Filter Caps directly supports the SDG goal of "No Poverty" by improving access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene—a fundamental human need for healthcare and well-being. It offers an immediate and effective solution to the water crisis, while also being environmentally responsible. The casing is 3D printed from compostable cornstarch-based material. Practical, scalable, and accessible, Filter Caps are particularly valuable in vulnerable and remote communities, and drastically reduce the costs of managing waterborne illnesses, cutting expenses by more than half compared to typical diarrhea treatments. This affordability significantly boosts health and economic well-being, to lift communities out of poverty.

In Colombia, over 3.7 million people lack access to safe drinking water, with remote regions and underserved communities like La Guajira, facing extreme heat and inadequate infrastructure, leading to health issues and malnutrition.

Also, Colombia has been experiencing a severe drought, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon. With the worsening natural conditions, President Gustavo Petro declared a natural disaster. In February 2024, the media reported that 40 water trucks purchased by the government for $12 million failed to deliver any water. Additionally, in other regions of the country, several reservoirs are at low capacity, jeopardizing not only the supply of drinking water but also energy.

The timing of Filter Caps' creation is crucial as it responds to an urgent humanitarian emergency in various parts of the world because over 80 countries are facing this challenge. By 2025, half of the world's population will live in water-stressed areas; it also aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, it adapts to Colombia's and other countries' cultural and market conditions by providing a practical and accessible solution for vulnerable communities, considering the humanitarian and cultural importance of water in daily life and population health.

Filsa, a scientific company dedicated to promoting development and technology for all, has partnered with Baylor International and the Red Cross, leading networks in child care, to bring safe drinking water to regions most in need of infrastructure. The development of Filter Caps, which are practical, affordable, accessible, cost-effective, and universally applicable, marks significant progress in addressing water scarcity. This collaboration underscores a shared commitment to enhancing the quality of life in vulnerable communities by providing sustainable access to clean water. Improving health reduces disease prevalence and opens up opportunities for personal and economic development, thereby supporting the United Nations SDG to eliminate poverty. Additionally, the initiative aligns with goals promoting health, well-being, and gender equality in underprivileged areas. This partnership demonstrates how a brand’s purpose can inspire impactful actions that not only address critical developmental needs where infrastructure is lacking or substantial investment is necessary but also positively influence societal well-being.

Brand Values Specific to the Chosen Goal: Currently, 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, a leading cause of child mortality. In Colombia alone, over 3.7 million individuals are without safe drinking water, with regions like La Guajira being particularly affected. Filsa is committed to bringing development to all, even to areas facing extreme heat and insufficient infrastructure. These conditions exacerbate health issues and malnutrition, which in turn lead to work absences and hinder economic growth. Filsa's efforts focus on alleviating these challenges through innovative water solutions, contributing significantly to the local and global fight against poverty.

Brief: Develop a practical, immediate, and innovative solution to deliver clean water to areas where more expensive and complex filters cannot be implemented.

Objectives: To address the immediate water needs of underserved communities, promote health and well-being, and inspire broader community and stakeholders' engagement in addressing the water crisis.

•Media regulations: Through INVIMA, we investigated the parameters that the device must comply. Understanding the regulations, we conducted laboratory tests to measure the quality of the water where we obtained a result of 0.1% over the 0.3% required by Colombian regulations to be safe to drink.

•People: In Colombia, over 3.7 million people lack access to safe drinking water, with remote regions like La Guajira facing extreme heat and inadequate infrastructure, leading to health issues and malnutrition.

•Environment: Colombia has been experiencing a severe drought, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon. With the worsening natural conditions, President Gustavo Petro declared a natural disaster. Additionally, in other regions of the country, several reservoirs are at low capacity, jeopardizing not only the supply of drinking water but also energy.

•Economic: Each filter is significantly more economical than remedies for diseases like diarrhea.

Filter Caps focuses on transforming a universal bottle cap into a portable water treatment plant by linking two bottles together, allowing water to be purified as it flows through the cap. Filter Caps purifies and mineralizes water with a single movement, offering an accessible and sustainable solution for communities lacking safe water infrastructure. This innovation leverages cutting-edge technology and a unique mix of filter materials to provide quick and effective access to safe water in remote and vulnerable areas. It's environmentally responsible, too—its casing is 3D printed from cornstarch-based material and can be composted after use. By turning a bottle cap into a water purification device, a simple yet powerful solution is created to address the global water crisis and improve the quality of life for millions of people. Its simplicity, effectiveness, and scalability make it a game-changer in the quest for global access to clean and safe drinking water.

The strategy behind Filter Caps entails comprehensive data gathering to identify areas facing water scarcity in Colombia, particularly focusing on regions with vulnerable populations lacking access to clean drinking water. The target audience encompasses individuals and families living in these underserved communities, including consumers from diverse demographic backgrounds. Organizations such as Filsa, Baylor International, and Red Cross collaborate to develop and distribute 100% biodegradable water filters using additive technology. The approach emphasizes innovation, sustainability, and simplicity, aiming to provide an accessible solution to the pressing issue of water scarcity. A key component of the strategy is the call to action, encouraging support from various stakeholders to donate filters, spread awareness, and contribute to the initiative's mission of delivering safe drinking water to those in need.

The execution of the Filter Caps initiative involves the implementation of a comprehensive plan to manufacture, distribute, and deploy biodegradable water filters. Implementation is carried out through collaborative efforts between Filsa, Baylor International and Red Cross, ensuring efficient production and distribution processes, Just in Time (JIT), since as our partners join us, we develop production batches according to the needs of the regions characterized to be covered. The timeline spans a year, beginning with the initial distribution of 1.000 filters to targeted communities such as Centro Alto in Sopó, Cundinamarca, and expanding to reach approximately 10,000 individuals across various regions of Colombia. Placement strategies prioritize areas with the greatest need for safe drinking water, ensuring effective distribution and community outreach. The scale of the initiative is significant, aiming to impact thousands of individuals in Colombia initially, with aspirations for global expansion, potentially reaching millions in need of access.

This initiative has made a significant contribution to the advancement of the selected SDG. Over 10,000 people now have access to safe water, and 300,000L of water have been recovered for consumption. The initiative has seen positive results in sales and donations, indicating successful uptake and support from stakeholders.

The technology is portable, practical, adaptable to any socio-cultural context, cost-efficient, and biodegradable, making it possible to provide safe water to areas with difficult access globally. The initiative has led to a noticeable shift in behavior among targeted communities, with increased use of Filter Caps leading to improved water consumption habits and reduced reliance on unsafe water sources. water for consumption.

Each filter is significantly more economical than remedies for diseases like diarrhea.

Thousands of families are changing the way they drink water to a safer one.

Access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene represent the most basic human need for health care and well-being. By directly addressing this issue, Filter Caps it's a timely and media-responsive solution to the crisis of access to safe water, with environmental responsibility,

We estimate filtering 1,825,000 liters of water per year. Implementation is carried out through collaborative efforts between Filsa, Baylor International, and Red Cross, ensuring efficient production and distribution processes, Just in Time (JIT), since as our partners join us, we develop production batches according to the needs of the regions characterized to be covered

The scale of the initiative is significant, aiming to impact thousands of individuals in Colombia initially, with aspirations for global expansion, potentially reaching millions in need of access, reaching countries like Brazil, Argentina, and other regions.

Filter Caps in alliance with Filsa, Red Cross and Baylor International, we characterized the most vulnerable populations in Colombia with the highest deficit in access to safe water. This allows us to reduce the Co2 impact in transportation of the filters, since they have sustainable transportation to reach these areas.

It is a universal product since it is available to everyone with efficient aesthetics, tactical adherence, design and functionality. In addition, thanks to the implementation of Stereolithography (SLA) printing, we can make use of natural extracts that can become pollutants for the environment.