PepsiCo's Access to Safe Water Programme: First phase enables safe water access for 30,000 people in Lahore

LAHORE: The first phase of PepsiCo's "Access to Safe Water Programme" has made safe water accessible to 30,000 people in Lahore. With the help of its on-ground partner WaterAid, a total of eight water filtration facilities have been rehabilitated.

The intervention has focused on underserved urban settlements in Gulberg, Sultanke and Dhoop Sari. The filtration plants provide sustainable safe water to targeted communities including three schools. 20 water user committees have been formed to oversee the operation and maintenance of the water filtration plants.

A female resident of Gulberg commented on the rehabilitated facility in the area said: "The water filtration plant in our area was not functional and for a long time I had to travel quite far to get water for myself and my children. I am happy that the plant is functional again and am satisfied with quality of water for my family."

An integral part of the programme has been community sensitization on hygiene, water safety and water conservation. 4,000 people were trained on hygiene promotion through interactive sessions such as street theatre and story-telling. The second leg of the programme is underway in Islamabad and the infrastructure invention will be completed by the end of 2020. Going forward, in 2021 the programme will have a more focused lens on hygiene promotion and safe storage of water.

PepsiCo's Access to Safe Water Programme is supporting the Government's Clean Green Pakistan movement aimed at environmental sustainability by providing access to safe water to 140,000 people in the country by end of 2021.

Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan said, "Access to clean drinking water is one of the most basic human needs. PepsiCo's partnership with WaterAid is an effort to serve the under privileged communities of Pakistan that are still struggling to get access to clean water."

"This initiative is an integral part of PepsiCo's With Purpose agenda and in line with our commitment of "In With for Pakistan," he mentioned.

WaterAid Pakistan representative commented, "WaterAid Pakistan is committed to supporting Clean Green Pakistan Initiative by the Government of Pakistan and are happy that through this collaboration with PepsiCo we were able to reach vulnerable populations residing in the urban areas. PepsiCo and WaterAid Pakistan will continue to take initiative to provide access to safe water as part of the Clean Green Pakistan Movement."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020