ADRA Teams Up With Industry Leader to Provide Sustainable Water Access to 1.5 Million People
June 25, 2017: A partnership between the Adventist Development and Relief Agency and the global leader in water technology was announced on June 23.
The goal of the partnership with technology company Grundfos is to provide clean water access to 1.5 million people in Africa, Asia, Central and South America and the South Pacific.
According to an announcement on the ADRA website, the plan is to achieve the goal over the next few years.
The partnership will target underserved people in rural areas that are becoming urbanized.
Traditional water technologies will be replaced by cutting-edge clean water delivery technology employing renewable energy.
Grundfos technology will include single solar panel-powered water pumps which will replace hand pumps.
Also, an innovative water dispenser much like an ATM machine will provide water after users swipe pre-charged cards.
ADRA has used Grunfos technology to create water kiosks providing a range of services.
In addition to clean water, the kiosks will sell hygiene supplies and other basic household products.
Users can connect to wifi at the kiosks and learn more about hygiene from digital screens.
The sustainability of the kiosks is enhanced by the fact that they will generate revenue for entrepreneur kiosk owners as well as jobs for local residents.
This summer, the first of these kiosks will be installed in Hurricane Matthew-ravaged southwestern Haiti. This will be followed by kiosks in Mozambique and Nepal.
The Grundfos partnership is part of a larger 5-year ADRA campaign to impact 10 million vulnerable people with water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions.
“Grundfos is the global leader in supplying water pumps and using renewable energy to provide water, and their reputation for quality and innovation is well known. As ADRA looks to make a substantial impact in the lives of millions of people through clean water access over the next five years, we are proud to work alongside Grundfos to support so many families on their journey to greater prosperity,” said president of ADRA International, Jonathan Duffy.
ADRA is the humanitarian agency of the Adventist Church. Its mission is to provide sustainable, community-based development as well as disaster relief internationally.