Bilal Bin Saqib, a 29-year-old Pakistani student currently based in London, is now on the Forbes “30 Under 30 Asia” list, joining Asian millennials who are set to make a difference in their countries and the world. Saqib has been recognized by Forbes for his work on Tayaba, a social enterprise that is looking to provide solutions for Pakistan's water problems.
According to Forbes,
“One of its initiatives is the 'H2O wheel,' a plastic wheel container connected to a metal bar that helps to reduce the burden on women and children who carry water in rural Pakistan for miles each day. The wheel can carry up to 40 litres of water, which is eight to 10 times more than what a mud pot (traditionally used to carry water) can hold.”
Born and brought up in Lahore, Saqib went to the Queen Mary University of London for his bachelors degree and thereafter proceeded to a masters at the London School of Economic (LSE). He launched the Tayaba project four years ago to help rural Pakistani women and children with the laborious and difficult task of transporting jugs of water on their heads over long distances from sources of drinking water to their homes. After a visit to West Africa, where he saw the use of plastic containers with steel bars attached, allowing individuals to carry water with greater ease and in larger quantities, Saqib was inspired to launch the 'H2O Wheels' project in Sindh.
His efforts helped some 30,000 families in Sindh through the distribution of 5,500 of the H2O Wheels.
Currently, while in the UK, Saqib and his friends are part of the One Million Meals intiative, looking to deliver hot and nutrious meals to National Health Service (NHS) medical professionals, to strengthen them in the gruelling fight against COVID-19.
According to Forbes,
“One of its initiatives is the 'H2O wheel,' a plastic wheel container connected to a metal bar that helps to reduce the burden on women and children who carry water in rural Pakistan for miles each day. The wheel can carry up to 40 litres of water, which is eight to 10 times more than what a mud pot (traditionally used to carry water) can hold.”
Born and brought up in Lahore, Saqib went to the Queen Mary University of London for his bachelors degree and thereafter proceeded to a masters at the London School of Economic (LSE). He launched the Tayaba project four years ago to help rural Pakistani women and children with the laborious and difficult task of transporting jugs of water on their heads over long distances from sources of drinking water to their homes. After a visit to West Africa, where he saw the use of plastic containers with steel bars attached, allowing individuals to carry water with greater ease and in larger quantities, Saqib was inspired to launch the 'H2O Wheels' project in Sindh.
His efforts helped some 30,000 families in Sindh through the distribution of 5,500 of the H2O Wheels.
Currently, while in the UK, Saqib and his friends are part of the One Million Meals intiative, looking to deliver hot and nutrious meals to National Health Service (NHS) medical professionals, to strengthen them in the gruelling fight against COVID-19.