earthenable - EarthEnable - Low Cost Flooring Solutions in Rwanda

75% of Rwandans live in homes with

Dirt Floors.

We are changing that.

Home town

75% of Rwandans live in homes with

Dirt Floors.

We are changing that.

Home town

Why EarthEnable

Health

Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of childhood death in Africa. Healthy buildings have been shown to reduce the incidence of childhood diarrhea by 49% and parasitic infections by 78%. Dirt floors and plasters have been shown to harbor parasites, bacteria, and pathogens dangerous to children and the adults living in these homes. More than 1.8 million people are killed by diarrhea alone each year. The risks of diarrhea, malnutrition, asthma, and pneumonia have all been shown to be reduced drastically when a home environment does not have a dirt floor and plaster.

Affordability

A healthy EarthEnable floor is 75% cheaper than a concrete floor, meaning it provides all of the benefits of a concrete floor at just a fraction of the price. Concrete is simply too expensive for many Africans, costing more than 2 months’ worth of an average family’s salary. When the choice comes down to buying food or buying a floor, most families cannot even consider the purchase of concrete. Having a healthy floor that is 75% cheaper makes it accessible to all Africans.

Jobs

EarthEnable is committed to creating a long-term employment solution in Africa, which means training Africans to do the work instead of being their employees. As part of EarthEnable’s model, we train local people as masons to learn exactly how to create and install an earthen floor. Then, the masons are able to go out and become income-generating entrepreneurs utilizing their new skills while working as micro-franchisees. We also hire and train for many other full-time positions including helpers for the masons, chemists, managers, administrative staff, and student interns.

Sustainability

A clean household that is healthy for humans AND good for the environment has always been a top priority at EarthEnable. Utilizing natural materials and green building techniques allows us to minimize our carbon footprint. Cement production is responsible for 5% of total global carbon emissions and is incredibly energy intensive to produce. Earthen floors and plasters have 90% less embedded energy and are structurally strong, waterproof, and abrasion resistant. There are significantly more environmentally sustainable building materials than cement, and part of our mission is to put the developing world on a more sustainable development path than one relying on concrete.

Dirt floors are just what you think: dirty.

Creating a floor that is healthy for humans AND good for the environment has always been a top priority at EarthEnable. Utilizing natural materials and green building techniques allows us to minimize our carbon footprint. Cement production is responsible for 5% of total global carbon emissions and is incredibly energy intensive to produce. Earthen floors have 90% less embedded energy and are structurally strong, waterproof, and abrasion resistant. There are significantly more environmentally sustainable building materials than cement, and part of our mission is to put the developing world on a more sustainable development path than one relying on concrete.