Wessex Water visit Mali to see how lives have been transformed

Fundraisers from Wessex Water saw first hand the difference their money has made when they visited WaterAid projects in Mali last week as part of the company's 'Wessex for West Africa' fundraising initiative.

With a population of 12.4 million, Mali in West Africa is one of the poorest countries in the world. Around 40% of people do not have access to safe water and 55% still do not have access to proper sanitation. WaterAid has been working in the country since 2000 to assist with its vast water and sanitation needs.

David Elliott, Director for Regulation and Assets, and Mike Moriarty, General Manager for Central Services visited communities in Mali without access to safe water and sanitation to find out what life is like without these basic necessities, joining the people of Piguè on the 3km daily walk to their nearest water source.

They also visited communities where WaterAid is already working to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education and saw how the money they have raised has transformed lives and helped lift people out of poverty. In the village of Enè they saw how a network of rainwater harvesting systems is giving families a reliable source of safe water through the dry season.

David Elliot, Wessex Water's Director of Regulation and Assets, says:

"Where communities had water, the change was remarkable. There was much greater energy and optimism, which in turn led to greater affluence. The work that WaterAid do is still as relevant and appropriate today as it was 12 years ago when I last visited a project. What I was really impressed with was their work on empowerment and hygiene education which will ensure the success of their projects for generations to come."

Vanessa Ashton, Regional Development Manager at WaterAid, says:

"This visit to Mali enabled us to show Wessex Water and their partners exactly how their hard work and generosity has helped transform the lives of some of the world's poorest people. I'd like to thank everyone involved in the Wessex for West Africa initiative for their support."

The Wessex for West Africa fundraising project aims to engage staff from a wide group of companies, as well as from Wessex Water, in the work WaterAid undertakes helping people living in poverty and without access to clean water and safe sanitation.

In its first year, the project raised an additional £50,000 on top of Wessex Water's usual fundraising efforts for the charity, and helped needy communities in Nigeria. A fact finding group visited WaterAid's projects in rural areas of Nigeria in November 2008.

David and Mike were accompanied by representatives from Wessex for West Africa partners GPS, Enpure, ATS, Mildren Construction and Greenacre Pumps.

For more information, photos or footage from the trip contact Rachel Pilkington, Media Officer, WaterAid – rachelpilkington@wateraid.org / 0207 793 4524