Atlas Copco Employees Support Welthungerhilfe with €60,000 for Clean Drinking Water in Kenya

On 16 December, Atlas Copco employees presented a cheque in the amount of €60,000 to the charity Deutsche Welthungerhilfe. Once again, the large donations made in previous years – €40,000 in 2014 and €55,000 in 2015 – were exceeded. As in 2015, the funds provided by the employee initiative “Water for All” will support water supply projects in Kenya. “In Kenya, wells are being changed over from diesel pump operation to innovative solar technology, which will make water supplies more secure,” explained Jochem Kersjes, Chairman of Water for All Deutschland e. V. and General Manager of Atlas Copco Holding GmbH. The diesel pump units needed fuel and required intensive maintenance. It was frequently necessary to purchase expensive spare parts. “This modern technology will solve many problems,” Kersjes added.

“We will be using the donations from Water for All to install further zero-emissions “water kiosks” in the regions of Makueni und Kitui,” explained Antje Blohm, representative of Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, on the presentation of the cheque. These water kiosks are more than just water supply points: “They deliver fresh water from the well to the kiosk very efficiently using solar-powered pumps and also serve as meeting and communications points.” Blohm expressed her gratitude for the continued support from Water for All: “Your donations will help ensure that inhabitants of rural areas in Kenya hit by drought have access to precious drinking water virtually at all times.” She said that part of the money which had been donated would be used to train users of water kiosks in hygiene and the avoidance of contamination. Antje Blohm thanked Atlas Copco employees for their voluntary commitment: “I am very pleased that your association and Atlas Copco have supported our efforts so well for so many years and have collected a record donation this year.”

Atlas Copco triples donations made by employees
Water for All Deutschland e. V. has demonstrated considerable creativity in generating donations. Prior to the Essen company run, members of the association had negotiated a donation of a certain amount for each kilometre covered with the General Management. This event alone resulted in a donation of €7,500. Atlas Copco apprentices also demonstrated their commitment to the good cause. This year, they designed Christmas cards for the first time; the sale of these cards resulted in further income of €4,760 for Water for All. For each euro donated directly via their salary statements by employees of the more than 20 Atlas Copco companies in Germany, Atlas Copco itself donates two further euros.

Water for All, or W4A for short, was established by employees of the Swedish Atlas Copco Group in 1984 and has since helped more than 1.6 million people throughout the world. In Germany, 197 members and supporting members are committed to the goals of W4A. In 2016, 19 new members joined and the Association plans to break the 200 member mark for the first time in 2017. Activities planned for the year include participation in the Zero Hunger Run to be held in Bonn in the autumn. Once again, the donations made in 2017 will be used to improve living conditions for people in regions affected by drought.

Further information on the association: https://water4all.ngo/