Friendly Water for the World

What Friendly Water for the World does

Friendly Water for the World is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 2010 and headquartered at 900 Jefferson St SE, Olympia, Washington (EIN 27-2510007), with operational offices in Kakamega, Kenya. The organization trains and equips rural communities on the frontlines of climate change in seven integrated, village-scale technologies: Rainwater Catchment Tanks (25,000 liters / 6,600 gallons, built with locally made curved bricks), hollow-fiber ribbon ultrafiltration Water Filters for homes and schools, KEBS-certified multipurpose Liquid Soap (designed by an in-house chemical engineer), Desiccating Toilets built with Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSBs), the ISSB building blocks themselves, Permaculture Permagardens (reported up to 3x yield gains), and Rocket Stoves (81% fewer emissions, 71% less fuel than open fires). Its go-to-market is community-led: communities must invite the organization in, go through an 18-24 month discernment and engagement process involving approximately 150 participants, then establish a Community Based Organization (CBO) with co-located offices staffed by full-time employees year-round; Friendly Water commits to a minimum 5-year on-the-ground presence and trains locals to build, maintain, and sell the technologies, creating CBO income.

The business model is exclusively philanthropic: there are no product sales, no commercial pricing, and no fee-for-service revenue. Operating funding comes from individual donors, organizational supporters, monthly email newsletters, organic social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram), and a planned-giving / estate program ('Leave a Gift in Your Will') managed by development contact Lesley Lichko. Customers in the traditional sense are not end purchasers; instead the 'users' are rural partner communities in Kenya, while 'customers' in a fundraising sense are a long-tail base of donors and legacy givers. The team is small — six core staff (four named: Curt Andino as Executive Director since 2018 with 25+ years of nonprofit experience; Eric Lung'aho Lijodi as Programs Manager since founding; Ezra Kigondu as Assistant Programs Manager with a Diploma in chemical engineering from Eldoret National Polytechnic; and Heather Avery as Administrative Manager since 2017) plus a six-person board of directors (Denny Kautzmann as Chair, Danny Stusser as Secretary, Quigg Davis as Treasurer, Connie Vasek as Immediate Past Chair, Kathleen O'Shaunessy, and Imali Abala). No patents, trademarks, funding rounds, M&A activity, or revenue figures are disclosed, and operating geographies are limited to Kenya in East Africa.

Name

Friendly Water for the World

Legal name

Friendly Water for the World

Website

https://friendlywater.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friendly Water for the World is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that trains rural Kenyan communities in seven integrated, village-scale technologies covering water security, sanitation, hygiene, sustainable building, food production, and clean cooking. It funds this work entirely through donations and legacy gifts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community WASH and Climate-Resilience Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Public Health (Food Safety, Water Quality, Sanitation) (BPAIAJAE), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB), Water-Smart Irrigation & Water Stewardship (Drip/Micro, Scheduling, Water Harvesting) (AFAGAMAD)

Keywords

• Clean water access
• WASH programs
• Rural sanitation
• Community development
• Climate resilient infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit incorporated in 2010, Friendly Water for the World relies on donations from individuals, organizations, and supporters to fund operations and community programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Friendly Water for the World trains and equips rural communities in Kenya with seven integrated sustainable village-scale technologies covering water security (Rainwater Catchment Tanks, hollow-fiber Water Filters), hygiene (KEBS-certified Multi-purpose Soap), sanitation (Desiccating Toilets, ISSBs), food production (Permagardens), and clean cooking (Rocket Stoves). Delivery is anchored in an 18–24 month community engagement process that culminates in the establishment of a Community Based Organization (CBO) and a minimum five-year on-the-ground commitment staffed by full-time local employees.

Product overview

Friendly Water for the World is a nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of seven sustainable village-scale technologies focused on water security, sanitation, and clean cooking. The core offerings include Rainwater Catchment Tanks for water storage, hollow-fiber Water Filters for clean drinking water, KEBS-certified Multi-purpose Soap for hygiene, Desiccating Toilets for sanitation, Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSBs) for sustainable construction, Permagardens for food security, and Rocket Stoves for safe cooking. These seven technologies are designed to be replicable, sustainable, and scalable, creating climate-friendly co-benefits that simultaneously improve social, health, and economic aspects of village life.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rainwater Catchment Tanks (RCTs)
• Hollow-fiber Ribbon Water Filters
• KEBS-Certified Multi-purpose Liquid Soap
• Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks (ISSBs)
• Desiccating Toilets
• Permagardens
• Rocket Stoves
• Community Engagement and CBO Establishment Program

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• charity: water: Major US-based 501(c)(3) focused exclusively on funding clean water projects in developing countries; directly comparable donor-funded WASH nonprofit model, though larger and more marketing-sophisticated.
• WaterAid America: International WASH nonprofit working on water, sanitation and hygiene in low-income countries with community-led implementation; overlaps directly with Friendly Water's integrated WASH approach and target beneficiary profile.
• Water.org: US-headquartered nonprofit (founded by Matt Damon and Gary White) that combines philanthropic funding with microfinance to expand water and sanitation access in developing countries; comparable WASH mission and small-dollar donor base.
• Water for People: Nonprofit focused on sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services in developing countries with long-term district-level commitments; directly comparable mission and community-partnership model.
• Lifewater International: Christian nonprofit drilling wells and implementing village-level water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia; closest analog in scope, donor base, and village-scale WASH delivery.

Emerging players

• Engineers Without Borders USA: Nonprofit that partners with developing communities on sustainable engineering projects including water, sanitation, and infrastructure; overlaps on technology-driven, community-led implementation but operates with a volunteer-engineer model.
• Potters for Peace: Nonprofit producing low-cost ceramic water filters for households in developing countries; comparable in scale, donor-funding model, and point-of-use water treatment technology focus.

Broad incumbents

• iDE (International Development Enterprises): Larger international development nonprofit building market-based approaches to poverty including WASH products; comparable in mission and Africa footprint but operates a broader portfolio and larger funding base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/login
• Facebookfacebook.com/FriendlyWaterForTheWorld
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendly_water/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friendly-water-for-the-world

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friendly Water for the World