YAQUA

Fernando Tamayo , Peru

Fernando founded the social enterprise YAQUA as a social business to provide rural Peruvians with stable and clean water. Four million people in Peru lack access to safe water, and eight million Peruvians lack access to improved sanitationa. YAQUA sells premium bottled water across Peru with 100% of the profits used to fund water infrastructure projects for communities in need, benefitting 1,300 people to date.

YAQUA identifies areas with critical needs for improved water infrastructure, discussing the scale and needs of each project with the local communities in which they work. For each project YAQUA identifies one local collaborator who will be responsible for overseeing and maintaining the water system upon completion to ensure that the project is sustainable and will be beneficial long term.

YAQUA supplies water to supermarkets and shops using a team of seasonal distributors to market the product and increase sales. Fernando's vision is for YAQUA to create a social movement in Peru so that by 2030 most Peruvians have access to clean drinking water.

Fernando was inspired to create YAQUA after learning about Professor Muhammad Yunus's teachings on social enterprise during his studies in Australia. At the One Young World 2017 Bogotá Summit, Fernando had the opportunity to meet Professor Yunus and to discuss the benefits and challenges of social entrepreneurship. This inspired Fernando to work even harder to achieve his vision upon his return home.