Our Mission:

Promote Healthy Futures in AIDS-Impacted Communities

Pamoja’s Safe Drinking Water Project

Many of you know Proctor and Gamble as the company that makes your detergent and toothpaste. Di d you also know that they are one of the largest corporate donors to drinking water safety? Early in August Pamoja Project was contacted to lead an effort to bring P and G’s clean drinking water initiative to 300 Tanzanian families living with HIV, or with children under 5 years. Water borne disease is especially devastating to these populations, and the water in our service area is filled with bacteria, parasites, and other dangerous elements.

Before we agreed to initiate this program, we were concerned that partnering with the corporation that ultimately would be selling the product in Tanzania was taking advantage of the population. We held a series of meetings with local leadership to get their input, and the response was resounding support. You see, they told us, the cost of losing a child to dysentery, or spending weeks in the hospital with a parasite, were much higher than the cost of not spreading this technology. With local support, we decided to accept the grant.
In September we trained 10 volunteers who became the workforce that began to teach water safety and water treatment with the donated supplies, including packets of PUR.  So far our trainees have met with much enthusiasm, and several area schools and clinics have asked for additional trainings. At the end of the grant period in September, 2010, we expect to have reached over 1,000 people as well as created micro-business opportunities to sell  PUR  at the cost of less than $1 per month per family. For more information on The Proctor and Gamble Children’s Safe Drinking Water Initiative go to: www.csdw.org