Beko, one of the top three large-home appliances brands in Europe*, today announced a new partnership with Water.org to support a community programme that will empower 10,000 Kenyans in need with access to safe water and sanitation solutions.
According to Water.org, 15 percent of Kenyans rely on unimproved water sources, such as ponds, shallow wells and rivers, while 41% of Kenyans lack basic sanitation – facilities. These challenges are even more prevalent in rural areas where people are often unable to connect to piped water infrastructure.
Through the two-year partnership, Beko will support Water.org and its local partner AMFI Kenya, the association of microfinance institutions, to help scale and promote solutions to enable access to safe water in urban slums and rural areas without reliable water sources.
The programme will include the development of learning materials and activities to empower communities with affordable access to loans so they can install wells, water storage tanks, filters, rainwater harvesting systems and sanitation solutions. The partnership will also help to mobilise capital investments totaling USD 700 000 for water and sanitation loans to impact hard-to-reach communities.
Akın Garzanlı, Chief Marketing Officer, Arçelik, said: “Access to safe water and sanitation is an essential human right, and any barriers to these pose serious threats to well-being, and undermines social and economic development. At the heart of many of our innovations and solutions is the recognition that resources like water are incredibly precious. This is true for our global consumers, who we encourage to save water through our technology and ethos, and for those without access to clean, safe water. We are proud to support Water.org and share skills and resources to empower families in need with access to lasting water sources.
Gary White, CEO and Co-founder of Water.org, said: “We appreciate the support of Beko to help change lives in Kenya with access to safe water or sanitation solutions. Together we will empower families in need with lasting access to safe water, and the hope, health and opportunity that flow from it.”
The partnership builds on the ambitious commitments and work to date promoting responsible water consumption from Arçelik, parent company of Beko, and includes developing cutting-edge home appliances to help households reduce water waste, as well as leveraging the latest technologies across its own production operations to increase water efficiency in all regions where its suppliers are located.
Beko has been operating in Kenya for 10 years and its belief that healthy living is only possible on a healthy planet informs every aspect of the business, from product development to business decisions and its desire to engage hard-to-reach communities across the globe. The new partnership provides a valuable opportunity for Beko to leverage its significant expertise and resources to scale and deliver positive impact for Kenyan consumers.