Asia | May 20, 2019

Beneficial Returns backs Indonesian clean water venture Nazava

Jessica Pothering
ImpactAlpha Editor

Jessica Pothering

ImpactAlpha, May 20 – Bandung, Indonesia-based Nazava is helping low-income Indonesians access clean water by selling affordable household water filters. The company has secured an undisclosed amount of debt financing from Beneficial Returns, which provides working- and equipment-capital to social enterprises.

Nazava makes ceramic water filters that can each filter 7,000 liters of water. Since launching in 2007, the company says its filters have provided clean water to more than 680,000 people and have helped families save $16 million—money that would otherwise be spent boiling water or buying bottled water.    

The four-year loan from Beneficial Returns will be used to support the sale of 300,000 filters by 2023. If the company reaches that goal, its final loan payment will be waived.

Nazava is Beneficial Returns’ first investment in Southeast Asia and its second in water filtration. Last year, the investor backed Guatemala-based Ecofiltro, which also makes low-cost ceramic water filters. It has three other portfolio companies: Interrupcion Fair TradeIluméxico, and Sistema Biobolsa