What we are about.

At ZuLoo Humanitarian Outreach (ZHO) we work to bring affordable toilets, water security, and innovative sanitation solutions to the world’s poor. ZHO is affiliated with ZuLoo, Inc, which is a social impact benefit corporation focused on the toilet and bathroom consumer products sector. The long-term vision is for ZHO’s charitable work to be mostly funded by a donated percentage of all of ZuLoo, Inc’s sales of bathroom products.

Did you know?

40% of the world’s population have no access to toilets. 600 million of those people are in India alone. That’s twice the population of the United States living in one country without toilet access. As you can probably guess, this leaves them with no other options but to defecate in the open. Absence of toilets remains one of the leading causes of death and illnesses among children in India.

Absence of toilets remains one of the leading causes of death and illnesses among children in India — with over 200,000 child deaths per year due to exposure of the bacteria in feces. Those children that do survive the exposure, are cognitively and physically stunted because of that exposure.

Studies tie open defecation to the reason why 50% of India’s children are malnourished and stunted. That’s right. Half of a country’s children currently have brains that will never develop to full capacity because they don’t have toilets.

That’s a lot of wasted talent and potential the world is missing out on. We’re here to change that.

Water Security

This sanitation crisis is often compounded by the lack of access to water in many slums. Additionally, lack of access to water sources place women and girls at risk for gender-based violence from having to commute long distances away from their homes.

As we work to provide needy families with eco-friendly toilet systems and sustainable water access, we work hand in hand with in-country partners. Community members are organized and mobilized to nominate the most vulnerable families to be recipients. Beneficiaries are expected to provide buy-in in the form of manual labor, stones, sand, pipes and transportation of materials. ZHO covers the rest. 

Likewise, in the installation of bore-wells, buy-in and participatory engagement creates dignity and community ownership. With the increase in safety and saved time, and the decrease in disease cost of water, these programs have immediate health and economic outcomes.

We measure the impact of our sanitation and water programs quantitatively by evaluating improvements provided by the toilets and borewells as independent variables. 

Why do we facilitate on-site expeditions?

Expeditions give our stakeholders first-hand exposure to the social issues we work on year-round. Trip attendees meet our in-country partners and beneficiary communities and gain a rich understanding of our unique approach to sustainably improve sanitation conditions. Far from poverty tourism, our expeditions are intended to educate our supporters and create long-term ambassadors of ZuLoo’s mission.

Program Overview

• Site visits to slum communities
• Observational analyses of ZuLoo’s eco-toilets (soilets)
• Participation in women-led focus groups
• Bore-well inauguration celebration ceremonies
• Q&A with in-country partner staff and beneficiary families
• Service day helping elderly dig pits to construct their soilets

What can I expect from joining an expedition?

Expedition participants will experience the beauty of India from its world-renowned heritage sites to the rich resilient culture of the communities we work in. Attendees will participate in women-led focus groups that bring to life the daily challenges faced due to lack of water and sanitation. They will attend community celebratory bore-well inauguration ceremonies and understand ZuLoo’s approach to measuring the impact of our work through qualitative data-driven methods.

What is the cost to join an expedition?

Expedition cost is $5,000

This fee includes airfare, visas, all in-country transportation, accommodation, most meals, four-day trip across the Golden Triangle in Northern India, airport shuttles, tour guides, as well as project costs to further ZuLoo’s work.

This fee does not include souvenirs and snacks.

Trip attendees will be given a travel and packing guide to prepare for their expedition. You must be 15 years old or older to join. To participate send an email to: contact@zuloo.com

Zuloo India 2019

ZuLoo, Inc.’s non-profit affiliate, ZuLoo Humanitarian Outreach (“ZHO”), is focused on India in 2019.  Consistent with ZuLoo, Inc.’s social impact mission, ZHO is dedicated to enabling access to basic, low-cost, affordable and sustainable sanitation solutions (i.e., toilets) to the world’s most vulnerable populations.

We deliver solutions for the world’s poor in areas lacking access to toilets and clean water. This year in India we are installing affordable, innovative, eco-friendly toilets and drilling water wells in Hyderabad slums.

Click here to get involved.