Diana M. Bonilla

Colombian social entrepreneur providing clean water solutions to rural communities

Diana María Bonilla is the founder of Ecofiltro, a Colombian social enterprise delivering affordable ceramic water filters to underserved populations. Established in 2008, the organization has provided clean drinking water to over 2 million people across Latin America and Africa through a unique social franchising model. Each clay filter - costing just $30 - can purify up to 3 tons of water over its 5-year lifespan, eliminating the need for boiling water with firewood.

Bonilla's approach combines grassroots distribution with community education. Her network of 200+ local entrepreneurs in Colombia, Guatemala, and Kenya receive training to produce filters and educate users on proper maintenance. This method reduces waterborne illnesses by 80% in implementation areas according to WHO studies. In 2020, Ecofiltro expanded to solar-powered filter factories in drought-prone regions of Ethiopia.

A former UNICEF water specialist, Bonilla's TED Talk 'How to Give a Village Clean Water for $30' has 1.8 million views. She was awarded the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2019 and recently partnered with Elon Musk's Water for All initiative to scale operations in Sub-Saharan Africa.