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IBOTA Foundation

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The International Bridge Of Technical Assistance (IBOTA) Foundation is a Dutch non-profit organization established in 1997 that focuses on providing access to clean drinking water in developing countries and disaster-affected areas. Founded by Peter Koelewijn after he witnessed severe water shortages in India’s slums, IBOTA undertakes small-scale water projects using affordable point-of-use filtration technology and local training programs[1]. The foundation operates primarily with volunteers, where roughly 95% of its funds are spent directly on projects, and works in partnership with local communities and NGOs.

History and Mission

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IBOTA was founded in Heerde, Netherlands, in 1997 by Peter Koelewijn. The name “International Bridge Of Technical Assistance” reflects its goal of bridging technical solutions to communities in need. Koelewijn was inspired to start the foundation after traveling in India, where he was struck by the lack of clean and safe drinking water in impoverished areas. Since then, IBOTA’s work has developed from emergency relief efforts to long-term projects improving water access in multiple countries. A core objective of the foundation is not only to deliver safe drinking water but also to involve underprivileged people in the solutions. Part of the manufacturing of IBOTA’s water filters is done in the slums of Kolkata, India, as an employment project - providing jobs for local residents who help build the very products that address the worldwide clean water problem. This approach reflects IBOTA’s broader vision of empowering communities: the foundation aims to make water treatment resources available in developing areas (especially during emergencies) and to give vulnerable populations an opportunity to earn a livelihood through the production of water filters.

IBOTA’s mission aligns with the global effort to combat water scarcity: as of 2022, about 2.2 billion people worldwide still lacked safely managed drinking water services, and microbial contamination of water causes an estimated half a million diarrheal deaths each year. (WTOLINK) Koelewijn has emphasized that regions in South Asia and Africa face especially acute clean water challenges; roughly 1.2 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa (about 45% of the population) lack basic access to safe water [1] (link developmentaid.org).

Over the years, IBOTA has remained a largely volunteer-driven organization. Approximately ninety-five percent of its resources go directly toward project implementation, with minimal overhead, which is made possible by reliance on volunteers and local partner organizations. Koelewijn and IBOTA have also engaged in public advocacy and awareness about water issues. In Dutch media, Koelewijn has highlighted concerns about water quality both abroad and at home. He has noted, that Dutch drinking water - while generally safe - has shown trace contaminants (such as industrial chemical GenX around Dordrecht and traces of medications), spurring questions about whether additional filtration steps are needed even in the Netherlands (youtube).

Projects

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IBOTA implements a range of projects and programs centered on providing clean water. Its activities include distributing portable water filters to households, responding to water needs in disaster zones, and conducting WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) education. Below is a list of major IBOTA projects and initiatives, as outlined on the foundation’s official website:

  • IBOTA has conducted extensive clean water projects in Haïti since 2010.
  • IBOTA’s Indonesië project is focused on delivering safe drinking water on the island of Java, Indonesia.
  • In response to the war in Ukraine (following the Russian invasion in 2022), IBOTA launched a humanitarian water relief effort for Ukrainian communities suffering water outages and contamination.
  • In 2022, IBOTA also mobilized efforts to assist Pakistan during the catastrophic Pakistan floods of that year.
  • Beyond the specific country projects, IBOTA maintains a general Noodhulp (emergency relief) program to address urgent clean water needs in disaster zones worldwide.

AquaLogic water filters and technology

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A central element of IBOTA’s work is the use of simple, low-cost water filtration devices to purify contaminated water at the household level. The foundation, in partnership with a Dutch company called AquaLogic, has developed several types of portable water filters tailored for use in remote or resource-poor setting. These filters are often distributed free of charge by IBOTA to families that lack access to clean drinking water.

References

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  1. ^ "This is IBOTA". https://ibota.org/. https://ibota.org/en/about-ibota/. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= and |website= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)

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