Charleston, S.C safe water nonprofit aids Malawi flood victims
Water Missions International provides disaster relief, safe water for more than 4,000 villagers
Charleston, S.C. (May 8, 2013) – Water Missions International (WMI), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has installed safe water solutions for the Mzinga Primary School and Kaporo community in response to the dire need for safe water amidst disaster flooding in Karonga, Malawi. The safe drinking water will help provide protection against many life-threatening diseases, including cholera, typhoid and diarrhea, which have been a severe risk in the aftermath of heavy floods on March 26-27. The treatment systems can provide up to 10,000 gallons of safe drinking water per day.
The flooding is a result of excessive overflowing of regional rivers and has impacted more than 5,658 residences. Mzinga Primary School and Kaporo are highly impacted areas. In both communities, sanitation and hygiene facilities have been deemed inadequate and most water sources have been rendered unsafe to use as e-coli and other microbiological contaminants have been found present.
“The probability of death from waterborne diseases is astronomically high in a natural disaster,” said George C. Greene III, PhD, PE, co-founder and CEO of Water Missions International. “Our hope is that by providing safe water treatment solutions, we can prevent the outbreak of cholera and similar diseases to ensure a quicker recovery and healthier tomorrow for this disaster-stricken area.”
Water Missions International operates a permanent country program in Malawi and the staff and equipment present, as part of our ongoing program, enabled WMI to provide assistance by installing a safe water solution in these areas. The solutions feature the same technology used in long-term development projects that have an anticipated service life of 20 years.
Both communities may request that the disaster relief projects transition into permanent Water Missions International community development projects that will benefit wider surrounding communities.
Previously, Water Missions International responded to Karonga earthquake victims in December of 2009 and installed a safe water system in the Mulinda community, serving 7,000 people. Made possible through funding from The Friess Family Foundation, the Mulinda disaster response solution has since been transferred to a permanent community development program.
About Water Missions International
Water Missions International is a nonprofit Christian engineering organization providing sustainable safe water and sanitation solutions for people in developing countries and disaster areas. Using state-of-the-art technology and engineering expertise, the organization has provided access to safe water for more than 2.4 million people in 49 countries on five continents since 2001. Water Missions International implements customized solutions through a comprehensive community development model in its nine permanent country programs in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Notably, Charity Navigator has awarded Water Missions International their top rating six years in a row, a distinction shared by only three percent of the charities rated by the organization. To learn more about Water Missions International, visit www.watermissions.org.
Media Contact:
Mollie Williams
Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator
843.769.7395
mwilliams@watermissions.org
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