When he was first told about the Matikalp filter, 52-year-old potter, Shivkumar Prajapati of Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur Sakrej, did not have any extreme reaction. Cautious to try it out, he did not pin too much hope on it, nor was he dismissive. After all, he was also a part farmer who did all he could to be able to provide for his family. An additional income source would be good, he thought. Two months on, the Matikalp filter that he has been making has however exceeded all expectations and brought home a stable income that Prajapati has long been aspiring for.
Made by using two types of sand—black and yellow—the Matikalp filter, an intervention supported by WaterAid India and Water.Org, helps people access clean water, free from contamination. It also helps in giving potters like Prajapati an additional income.
“After crushing and filtering the sand, we use equal parts of sawdust, sand, and husk to make a dough with water. This is then left to stand for 12 hours,” he said. The final product, made from this dough, is smooth and effective in function. The raw material is provided by the local organisation that trained him in making the filter.
“I began making this filter because it provided an opportunity to earn an additional income,” Prajapati, who earns INR 700-800 per day by this work, said, “I am happy that I am able to provide better for my family of six.” But it’s not just monetary benefit that has won him over. “The filter helps my children drink safe water, clean of any contamination. I have been making this filter in my village for two months now and hope that I will be able to make it for others in other villages too so that everyone’s health is benefitted by it,” he said.
