Greif Inc., a well-known packaging company, has spearheaded the opportunity to develop a way for people in developing nations to obtain clean water. Greif has developed an innovative backpack that safely and easily transports water to homes in developing areas. The backpack is officially called the Pack H20. It even has been nominated on the National Design Museum’s list of “products that make a difference in everyday lives.”

According to Greif Inc., the H20 pack has been “replacing jerry cans and buckets as the mode of transport for drinking water in Haiti, Guatemala and Kenya and more than 20 other countries.” The backpacks are designed to carry 5.25 gallons of water and are made of extremely resistant fabric and plastic liner, which makes them puncture resistant. Each backpack is also sold at an affordable price of $10.

The backpacks have been so successful that over 100,000 have been distributed to women and children. According to Justin Moodley, Marketing Director for PackH2O LLC, these women and children don’t have to rely on these traditional and burdensome methods for water transportation. Moodley also mentioned that these people will not have to come in contact with heavy and contaminated containers any more.

Moreover, representative officials for Pack H20 have taken other initiatives to better developing communities’ access to clean drinking water. Some have taken notice of the distance between water sources and these communities. They plan to grant more instant access to water to these communities in the near future. As a result, Greif Inc. plans on spearheading other clean water access projects in developing nations.

– Stephanie Olaya

Sources: Biz Journal, Pack H2O
Photo: Pack H2O