The Coca-Cola Foundation, a philanthropic arm of The CocaCola Company, has donated US$50,000 to DanChurchAid Zimbabwe to implement water and sanitation project to provide clean and safe water to the urban poor in selected high-density suburbs of Bulawayo.
The project is also expected to mitigate rising COVID-19 cases in the city which has endured serious water shortages leading to a diarrhea outbreak.
“The funding will be used to conduct site surveys, drill six boreholes and equip the solar driven water kiosks that will provide water to many families in Bulawayo,” said Milidzani Ncube, Coca-Cola Country Manager.
“Lack of access to safe water and sanitation services has direct health implications. Globally, many children die from diarrhea every year. Most of these deaths can be prevented through access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, and good hygiene,” added Ncube.
The six months-long project which is scheduled for completion by June 2021 will be the second within a year after Schweppes Zimbabwe, a manufacturer and distributor of non-carbonated still beverages under licence from The Coca-Cola Company in partnership with DanChurchAid Zimbabwe provided 2,181 families with clean water in Bulawayo as part of their COVID-19 humanitarian support.
In appreciation of the funding, DanChurchAid Country Director, Mads Schack Lindegard said, “With partners like The Coca-Cola Foundation, we are changing lives and supporting sustainable community initiatives.”
This water and sanitation project for the urban poor in Bulawayo is focused on addressing the problem of inadequate water and poor sanitation in low-income urban communities to contribute towards a lasting solution.
“Through partnerships with service providers including water utilities, local authorities like Bulawayo City Council and the communities these efforts will strengthen the capacity of service providers to deliver sustainable city-wide water and sanitation services, promote good hygiene and raise the standards of living,” said Cocacola Foundation.
