In the search for continuous improvement of water and its conservation, we found a solution that helps us improve water quality, without altering the activity of the different communities that, due to cultural heritage, have had for years, washing clothes in rivers. And with this product, we managed to turn their habit into a systematic chain of river cleaning.

In the world, there are still 159 million people who depend on the surface or untreated water, such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. Due to this and their cultural heritage, a significant percentage washes their clothes in the rivers. In Peru this heritage is attributed to its Inca origin, and doing this is also an opportunity for socialization among the women of the villages.

Unfortunately, the soap used to wash clothes contributes to the contamination of the river on which the entire community depends because it is the principal source of “drinkable” water, unconsciously causing various diseases.ANDEA, the mineral water of Cusco, whose purpose is to preserve the natural sources of the Andes, was looking for a solution to be able to improve the quality of the water, without altering the custom that by cultural heritage they already have, and take advantage of this to start a decontamination process.

AWA: The soap that cleans the rivers is a product that seeks to replace traditional soaps for washing clothes. This soap contains microorganisms with a probiotic function capable of feeding on the pollutants of the rivers, and in this way, using a tradition that by cultural heritage have different communities, generate a new system for improving water quality.

In this project, we have identified two target audiences, the users of the different communities whose cultural heritage is washing clothes in the rivers; and the people, entities, organizations, and companies that are willing to implement the formula for this soap. And in this way amplify the network for the systematic improvement of water, without altering customs or traditions.

That’s why ANDEA has made the AWA formula available to governments, non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and soap manufacturers, so they can apply it. That way, AWA will reach the right hands and the rivers where these ancient traditions are still carried out. For more information and to contact the project leaders, go to www.proyectoawa.com.

The approach that we have always had for this project is to improve the quality of the water, and in this way to conserve and preserve the natural sources of the Andes.

After verifying the effectiveness of our product, we decided to do a pilot decontamination project in the small community of Huacahuasi, in Cusco. We took soaps there and gave them to people to use for a while and thus continue to verify that it actually had a positive effect on the water of their rivers. In addition, we showed them how it works and we communicated our project through posters that we put up around Cusco.

This pilot project was registered and disseminated through digital media and social networks, with the aim of getting different companies and organizations interested in our formula, so that more people use it and thus we continue to clean more rivers. Our video achieved great repercussions, reaching various television channels, magazines, and digital portals.

Our audiovisual content got more than 120 million impressions. Thanks to obtaining (only until today) PR Coverage in more than 30 sources (nationally and internationally), we have achieved more than 3 Million dollars in Earned Media.

In social networks, we obtained a rate of 98% Positive Sentiment and we had an increase of 83% in our Facebook and Instagram community. But the most important thing is that more than 500 organizations from different countries are interested in using AWA Formula, with which we are working to make a reality and reach many corners of the world with AWA soaps.

In addition, AWA was very well received by local television, they managed to appear on the news and have interviews on different programs. Thus, our brand managed to be the topic of conversation in Peru, positioning ourselves as the water brand with a commitment to the environment.

In the world, there are still 159 million people who depend on the surface or untreated water, such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. Due to this and their cultural heritage, a significant percentage washes their clothes in the rivers. In Peru this heritage is attributed to its Inca origin, and doing this is also an opportunity for socialization among the women of the villages.

Unfortunately, the soap used to wash clothes contributes to the contamination of the river on which the entire community depends because it is the principal source of “drinkable” water, unconsciously causing various diseases.