World Water Day 2016
Uganda boreholes
Each year the arrival of World Water Day on 22nd March is a positive reminder of the importance of water globally. It also raises awareness of the almost one billion people who don’t have access to safe water worldwide. So, we’re firm supporters of the initiative here at Eden Springs. With water being central to our business, it’s important to us that we support projects throughout the year to bring clean water to those who need it most. We work with a carefully selected corporate charity partner – People Help People-One World – who helps communities in Central Africa, at a grassroots level, gain access to clean drinking water. One project we’ve supported was the building of several clean water wells in the Wakiso district, which in turn is helping to improve access to drinking water for the area’s 1.4 million inhabitants – 70% of whom don’t have a source of clean water. We are excited to announce our support of a second and new project for 2016. Through our association with the Carbon Neutral® organisation, Eden’s carbon neutral offsetting will lend support to another water infrastructure project in Sub-Saharan Africa.
About the project
Based primarily in Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi, the project provides clean drinking water to small rural communities by repairing broken boreholes and drilling new ones. The boreholes are used as water wells by installing a vertical pipe casing and well screen which allows water to be extracted from the ground. Funds from the carbon offsetting pay for this activity, as well as ongoing maintenance to ensure they continue to operate. Estimated to impact 3,000 children and 5,700 adults, the project is successfully reducing incidences of diarrhoea and fatalities in the local communities and, importantly, freeing up the time women and children used to have to spend collecting water located hours away. It’s often the case that in many communities health, education, income and general development is negatively impacted due to a lack of water. So, providing access to clean water has a wealth of benefits. World Water Day has our full backing and we all need to be playing our part in helping ensure safe water year-round.
