Across rural communities in East Africa, countless families live on dirt floors—an often-overlooked health hazard that quietly fuels cycles of poverty. These bare earth surfaces, common in low-income homes, harbour bacteria and parasites, increasing the risk of diarrhoea, respiratory illnesses, and other infections. For decades, this public health issue was dismissed as too deeply rooted in poverty to solve affordably. But Gayatri Datar, co-founder and CEO of EarthEnable, is leading a quiet revolution that starts from the ground up. By combining social entrepreneurship with local innovation and community-driven implementation, Datar proves that even the most entrenched problems can be solved with the right mix of vision and action.
A healthier future, one floor at a time
Founded in 2014, EarthEnable provides an affordable, sustainable alternative to traditional cement flooring. Using locally sourced materials and a proprietary, plant-based sealant, the company installs waterproof, durable earthen floors that are easy to clean. More than a physical upgrade, these floors offer safer, more dignified living conditions to families who once lived on exposed soil.
Its solution improves hygiene, reduces disease transmission, and restores a sense of pride to households that formal housing systems have long underserved.
The journey from Harvard to Rwanda
Datar’s path to founding EarthEnable began at Harvard Kennedy School, where she pursued a public policy degree. As part of a field project, she travelled to Rwanda with a team of classmates to explore grassroots development solutions. There, they uncovered the widespread challenge of dirt floors and developed the prototype of a sealed earthen floor.
While others returned to academia or corporate careers, Datar chose to stay. She co-founded EarthEnable with Zachary Darnell and assumed the role of CEO, turning what began as a student project into a mission-driven enterprise with continental reach.
Making multiple impacts
Today, EarthEnable operates in Rwanda and Uganda, where it has trained hundreds of local masons, equipping them with technical skills, dignified employment, and a chance to lead the transformation of their communities. These masons deliver EarthEnable’s core services—affordable floor installations and eco-friendly wall plastering—ensuring clean, safe, and beautiful homes for low-income families.
In 2021, the organisation launched the Healthy Homes Programme, an expanded initiative offering comprehensive home upgrades such as handwashing stations, improved kitchens, and sanitation-focused household improvements. The goal is simple: reduce exposure to disease and enhance everyday life.
EarthEnable has completed or is actively working on over 35,000 housing projects, reaching more than 200,000 individuals and creating over 1,000 jobs across East Africa.
Gaining global Recognition
In 2025, the organisation received the prestigious Skoll Award for Social Innovation and a $2 million grant to scale its operations.
As EarthEnable prepares to expand further across the region, Gayatri Datar remains focused on one guiding principle: that healthy homes should be a fundamental right, not a privilege. With each new floor laid, she’s helping communities build stronger foundations—literally and figuratively—for generations to come.
