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Welcome to Fearless Fabulous. You. I am your host, Melanie Young.
I have had sustainability on my brain for quite some time now because I've
been traveling around the world going to wine regions and hearing the stories from the
different users about the challenges that they're facing with climate change. One of the
big ones is access to water and drought. But it's not just the wine
industry, it's the entire world. We're going to talk about this today because
my guest has come up with a solution. It's really freaking fabulous, so
we're going to talk about it. But a few facts that I scoured up
from Unistath Great organization about the topic of water. Are you ready? Four
billion people, almost two thirds of the world's population, experienced severe water scarcity
for at least one month a year. Over two billion people live in countries
where water supply is inadequate. Half of the world's population could be living in
areas facing water scarcity by as early as twenty twenty five, that's like two
years from now. Some seven hundred million people could be displaced by intense water
scarcity by twenty thirty, and by twenty forty, roughly one in four children
World War I will be living in areas of extreme high water strass. Well,
that's stressful. You know. A lot of this is due to climate
change, which is disrupting weather patterns. Also, there are just other disasters
and industrial pollution and other factors impacting or access to water. It's not only
about access to water, but in many countries it's about access to clean,
potable water. So there's two issues here with the quality of the quantity of
the water and the quality of the water. Which leads me to my guest
today who came up with a solution that has received a huge honor. Her
name is Beth Koiji. She is online with me from Kenya. I think
you're my first guest from Kenya. So excited. And she is the founder
of Magic Water m Aji Hey, which has an amazing program that basically creates
water from air in a nutshell. But I know it's a lot more complicated
than that. I'm going to let her share her story and how she came
to create this wonderful concept that's impacting people for the good. Beth Koichi,
welcome to Fearless Fabulous You thank you, Melanine, and it's anna to be
your guest. Opinion have any more? Well, I want to just point
out that Beth is the recipient recipient, number one recipient of the Female Founders
Acceleration Program, which is a three month program designed for female led projects with
a focus on achieving sustainable development goals. And it is a program that is
by a wonderful community based investor in grant making group called Thousand Faces also women
lad Yea and they are doing a lot to support women like you. And
you got you got a big you got a big grandfrother. So congratulations,
thank you so much. So Bath you did you grow up in Kenya?
Tell me a little bit about your your childhood and growing up. Yeah,
sure, um, so I was born and went to school and everything in
Kenya. So I was born in the central part of Kenya. My parents
why and still as small scale farmers. Um and I grew up with three
brothers and one sister. I went to schools, local schools, um and
my first interaction. So growing up we head on and off our water bonne
diseases. Um And I think you come to sub Sara and Africa, you've
noticed that eighty percent of all water, of all the nost diseases in hospitals,
eighty percent of them are water bone. So every time you'd have an
issue with water. But for me growing up, I felt that that is
a common okay, and it's you know, you have to get sea once
in a way. But you know, as I larnt more in my view
and I started, you know, watching TVs and being exposed to the Western
world, it became clear that this is not the way to leave. And
that's why I wanted to do something about water access and water contamination. You
know, we take water for granted, and yet it's one of the most
our bodies are mainly water, one like eighty percent water and b we need
to have adequate hydration to survive. I've done shows on people who you know,
drive fasted and I still a gog and how they managed to do it.
Because I believe that water is essential to your health. I talk about
it all the time, but the access to potable and clean water is a
big problem. I remember hiking in the you know, the Andes and the
Himalayas and having to take these special pills to purify my water because you can
get really sick. In Kenya, I read in an article that almost nineteen
million Kenyons lack access to clean water and the population, you know, that's
like thirty seven percent of canyons. Uh. And that's a big sanitation issue
because it does lead to disease. You actually got sick when you were in
college from freaking unsanitary water. Tell me about that. Yes, I actually
I cannot even like count how many times I've had water bone disease, and
the last case was like two weeks ago. But you know, the more
interesting fact is that, you know, when we started Magicicotta, my co
founded Canadian um, she came to Kenya for her first time, She came
to Africa for her first dame and within two which she had corrida. So
it's it's something that we have experienced ourselves. It's something that we struggle with.
I have a three hour old daughter. Two months ago she had dropt
a virus, which is another water bone disease and it's responsible for most Toddra's
depth beetle fab Yes, that's really frightening. Uh. And it's not just
you know, I want to un your score that even though we're talking about
Kenya and you know your country in Africa, it is a global issue.
And I've traveled a lot to third world countries when I was younger, and
it is you know, you have to be really careful. But it's not
just third world countries. You can con second first world countries from from unclean
water because I have and food too, I have yes and and and then
there's drought a lot of you know, um, there's a lot of issues
about water, not only the drinking it but using it. I mean it's
essential to so much. So you came, you know, air to water.
Let's just talk about that concept. I mean, you know in the
Bible they said Jesus turned water to wine, right the Kana you turned air
to water. That is magic. And I learned reading up on you that
magic actually is an important meeting in Swahili, so let's start with that.
Yes, so magic MJII. The first four letters of our name means water
INSHISI and K stands for una, which is harvesting also Insohisy, so basically
magic magic means water harvesting into a healing. So it's uh um and and
and you know the reason why we came up with this name is because,
um, you know, we wanted something to people to relate with. Even
if this is a technology that has been used in western countries, uh,
you know, for deployment of the army. Uh and what have you wanted
to show that you know, we can own this technology because in the real
essence, this is not an exactly new technology. It has been used for
centuries. Like for example, in my communities I grew that, I grew
up seeing them harvesting view like they would put plain sheets on the ground overnight.
But then that's water they would collect was actually very clean water. They
would collect like half a little past which was all out of water. So
this is and also there are some animals in nature that do that, you
know, living in desert, then I mean their desert. There is a
bitle that actually collect humidity. There are some plants that get their water from
the humidity, and most of these are desert plants. So it's not something
new, but we wanted to bring this technology back home that has been used
for many centuries in a way that you know, it's more efficient and can
be impact too too many people. So the sciences and correct me if I'm
wrong. You capture the humidity in the air. Yes, yes, we
have different rooms. There are different ways of getting water from air. As
we use the humidity because while we're working, it's deserts like climatic conditions,
so you don't have much dew or fog or mist to harvest. So we
just get water from direct the humidity. But there are some places where people
use fog and mist, and these are regions where you know, they're more
highlands and they have a lot of duoso. Perhaps they work in the desert
and the drial conditions. Yes, we mostly work in drought conditions, so
we do condense. It's the same principle where you get a glass of very
cold water with you know eyes, you see a lot of water forming on
the outside of the glass. It's the exact same principle where we pass the
air through such a surface, very cold surface, and then that water forms
droplets and then we collect those droplets so we can work. Most of the
regions we work are very dry, or give an example, the humidities around
thirty five percent relative humidity. But you see a place where it's very humid,
like in Asia, like in some places in India, can go all
the way to eighty eight percent and that's very humid, or in the coastal
regions. So we work in extreme low humidity levels. So the magic water
is a machine. The basic harvest cleans potable water from the moisture in the
air. How large is it? How long does the process take? So
yes, magic units, it's it's a device, UM and we calculate the
production paddy that is part twenty four hours. So because they run for twenty
four hours, UM and I would look to mention most of our installations are
solar powered, but we can't bring Now the biggest device can harvest five hundred
datas of but if it is in a more humid area, it can harvest
all the way to eight hundred. But the maximum we get in this regions.
Is our ound five undread datas of what a pad. So you mentioned
that it operates on solar power, which I want to underscore because I know
there are many countries like South Africa which is loach shipping right now, where
they're um turning off electricity supplies to preserve the electric bandwidth. Um. So
that's good that you're using cellar power because that's another growing crisis apparently access to
electricity. Again, I travel to a lot of the world's vineyards where water
and electricity are both important. Yes, and in scarce terms, have you
ever worked in the wine world with what you're doing? Um so? One,
we have walked with the buoy at this data um to provide because they
need very clean water. Um We have visited many winds, both in Kenya
and South Africa, so I understand like what is their need and they challenge
us that they face um so. I have visited a few years and and
the waumption consumption is quite tight. Also, so do you think it's an
area I mean obviously primary goal one, I am assuming to get portable accessible
water to people who need it most with your people, right, So,
what have been some of the examples you can share with me about how Magic
Water is helping people who need access to partable water. Ah. Yeah,
that's a very good question. So we do work in different ways. One,
we do work with engeo's Good Local International, mostly for like drought management
or disaster or relief. So we do work with and geos to deploy the
system. Where we install these systems either in schools or hospitals or community centers
where they're open to anyone who need clean drinking water. Is that around the
world or in specific parts of the world there? So, currently most of
our installations are in Kenya, but we've done installations in South Africa, in
India. In India, we have done an installation in Ethiopia. So we
do send out devices. We just don't do the installations ourselves because of the
logistics. But you know, we are starting in Kenya, but we're hoping
that we will be able to go where we are needed. Because you mentioned
disaster relief, and you know, I think about Howzeandreas in the world's Central
Kitchen and what he's doing setting up disasters with food food centers, and I
would think that water centers would be as essential. Yes, And that is
one thing that we want to provide. Our principle is um. You know,
even if you don't have water for anything else, you have clean drinking
water. And one of the biggest headache for engels organizations that are doing relief
is transporting water. It's very difficult and heavy and expensive to transport water.
Sometimes it's extreme remote region and you can only transfer what's so much. So
if you transport ten thousand letters, then you know, after three days you
need to go back, or after you know, one one one week.
And in Kenya, the way we experience or subside. In Africa, we
just experienced one of our worst droughts. We have never experienced something like that
that has lasted for three years. So in the first year, a lot
of people, a lot of organization came in and they offered relief. But
you know, relief is mostly emergencies, and when it's passed to an ear,
that is not an emergency anymore so, and that is not a mandate
of these engels. So they withdraw and then the communities are left without anyone
to help them. So and this is a new situation that hasn't happened in
history. So everybody doesn't know what to do because you can only support so
much, you can only support for a short period of time. So there's
there's need to create lasting solutions for these emergencies because clearly they will be part
of our lives. So you can you know, what is the sustainability factor
of you know, magic order? How long does a unit last? I
read that they can be stacked up to produce as much as one hundred thousand
liters of order a day. Um, how long are your units last?
And what is the what is the lifespan of a union? And what is
the cost for a company and or an individual to have units? So?
Oh okay, um, So an answer to the first question, um,
the lifespan of our devices is around fifteen years. But of course we proper
maintenance, they can last longer. So we have specific maintenance, um.
And the specific maintenance is first you have to wash the air field test,
so we show the community or the person in charge on how to walk shit
and how how after how long towards the air filters. And then we have
the water filters because we have to add um. So first we have to
add minimization and we have to have water filters inside the system just to make
sure that the water is cleaned. The water we get where gets from air
is distilled, so you have to add minerals which is being used for drinking.
UM. So that we have an annual an annual maintenance. So annually
we go back and maintain that device. We change the cart enleges. But
we've made sure that these cartridges or these things that you need to change can
be found locally from you know, you can order from any town and you
can get them from specific companies so that if they don't need us, they
can also buy them themselves and change them. But we also trained somebody in
the community on the ins and out of the system. UM. And also
to the second question, how at that on draftly does it cost? So
the one variety air to water technology is the cost. Because it's still a
new technology that hasn't been scaled, whether it's manufacturing or distribution UM, the
cost can range from depending we have our smallest unit which is twenty five teras
or water pa day. That is so the range of cost of these devices
is from a thousand us D all the way to fifteen thousand us D that
is our largest United How much is it U fifteen thousand US stars. Well,
so that really would make it not excessive for like families, right,
not the five thoundred one is for community, it's for drinking water. It's
for drinking water. So there's basically the magic water units would be acquired by
community organizations or businesses. Not amlace, I mean, you know, and
right, yes, And most of the people we walk with do not have
the capability to buy, right, mostly low income household And that's why walk
We engeo's governments and other institution to pain for disinstollutions. That makes sense,
and I just want to underscore for people listening, this is not a water
filter. This is a concept that harvests water from the air, which leads
me to a question or the environment, right, so, which is not
easy, but it's doable, which was kind of eye opening for me.
But then I'm about to do a show about somebody who's turning water into clear
ice. Who knew, you know? So I'm learning a lot about water
today, bath So I'm I am concerned and curious. Pollution is a big
factor in the environment. Air pollution. How do you have concerns that the
water being harvested from the air could have pollutants in it because of the industrial
pollution. Yes, that's a biggest concern um. And it can be a
concern even installing the system, let's say in a place like Nairobi near an
industrial area. But most of the regions that we install are quite removed,
and the biggest pollution is dust. Um. And yes, yes there's a
lot of dust because it's it's it's it's like it's a desert. Um.
That's why we have the air filters and they have to be washed um that's
specific times. So that is actually our biggest challenge, the dust. Um.
But then if you come to like our workshop in Nairobi in the industrial
area, un that's another story because one of the things we noticed, um
the water has some levels of ammonia, which is directly linked to the pollution.
Right, I would say that would be a challenge, you know,
the environmental factors, because you're doing something fairly pure, you know, I
mean it's environmental factors are a problem with our existing rivers and streams right now,
right yeah, I mean environmental pollution is already a problem with existing water,
much less water that's being created. So yeah, so what do you
say is you know, how are you going to skate? You're an entrepreneur,
you have I also want to point out you have two business partners who
are also women, so you're one hundred percent women lad correct, yes,
yes, are your partners also from Africa? No? Actually I met um
So the way Magico was started. Um So. Previously I was doing what
a futution for communities and then we had one of the devout season, which
lasted I think one in the half years, in most community members up buying
the water filters because the rivers they were getting the water from head dried up
and now they were depending on, you know, somebody to sell them the
water or even like buying bottled water. And you know, I had this
idea, like, you know, why can't we provide a decentralized water source
and especially to communities that need that water more specifically just for drinking. And
I was very lucky because I got into this program by Singularity to university and
basically they were just connecting you and creating metalorks to help you implement your idea.
So I met an Aspacian player during that program, So an Astacia.
She was already working in the technology part of this technology in Canada, So
they were doing a lot of research on air to water technologies and Clayer was
based in Malawi and we just kind of connected. Then I was selling them
about my idea and you know, we found out that we had a similar
vision, and you know, we all came back to Kenya, um and
have been in Kenya for a few years now. Very interesting. You're working
with a lot of different interesting partners. And I see The Magic Water is
filmed in a daven documentary about innovations in water. Correct, yes, yes,
did you meet mantainmon Unfortunately no, so I met his partner. I
met his partner. So, Madame Monty is doing a lot in waters.
He's one of the founders of water dot org and we have close paths so
many times with his work, so we also go to the same conferences,
but most of the time I meet his co founder, so I haven't been
fortunate to meet him in person. Um. Yet, that's great, and
I just want to point out that you're two partners again. You are a
woman led company on Assagia Kachenko and then you're Beth Kogi and clear Sewell,
and you know, it's nice to see women leading a movement that many of
us don't think about. I mean, there's so many people there's take water
for granted, I don't because I think about it all the time, because
I travel a lot, Beth, and I'm always conscious about what I'm ingesting.
And again because I'm meeting with farmers a lot. You know, winemaking
is a farm and water is a constant discussion. Many countries don't allow irrigation.
Water stresses. Water is important for the fine. I mean, water
is a huge topic in the world of wine, and wine is a lot
of water and its health. I mean, you know, people can die
from being dehydrated, and they can also die from drinking unsanitary water. In
fact, that's one reason many people drank wine and spirits when the old days,
because they were afraid of unsanitary water. Right, Yes, I agree,
what would you so? Uh? Magic Water is the recipient of a
fairly significant award from thousand Faces, which I mentioned and just so people have
that website, it's www dot thousand faces dot art. Now I've never heard
of this organization. It came to me in a PR pitch. I love
supporting anything that invests, any organization that invests and incubates other women owned businesses
is actually something I'd like to do as a business person myself. And this
is called the Female Founders Acceleration Program, which says it's a three month program
designed to let help female lip programs. What are you getting, how are
you using this honor, how is it helping you? And what are you
seeing out of it? I mean it's fairly recent that you want. I
just want us to put that up. Yes, yes, yes, UM.
I think the award was announced like a month ago for April twenty April
twenty twenty three, because we're talking in yes, yes, so it's very
new, UM. And the reason why I wanted to join this program.
Uh. You know, most of the time, when you work within the
same networks, within the same region, UM, your networks tend to be
the same uh, and people get to know you and your business. UM.
But you know what this program was doing. It was offering us a
different a different view of things, UM, where you know, you take
back you know, somebody who doesn't know your company, they're hearing your company
for the first time and then they give you insights. So this is getting
fresh um kind of getting new UM and fresh um idea. So the program.
We went through a three months training UM. It was highly highly highly
UM organized to feed our needs as companies. And one of the things and
because we were not so many I think that things. The things I took
away from this we head one on one conversations with these trainees. Because these
are people who already have led or you know, are working in big organizations.
They have seen it all. So it's basically learning from their experience and
if you had a specific question, you would ask. So a lot of
things I got, even like I think my biggest decreer was it's okay to
say no. Because even for us, like we work in a very small
niche, when you know corporate approach you, you immediately think that is a
very good idea, or even angels approach you that you feel that you know,
this is a very great customer. But you know, when you start
working with them, you find out there is a disconnect in terms of visions
and what you're looking for and what what you want, what you want to
achieve, and what they want to achieve. So the biggest takeaway was,
you know, it's okay to say no if you feel that um, there's
there's you know, there's disconnect between all this. So the training were very
specific to companies and our specific needs and where we were and then data We
got to get mentors who actually were not there to just tell you your companies
bring this you. They were giving you an opportunity to just go to exactly
what is your pain point at that point at that time. So if if
you're looking for marketing strategy, they would help you create that. If you're
looking for specific introduction, they would help to introduce you. But I think
above all is validation UM. I think it's female um. Female founders.
Most of the time we feel, like you know, there is a time
you feel self doubt. So getting this award is a validation for most of
us. Well, I think, you know, I love the fact that
they don't know your industry because I had a business for many years in marketing
and public relations, and I didn't know other people's you know, at the
end of the day, I knew my business and I love taking what I
knew about my business and helping other businesses. So that is a value for
you that they don't know your business, they just know your why, and
you have a very big why. What would you like to see happen with
magic water in the future, if you could take it and scale it and
turn it into something else, what would you and your partners like to say
happen, Beth. I think for us it's to make because I think one
thing I have learned is that what technologies are not cheap? What a very
expensive brainwater harvesting is very expensive. Any water technology is not cheap, and
most of the household, low income household duties struggle. I think our advision
needs to make these kind of technologies that you know are bringing revolution and I
change, accessible and affordable. So this may take a bit of time,
but I think you know, the piram needs are not building one day.
It's you know, just trying and pushing and making all this kind of technology
is quite affordable to whoever needs it, um or a bidable to whoever needs
it, whether it's you know, through government, but just making this technology
accessible to the people who need it the most. I think that's a really
good point. I mean, you know, for anyone listening he was like,
can I do that at home? Yeah? You can. You can't
do it at home. There's actually um a couple of I just google harvesting
rain water and you can you can set up some kind of system on your
own if you really want to do it. Um and there's all sorts of
gadgets out there. You have to just be very careful that you're getting getting
water and it's not going bad on you. Um you're looking at it.
You know that's for an individual basis. And you know, I've got one
here water rainwater Harvesting one h one um yes, watercash dot com. But
you do have to be careful because you know, things can get contaminated.
And so you know, it's like if you're making your own beer, and
I'm sure you can go buy amazing beer and wine and you can make it
at home, but you've got to be very careful when you're doing it.
You're not doing something that's going to harm you and your family. So obviously
going to a trusted um uh tibe, you know, science proven source is
important. I like the fact that the communities are buying your systems to help
those who obviously are underserved and cannot afford this help and and and that's many
many impoverished areas around the world. So it's just a really great uh interesting
I mean I never thought I you know, When this was presented to me
and there were three top winners and your number one, congratulations, I was
like, Wow, that's like so awesome, because, like I said,
water is very top of mind for me. I drink it, I rely
on it, I swear by it. I think it saves my life sometimes
I think I can live on water and nothing else. Yes, And I
think that's a fact that you can subsist on water, but you can't subsist
dehydrated, and so it's a health standpoint. But I also know that it's
very important for farms and hospitals and other things that make our life function.
And the accessibility to water is getting slimmer and slimmer because we're having so many
droughts. You talked about Kenyon, and through your drought, it sounds like
every time I turn around, there's a massive drought somewhere in the world and
it's not getting any better, right, Yes, yes, exactly. So
I think the next thing you can work on is figure out how to help
address the drought and bigger ways. I mean, I think it's great that
you were in the water filtration system and then moved into this movement, and
it's very interesting. I'll be following it again for my listeners who want more
information on magic Water, the website is Magicwater dot co. Again it's m
Aji Kwater dot co. And there's some information there and how can they find
Are you on social media? Yes, we are on LinkedIn and Twita,
so the same name magic Quota at magic Quota on Twita and then magic Quota
And if you're interested in learning more about thousand Faces, which is an exclusive
community late it's an investment club. I am getting a lot of pitches on
these investment clubs local national, technology, blah blah blah. It's it's kind
of like the latest social impact move where you're not starting your company, but
you're investing in other companies. It's a healthy way of doing social impact venture
capital at different levels. You don't have to have because as Zelos you can
do it. It's it's democratized. Funding is the term for the underfunded and
excluded as what they say on the website. There's an extensive white paper,
but I think it's very cool. Um it's an area of an industry that
I'm personally interested in because I'm not interested starting yet another company. I'm least
I'm more interested investing in other companies and finding ways to lift up. So
very interesting. And again the website for thousand Faces is thousand Faces dot art.
That's a new one for me, art Uh and I congratulate you for
your honor, Beth. That's a very good and thank you for joining me
from Kenya. One day. I hope to go to Kenya. I I've
only been to South Africa, which is one of the most stunning and open
to Botswana stunning, stunning, life changing trips and hopefully can go to Kenya
one day, so I'll stay yes bluelem So you've been listening to another inspiring
edition of Fearless Fabulous you on women entrepreneurs around the world. As you know,
I try to spotlight women entrepreneurs as well as discuss topics of health and
wellness to make your life better and inspired. Because, as always, my
closing message is you have the choice. You have many choices to live your
life. Choose one on your terms and make it fearless and always be fabulous.
Thank you. I'm Melanie Young. Following me on Instagram at Melanie Fabulous,
check me out at Melanie Young dot com and listen to all my shows
on your favorite podcast channel over a hundred anytime anywhere on demand. Thank you
and thank you, Beth Koji of Magic Water, Thank you most time.
Master Times used to