#61 Project Maji: Pricing Water, Powering Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

DescriptionWhat happens when clean water becomes both a human right and a business puzzle? In this episode, we dive into Project Maji—a nonprofit social enterprise that builds solar-powered water kiosks across rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, starting in Ghana and Kenya. We follow founder Sunil Lalvani’s journey from witnessing a broken hand pump to designing a modular “Maji Cube” that delivers reliable water through remote monitoring and cashless payments.But the real tension sits at the heart of the model: pricing. Charging a small fee can keep systems running and fund maintenance, yet raising prices to scale faster risks backlash, inequity concerns, and accusations of profiteering. As Project Maji explores peri-urban expansion to generate earned revenue—and even considers household connections—we unpack the strategic trade-offs between mission, sustainability, and growth. Along the way, we compare similar models in the region, examine how technology curbs leakage and boosts reliability, and ask the big question: what’s a fair price for water when the goal is impact at scale?Key Words / TagsProject Maji; water kiosks; solar water systems; Sub-Saharan Africa; Ghana; Kenya; WASH; social enterprise; impact investing; Danone Communities; pricing strategy; last-mile infrastructure; rural development; peri-urban markets; cashless payments; NFC tokens; remote monitoring; sustainability; scalability; cross-subsidization; gender and water; public health; SDG 6; inclusive business; water governance