Grundfos solutions help remote communities struggling to meet water needs

Grundfos CEO Poul Due Jensen visited three villages in Zambia where women used to spend several hours every day fetching water. He experienced how game changing solutions have made a real difference in getting access to water.

Water scarcity is a severe problem in landlocked Zambia - as it is in many places in Africa. It is estimated that only 39 percent of the 1,4-billion people in sub-Saharan Africa have access to safely managed drinking water. And as the population is growing, so does the need for clean and safe water.

Poul Due Jensen visited rural Zambia to see how our game changing solutions can provide easy access to clean water.

Getting firsthand knowledge of our efforts to reach 300 million people with water
Grundfos CEO Poul Due Jensen recently visited schools and medical centres in three remote villages in Zambia. The purpose was to learn more about the work Grundfos is doing together with the NGO World Vision, and to see, firsthand, how Grundfos solutions make a difference and improve the quality of life for the people in these remote communities.

The visit also provided evidence of the need to see possibility in every drop and why Grundfos must pursue the ambition of providing 300 million people with water by 2030.

Poul Due Jensen said: “It is inspiring to see the passion every World Vision staff member brings to work every day. We also saw how tough it is when 400 female pupils share one toilet, and 700 students share the same hand pump. It’s clear that our technology can really support a better quality of life. The warm welcome we received and seeing the difference we can truly be part of, was humbling and touching. It means a lot to me; this is what it’s all about.”

Replacing hand pumps with solar pumps
One of the Grundfos solutions in the area is the replacement of hand pumps with the solar-driven SQFlex. This drive is part of an accelerating initiative by national governments and NGOs in Africa to upgrade and modernise water pumping with solar solutions.

The SQFlex is the perfect answer because it significantly reduces the time it takes to collect water, it is durable, and it eliminates the physically demanding task of drawing water manually. World Vison Zambia calls it a game changer.

The trip was arranged by Grundfos’ SafeWater business unit, which works with humanitarian partners and NGOs around the world with the purpose of transforming underserved communities through commercially viable and sustainable smart water solutions.

World Vision and Grundfos
World Vision has been a partner to Grundfos since 2018. Founded in 1950, this global humanitarian organisation is represented by 37,000 people in 100 countries. Focus is on providing clean water, dignified sanitation, and effective hygiene practices to communities, schools, and healthcare facilities. World Vision reaches one new person with clean water every 10 seconds, which makes it one of the world’s biggest NGOs working with water.