Deutsche bank, Brandix support water project

Joint investment of Rs. 3.8 million:

At least 2000 families exposed to the threat of chronic kidney and water-borne diseases in Sri Lanka's North Central Province are to receive special water filters in a new community outreach project funded jointly by Brandix Lanka Limited and Deutsche Bank AG.

To be implemented by the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project (CWSSP) of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, the project will involve the distribution of filters that remove pathogens and harmful minerals such as fluoride from the drinking water in selected areas, the training of recipients in the correct use of the filters and arrangements for their maintenance.

Funding for the procurement of the filters will be shared by Deutsche Bank with a contribution of Rs. 2 million, and Brandix with a contribution of Rs. 1.8 million. The project will be executed by a network of village-level Community Based Organisations (CBOs) built up by the CWSSP over the past 15 years in districts vulnerable to water-borne diseases.

Announcing the collaboration between Deutsche Bank and Brandix at a news conference, Rohan Rodrigo, the Bank's CEO in Sri Lanka said: "We are aware that there is a high incidence of chronic renal failure and other water-borne diseases attributed to the high levels of fluoride in the water in parts of the North Central Province and the North Western Province.

Brandix has done some excellent work to help communities tackle this problem, and Deutsche Bank is pleased to support this project and work with Brandix to improve the quality of life of people in affected areas."

Head of CSR at Brandix, Anusha Alles said: "A strong and caring partner like Deutsche Bank will generate greater interest in our own community projects conducted under the theme 'Water is Life.'

This partnership could be the start to many good projects and be a precedent for more partnerships among corporate entities for projects that result in tangible and meaningful interventions in poor rural communities."

Speaking on behalf of the CWSSP, Consultant U. Sapukotana said the Brandix-Deutsche Bank Water Purification Project would directly benefit families chosen on the basis of their exposure to water-borne diseases.

The community-based organisations of the CWSSP had, with the assistance of medical practitioners, identified people most affected, he said, disclosing that priority had been given to families where at least one member had already developed renal problems due to bad drinking water.

Medawachchiya and Thalawa in Anuradhapura desperately need fluoride filters but cannot afford them."

Already, more than 40 people from affected communities in the North Central Province have been trained at the Brandix Water Research and Training Centre in Anuradhapura on the importance of filtering drinking water and the use and maintenance of the filters specially designed for the areas affected by contaminated water.

These persons will in turn train the recipient families on how to use and clean the filters.

The Community-based organisations will monitor the use and maintenance of the filters distributed, while Brandix has undertaken to periodically conduct random tests of the quality of the filtered water to ensure that the beneficiaries are being protected against health complications.