TV presenter, actor and entrepreneur, Maps Maponyane, joined an international and South African team from luggage brand TUMI, global humanitarian aid organization Waves For Water and local not-for-profit organization, FLOW, on a water activation in the Langrug community.
Maponyane noted that the impoverished community, which comprises over 2 500 shacks and is home to over 7 000 people, is regularly affected by health problems stemming from limited access to sanitation and safe, clean water.
Like many settlements in South Africa, Langrug is impacted by the deterioration of South Africa’s water quality as a result of increased pollution and destruction of river catchments.
Waves For Water has implemented long-term mechanisms to change the way water is accessed for years to come in Langrug with the construction of three rain catchment systems at the new community centre and at two crèches in the settlement.
The combination of rain catchment systems and water filters will not only improve access to water, but provide a solution to ensuring that the collected water is safe to drink.
“It is incredible to be part of a project like this with a brand like TUMI which is going all out to give back to the region in which it has a shop. Water is one of the most vital elements of life and it is wonderful to help them provide portable bucket-based systems that will enable these people to clear out the impurities from dirty water. This will enable them to be healthier and improve their quality of life – and it will also save them money as they will not have to buy as much bottled water to drink,” he pointed out.
TUMI is a long-time partner of Waves For Water, which works on the front lines to provide access to clean water to communities in need around the world. TUMI has supported more than 10 projects including the Caribbean Hurricane Relief Initiative following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, flood relief in Peru and Sierra Leone, programs in Haiti, Uganda, Kenya, the Ecuadorian Amazon, the Philippines, Nepal, and India. To date, 16,500 filtration systems have implemented and 28 rain catchment systems built.
www.wavesforwater.org/project/887 | www.flow.org.za/portfolios/genius-of-space-gos2/ | www.tumi.co.za