Harnessing the power of nature to reduce flooding and water pollution in Mozambique
Xi Bassile is a startup dedicated to developing sustainable nature-based solutions for urban infrastructure in Mozambique, with a particular focus on stormwater management and rain harvesting. We work to address the challenges of flooding, pollution, and public health in cities like Maputo, while contributing to climate action and improved access to good-quality water.
OUR PARTNERS
Worsening Floods, Pollution, and Public Health Risks: The Urgent Need for Sustainable & Innovative Water Management Solutions in Mozambique
Flooding worsens in Mozambique due to climate change disrupting rain patterns. Stormwater pollution from poor waste management harms aquatic ecosystems. Rapid urbanization increases impervious surfaces, exacerbating drainage issues. Inadequate infrastructure in developing nations amplifies flooding and stagnant water, posing public health risks. Comprehensive urban planning prioritizing infrastructure and community awareness is critical. Integrating sustainable development and improved drainage systems is essential for enhancing residents' quality of life.
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Flooding disrupts daily life in Mozambique’s cities, damaging homes, roads, and public infrastructure. It forces people from their homes, causes property loss, and makes it difficult to access essential services like healthcare and education. Floodwaters often inundate low-income communities, where inadequate infrastructure leaves residents particularly vulnerable. The damage to roads and transportation systems hinders mobility, while businesses suffer losses due to water damage and interrupted operations, further straining local economies.
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Stormwater carries pollutants such as plastics, chemicals, and waste from urban areas into rivers, lakes, and coastal ecosystems. In Mozambican cities, poor solid waste management leads to drainage channels becoming clogged or polluted, which in turn contaminates nearby water bodies. This pollution harms aquatic life, reduces water quality, and threatens biodiversity, negatively affecting both the environment and the communities that depend on these water resources for their livelihoods and daily needs.
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Paradoxically, while floods bring an excess of water, they often contaminate existing water sources, making access to good-quality water scarce. Floodwaters mix with pollutants, rendering natural water supplies unsafe for consumption. This forces many communities, particularly in low-income areas, to resort to unreliable, distant or inconsistent sources of clean water, exacerbating health risks and limiting their ability to maintain hygiene and sanitation.
In Mozambique’s cities, flooding often results in stagnant water, particularly in informal settlements where drainage systems are insufficient. These stagnant waters become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying organisms, leading to outbreaks of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. The lack of proper sanitation infrastructure in these areas further heightens the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery, posing a significant threat to public health, especially in low-income communities.
Our Solutions
Nature-based Solutions to Mitigate Flooding and Improve Water Quality and Availability and Foster Biodiversity
Our solutions not only mitigate flooding, improve water quality, and increase access to water, but they also incorporate vegetation as a central element. This not only enhances water management but provides additional benefits such as supporting biodiversity, creating green spaces, and contributing to urban beautification. By using plants and natural processes, we help foster healthier ecosystems in cities while addressing critical infrastructure challenges.
Xi Bassile Bioswale
Xi Bassile offers innovative bioswales that sustainably manage stormwater, improve water quality, and enhance urban landscapes. Our bioswales utilize repurposed materials to store water underground, reducing flooding and providing a potential water source.
Xi Bassile SUDS Planter Box
Xi Bassile's SUDS Planter Box is a sustainable solution that manages stormwater, improves water quality, and enhances urban landscapes. It filters and stores rainwater, reducing flood risk and providing a potential water source. The biomaterials purify the water, while the plants add greenery and biodiversity.
Blending Nature with Cutting-edge Design to Transform Urban Infrastructure
Xi Bassile is committed to sustainable urban solutions. They use nature-based approaches like bioswales and SUDS planter boxes to address issues like flooding and pollution. These solutions mimic natural processes, filter water, and reduce runoff. By incorporating repurposed materials, Xi Bassile adds a layer of sustainability to their products, contributing to a healthier and more resilient urban environment.
Our Ongoing Projects
Protecting Nature, Empowering Communities: The Inhaca Island Bioswale Prototype
Inhaca Island, a biodiversity hotspot and key conservation area, faces severe flooding in focal areas during the rainy season. Xi Bassile’s 30-meter-long bioswale will provide a sustainable solution by reducing flood risks, filtering pollutants, and supporting local ecosystems. This project, located near critical community infrastructure such as the Hospital and Conservatory, is designed to integrate seamlessly with the natural landscape, enhancing the island’s beauty while promoting environmental resilience. An initial workshop, organized in partnership with DAAD and Weltweit in February 2024, has already introduced sustainable drainage solutions and the prototype project to local representatives.
Approved by local authorities, the project will officially launch in early 2025, with further community engagement sessions planned to raise awareness and educate residents on sustainable water managementApproved by the local municipality and set to launch in early 2025, the project will begin with community engagement sessions to raise awareness about nature-based solutions and empower local residents in sustainable water management.
Our Ongoing Projects
Flood Solutions in Action: The Bairro Ferroviário Urban Lab
This pilot project will transform a flood-prone section of Bairro Ferroviário in Maputo into an urban laboratory for sustainable stormwater management. By deploying both the Xi Bassile Bioswale and SUDS Planter Box in a restricted area, the project will test the real-world effectiveness of these nature-based solutions. This initiative aims not only to mitigate flooding and improve water quality but also to engage the local community through workshops, knowledge transfer, and job creation. Positioned as a groundbreaking effort to demonstrate the viability of green infrastructure in low-income neighbourhoods, the project is currently in its planning stage and seeking partners and funding to make this vision a reality
Meet the Team
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Khiusha Uaila | Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
After 8 years as an architect in Maputo, Khiusha Uaila founded Xi Bassile in 2022 during her master's at UCD in Dublin, focusing on nature-based solutions to urban infrastructure challenges. Passionate about sustainable development, green infrastructure, and biomaterials, she leads the company in pioneering innovative stormwater management solutions. Under her leadership, Xi Bassile has secured funding and recognition on international platforms, including Climate-KIC's Climate Launch Pad 2023, Orange Corners - BIZ X, and BFA Global's TECA Wave.
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Nélio Nhampossa | Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer
Nélio is an experienced professional with over 7 years of expertise in the blue economy and nature-based solutions. With a strong background in project management and the development of sustainable finance mechanisms, he has collaborated with various national and international organizations. As the COO of Xi Bassile, Nélio supports the team in developing innovative solutions, including bioswales and planter box devices.
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Domitila Silayo | Co-founder & Chief Business Officer
With extensive experience in the banking, SME, startup, and entrepreneurial domains, Domitila has an MBA in Corporate Management from Mzumbe University and an MSc Strategic Management & Planning from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Her impressive track record of generating revenue growth in competitive markets, strategic relationship development, and key account management spans more than 5 years. As the CBO of Xi Bassile, Domitila seeks to leverage her business, sales, finance, growth strategy, strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal abilities to build, coach, and manage teams to achieve business strategic goals and launch new business initiatives.
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Paulino Botão | Co-founder & Chief Environmental Officer
With over 13 years of experience in eco-tourism, sustainability, bamboo cultivation, and recycling, Paulino Botão leads Xi Bassile's environmental strategy. He ensures compliance with environmental standards, conducts impact assessments, and works with stakeholders to influence sustainable policies. His expertise in promoting eco-friendly business practices and advancing the circular economy aligns with Xi Bassile's mission to create resilient urban environments.
FAQs
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We provide the following services:
Design, construction and maintenance of bioswales,
Production, sales and maintenance of planter boxes
Consultancy for urban infrastructure projects applying nature-based solutions
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Our products and services are for:
NGOS, Financial and Humanitarian Aid Agencies that invest in urban infrastructure projects,
Municipalities and governmental bodies responsible for water management
Households and commercial establishments
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No, at Xi Bassile we work in providing stormwater management solutions to both individuals and organizations.
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Yes, we are only available in Mozambique at the moment. However, in future, we are looking to extend our services to other African countries.
Contact Us
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