Sustainability Ideas | University Of Michigan - Cynthia Koenig

Cynthia Koenig

Cynthia Koenig knew the restoration of the wheel she could change the world. In a few months, hopes to make a difference in India. Koenig, graduate student at the University of Michigan, created the waterwheel, the water 20-gallon barrel rolling and Wello, the business spreads in developing countries where clean water is scarce.
Following these steps spring from ACT's Stephen M. Ross Business School, Koenig plans to launch a pilot program in Rajasthan, India to test the water wheel's social and health benefits. Her goal is to sell 5000 wheels in 12 months, impacting positively on the lives of 40,000 people. She has worked with an Indian company manufacturing the wheel.

Provides a rolling 20-gallon barrel of water enough for drinking, personal hygiene and household cleanliness to meet the daily needs of the four in one trip, according to UN guidelines.
Koenig project is' to receive worldwide recognition. On February 18, Koenig and his teammate won Colm Fay, both graduate students in the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise, a program in conjunction with the Ross School and the School of Natural Resources and Environment, $ 10,000 Social Entrepreneurship Competition World at the Foster School of Business University of Washington in Seattle. "This is a great honor and the competition was a great experience," said Koenig.
Students compete for prizes in international social enterprise competition plan, the proposed location interdisciplinary student teams worldwide creative, commercially sustainable businesses designed to reduce poverty in the developing world. The semi-finalists chosen from 100 teams in 24 countries.
In 2010, Koenig was staff 's one of the three ideas are winning Dow Sustainability Innovation Student Challenge. The competition-graduate students is now underway for 2011, the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute to accept ideas that promote sustainability through 5 March.

Wello aim 'to effectively deliver clean water to thirsty world. By reframing the water crisis as an opportunity, Wello has developed an innovative business model enables individuals to use the water wheel as revenue-generating tool to lift their families out of poverty, according to Koenig. Women and girls, for example, could be freed to pursue and education and avoid the injuries associated with transporting the water jugs.
One in six people in developing countries access to water means hours of walking and raising heavy. Five gallons of water weighs 44 pounds and women and girls, often the domestic water carriers, standing in long lines to heavy water jugs on their heads up to eight miles a day.
"In recognition of the fact that the people who need products like the water wheel the most is the ability to give them at least, we've developed a business model-in-a-barrel," she said. "It enables our customers to finance the purchase of a water wheel with a micro-finance loan and use the tool to clean water from door to door, in the process of earning income.

President Clinton with Cynthia Koenig

Wello has also been selected as one of the 45 finalists from more than 300 organizations in 60 different countries have the opportunity to attend the Institute unreasonable, intensive six-week boot camp in Boulder, Co. that helps enterprises develop social entrepreneurs, working with top-notch mentors, funding and practitioners. The first 25 to raise $ 8,000 through donations will earn a spot at the institution.


Maryanne George writes for the University of Michigan.