More than 10 years ago, IE Economics Professor Gayle Allard began taking IE students to the southern city of Dilla, Ethiopia, on a study project each summer.  She and the IE students, who volunteered as English teachers to girls in the poorest parts of the city, came away with a profound interest in the water problem.

Their research, to try to seek ways to get more clean water affordably to the people of Dilla, led them to launch a social entrepreneurship project which involved installing solar panels and new pumps on city wells that had been abandoned for years. The pumps, solar panels, storage tanks and other equipment were purchased by an NGO which Dr. Allard called Wuha Sira (water and work, in the local Amharic tongue), whose board members are all IE alumni.

From 2013 to 2019, the students worked to promote the education of Ethiopian girls and women and facilitate access to clean water in Dilla. IE University graduates continue to support Wuha Sira, as well as mentoring social entrepreneurs in the country. This project not only helps protect the population against diseases and reduce deaths from contaminated water consumption, but also allows more girls and women to go to school and work by not having to spend several hours a week transporting water for their families.