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A fisherman supplier for SmartFish in Mexico

Social enterprises driving global change on World Food Day

Every year on 16 October, World Food Day highlights important topics such as food waste, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and the challenges faced by fishing communities — all in an effort to combat climate change. This year's theme is "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”. It's the perfect opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on the incredible efforts of social entrepreneurs, who are making everyday life better for so many people and how they're creating a more sustainable and inclusive world.

Aguilas en el Maguey

Isla Urbana

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70%

Isla Urbana’s sustainable rainwater harvesting solution cleans rainwater for households, schools and health clinics.

1 in 10 people in Mexico lack access to water. This problem is not only found in rural communities and remote areas of the country but in the biggest city of the country too, Mexico City.
The lack of water in Mexico results in health problems, poor living conditions, and increased expenses to access this resource. Families living in poverty can’t access a sustainable constant water supply.

30%

Location
Mexico

Programme
Mexico Accelerator Programme
in partnership with New Ventures

Site url
www.islaurbana.org/

Isla Urbana’s rainwater harvesting solution, called Tlaloque, is an environmentally, social, and economic sustainable system that collects and cleans rainwater for households, schools, and health clinics. Their B2B model makes their solution to be affordable, easy to install and provides their clients with 40% of their annual water supply on average. If implemented on a large scale throughout Mexico City, this simple technology could provide 30% of the city’s water and help give a sustainable water source to the 12 million Mexicans who lack access to clean water. 

With their hybrid model where they are a Social Enterprise and an NGO, Isla Urbana has helped vulnerable indigenous communities (Huicholes, Mazatecas, and Tarahumaras mainly), public schools, and health institutions. In these last 10 years, Isla Urbana has
  • Installed more than 17,000 rainwater harvesting systems.
  • Reached more than 119,000 beneficiaries with their initiatives
  • Won 1st place at 2015’s UBS Visionaries Award and 2020’s Water Challenge 2020 by Softys.


Isla Urbana’s keeps focussing on its mission is to contribute a concrete solution to the sustainable supply of water in Mexico by driving rainwater harvesting and other practices that allow rational, ecological, and equitable access to water for all.