One of Manna's focuses has been to integrate carbon finance with water treatment. This will contribute to a nascent field wherein humanitarian goals are met in an economically sustainable and accountable way, rather than through charity and aid.
Through the benefit of the carbon markets, water treatment systems can reduce the demand for biomass such as firewood for water treatment by boiling, a common practice in rural communities. Instead, renewable or zero-energy technologies can be installed and maintained with carbon credit revenue.
This new model for hydro- philanthropy is unique in the humanitarian development field. Traditional development organizations rely on government, United Nations (UN), or charity grants, and have finite funding with specific goals for discrete projects. Even foundations with sustainable endowments fund projects individually, often with little commitment for sustaining the projects one year, or ten years, later.
Instead, under this model, economic sustainability and expansion are generated only by the continued use of the water technologies. There is a direct incentive to ensure that the projects are successful, in that these same projects serve to fund further development. No longer is there a disconnect between funding and public health goals.