Business Franchise
Key to the sustainability of the Aqua Clara Program is the Business Franchise. Aqua Clara works through the locally owned business-for-profit to sell water purifiers and educate the families on the importance of clean water. These business owners are responsible to manufacture, market, sell, and maintain the purifiers. The owners are trained, certified and licensed to sell the Aqua Clara Water Purifier. Furthermore, Aqua Clara funds the new local business for start up costs and manufacture of 50 purifiers.
Another component of the Business Franchise is the Business Accounting package which guides the new business owner through the business plan, record keeping, and marketing concepts. Communication is very important and is offered through the virtual technology center, a place where business owners can talk over problems, solutions, ideas, and experiences through daily support and interchange, and through the bulletin board on the web site: aquaclarafound.org. The Technology Center has manuals and problem solving content available for all business owners.
Health and Hygiene is a major component of the Franchise. Instruction manuals authored by the Science Department at Hope College include modules for teaching the lessons with illustrations, songs, activities, and teacher instructions. Families must learn the practices of cleanliness and disease prevention to augment the functionality of the water purifier and to continue the eradication of permanent disease and death due to contaminated water.