Jenifer co-founded Tierra Grata in 2016 with a simple mission in her sights: guarantee access to clean energy, water, and sanitation to rural communities in Colombia. This is a pressing issue for the country, where 4.9 million people lack access to a decent toilet, and an astonishing 1.4 million people do not have access to clean water (1).
The organisation developed decentralised, low-cost, easy-to-install solutions that provide customers with a comfortable and dignified space for hygiene and sanitation. Each Tierra Grata installation can save up to 68,000 litres of water per year and avoids the contamination of surface and underground water sources. In addition, by receiving a controlled and accelerated treatment of organic waste, clients have a significantly improved quality of life. Since its founding 5 years ago, the team has already managed to install 891 of these solutions, providing tangible health and hygiene improvements to more than 9,200 people in under-resourced areas in Colombia.
In 2019, Tierra Grata was selected by RB as their Lead2030 Challenge Winner. This partnership came with a $50,000 grant to invest in expanding the organisation's operations and impact, and 12 months of mentorship which has extended beyond the guaranteed period due to the success of the collaboration for both parties. Biweekly meetings with the team of mentors helped monitor their progress and develop new ideas and strategies. The team also formed a sustainable model so the organisation will not generate dependence on donations.
Tierra Grata's work became even more important during the Covid-19 pandemic, due to increased urgency for sanitation and good hygiene to prevent the spread of the virus in vulnerable communities. One Young World awarded the organisation two grants totalling $20,000 as part of the Covid Young Leaders Fund. Jenifer and the team utilised this money to distribute water filters, hygiene kits, hand washing stations, and eco-toilets to isolated communities. They also delivered practical workshops to instruct beneficiaries on how to effectively use the solutions, and also to provide general Covid-19 awareness. With additional support from other donor organisations and individuals, Tierra Grata managed to impact 6,282 people in 2020, when they were at their most vulnerable.
