Two international nonprofit organizations have partnered to use the natural energy of the sun and children at play to generate safe, clean water for rural communities in Africa.
Africare and Water For All today announced a $1.6 million initiative that will bring clean drinking water and hygiene education to 300 schools and communities in Zambia, Uganda and Malawi.
As summed up by Jeannine B. Scott, Africare senior vice president, "We are very pleased about this collaboration given the significant impact providing water in schools has on education in Africa. Children are freed up to actually attend school as the arduous burden of fetching water is lifted. And with merry-go-rounds that double as water pumps, they can have fun, too!"
Water For All's "Fun Pump" provides both access to water and an opportunity for children to play. As children spin on the merry-go-round, clean water pumps into a storage tank and a simple tap makes it easy to draw water. In addition to donating merry-go-round pumps, Water For All will donate Sun Pumps, which use the power of the sun to pump water from underground. Water For All also will cover the costs of water and site testing and installation.
"Our Sun Pumps and Fun Pumps are sustainable, green solutions to the problem of unsafe drinking water in many parts of Africa," said Jill Rademacher, president of Water For All.
Africare will identify sites in need of a reliable water source and will provide local expertise and training to assist Water For All in selecting which pumps to donate. Africare also will provide education and training in hygiene, sanitation, gardening and income-generating activities linked to water and will conduct follow up visits to monitor and evaluate the use of the pumps and the effectiveness of the education. Both organizations will work directly with schools and communities to determine the best approach to providing clean water technologies and health education.
"Our integrated approach will extend the benefits of clean water and hygiene education, and will foster healthier schools and communities," said Brian Harrigan, executive director, Africare Canada.
After successfully working together in Zambia over the past year, Africare and Water For All are now replicating their cooperative model for even greater impact by expanding to Malawi and Uganda and extending the partnership in Zambia.
"Today's announcement is the next step in a relationship built on mutual concern for providing efficient and sustainable solutions to underserved communities in Africa" said Rademacher. "The partnership between Water For All and Africare is an example of two nonprofit organizations playing to each other's strengths to achieve greater social impact."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Worldwide, millions of women and children spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted, sources. Access to safe water reduces water-borne diseases and eases the burden on women and girls in rural communities. It is estimated that in Africa alone, more than 340 million people lack access to clean drinking water.
Africare is a leading non-profit organization specializing in African development aid. It is the oldest and largest African-American led organization in that field. Since its founding in 1970, Africare has delivered more than $760 million in assistance and support — over 2,500 projects and millions of beneficiaries —to 36 countries Africa-wide. Africare has its international headquarters in Washington, DC, with field offices currently in some 23 African countries. For additional information, please visit www.africare.org.
Water For All, a nonprofit organization based in Johannesburg, has provided access to clean water to hundreds of schools and communities throughout Africa since 2004. As part of Water For All’s customized approach, the organization works with local communities and in-country advisors to assess each school or community's water needs and determine which water technology is most appropriate. Water For All uses a range of water technologies such as merry-go-round pumps, wind powered pumps, solar pumps, hand pumps and purification systems. For additional information, visit www.waterforall.org
