Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI)
AIDFI utilizes well-known hydro power to send water uphill to remote villages in countries all over the world.
What we should know about you
Questions answered by Auke Idzenga, CEO & Co-founder and Che Idzenga, COO
1. What is your biggest success as an entrepreneur?
That we have developed a sustainable and holistic ram pump program over the past ten years, which is not only efficient but relatively low cost. That we are capable of scaling up our work through training of local installation teams and technology transfers internationally. Because of consistent work with ram pump water systems, we have been awarded and recognized locally and internationally numerous times with as highlight receiving the Asian version of the Nobel Prize called Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2011. This made us proud and realize that what we do by working in the mountains on daily basis, and already considered ‘normal’, was seen by others as very special.
2. What is the best thing about being a member of empowering people. Network?
There must be something special about the empowering people. Network because we have been a part of it since 2015. AIDFI is not fond of becoming a member of all kinds of networks unless it does concrete things. We are doers rather than talkers. One concrete example of something the epNetwork offers is the professional workshops it organizes from which we have learned a lot and in which we interacted with like-minded social entrepreneurs. Also, the network facilitated an Experteer twice to work with AIDFI on identified needs and funded a training of technology transfer to Mexico.
3. What drives you personally to keep your social business running?
Even though the work and circumstances in far flung areas to install ram pump systems is sometimes not easy, our biggest reward is to see the happy faces of the people who thought that never in their life there will be free flowing water in their village. Another thing which makes us feel super happy is to see our AIDFI Ram Pump model being installed in other places in the world, it makes us feel proud. In the absence of monetary rewards, it is this kind of fulfillment which keeps us going strong.
Additional achievements
Awards
- Ashden Awards 2007
- Energy Globe 2008
- BBC World Challenge 2010
- Ramon Magsaysay Awardee 2011
- RELX Environmental Challenge 2015
- World Water Challenge 2020 (Outstanding Awardee)
- Gelia Castillo Award for Research on Social Innovations on Health 2021