KARACHI: Bayer Pakistan and Tayaba Organization have distributed 2,000 H2O Water Wheels in communities in rural Sindh and Punjab which face acute water shortages, as well as, water transportation challenges.
Under the banner of this project, 1,000 Water Wheels were distributed in Sindh (Umerkot and Tharparkar) and 1,000 in Punjab (Hasilpur) and they will directly benefit 14,000 people.
Endorsed by Pakistan’s Water Ministry, the project initiated by Tayaba Organization offers not only a convenient and hygienic transportation method for water in the form of H2O wheels (40-liter drum-shaped containers with specially designed handles to enable rolling on the ground), but also hygienic storage. It thus will help reduce the incidence of waterborne disease, as well as, medical conditions in women and children caused by carrying heavy containers of water over long distances on their heads.
The project also aims to redefine gender roles by reframing the perception that water fetching is “women’s work”. Water Wheels are gender neutral, and by engaging more men at the community level to make water collection a shared activity.
“This project is well-aligned with Bayer’s global vision “Health for All, Hunger for None.”
At Bayer, we believe in sustainable development and making a difference where our efforts are needed the most. Pakistan is facing grave and wide-spread water availability challenges. Affordable, sustainable interventions such as the H2O Water Wheels are an effective, immediate solution that improves the daily lives of people, and I am pleased to be here today to take part in the community roll-out,” said Dr. Imran Ahmad Khan, CEO and MD, Bayer Pakistan on the occasion.
He added that by reducing the time and effort expended on tasks such as water-collection, initiatives such as the H2O Water Wheels project can offer rural communities the chance to focus on their economic well being.
It is pertinent to mention here that globally, 2.2 billion people currently do not have access to safely managed drinking
water, while 1 million neonatal and maternal deaths are associated with waterborne diseases annually.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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