As part of the Water Project at the Nova Esperança Centre, an AECF initiative, Blue Zone recently donated a Grundfos SQ 1-50 water pump, including all the necessary accessories, to the Francisco e Amigos Association, located in Katembe, Maputo province.
The installation of this system marks an improvement in the quality of life of 25 orphaned and vulnerable children, who are looked after by the association from Monday to Saturday. Before the intervention, water shortages were a daily challenge, with the supply from the public network limited to just two hours a day, three times a week.
“Without water it was extremely difficult to guarantee hygiene, food and proper care for the children. Water became an essential priority for the dignified and safe running of our centre,” explains the association.
With the new borehole over 50 metres deep and the Grundfos pump in operation, the centre now has continuous access to water. The change has had an immediate and positive impact on the children’s hygiene, food and health routines, and has also made it possible to irrigate the vegetable gardens grown on site.
“The pump has brought about a very significant change. Today the children can bathe regularly, stay clean, healthy and have clean clothes. Even their school performance has improved,” says the organisation.
As well as the resident children, the system also benefits other families in the local community, who turn to the centre in times of scarcity to obtain water or wash clothes. It is estimated that between 40 and 50 people are currently benefiting directly or indirectly from the infrastructure.
To ensure the sustainability of the project, the association carries out regular technical inspections and promotes the rational use of water. The pump is treated as an essential asset, and its maintenance is one of the local team’s priorities.
This action is part of Blue Zone’s commitment to social responsibility projects that have already benefited Casa do Gaiato and Associação Beneficiária de Crianças Desamparadas de Moçambique (ABEC).