Companies seek to offer safe access to drinking water in Africa

9 May 2011

Five multi-national corporations have announced plans to provide sustainable access to safe drinking water in Africa.

The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF), Diageo plc, WaterHealth International (WHI), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, revealed the plan at the World Economic Forum on Africa.

Named the Safe Water for Africa (SWA) campaign, the group will work with communities to drive the expansion of WHI's innovative water service delivery model across the continent.

Diageo, TCCAF and WHI have already committed over $6 million (£3.6 million) in funding to deliver sustainable safe water access for communities across Ghana, Nigeria, and Liberia in 2011.

In addition to this investment, SWA plans to raise a total of over $20 million to fulfill its ambition of providing safe water to at least two million Africans by 2012.

"Easy access to safe drinking water is critical for the economic development of Africa," said Nick Blazquez, president of Diageo Africa.

Category: Water