable sanitary hygiene options. Disposal alternatives often settle in waste pits which are eventually used for compost, where the plastic lining causes land pollution. 

Named YVW Naarm Innovators, the team consists of individuals from across the business passionate about utilising their skills to bring about change for the better. 

Help us raise funds for WaterAid and get bidding!