Africa’s
leading steel supplier, Macsteel, recently facilitated the installation of a novel water-pump
system at the Ntsoanatsatsi Educare Centre in
QwaQwa, in collaboration with Roundabout Water Solutions (RWS).
Utilising the playful energy of
children, the installation – called a PlayPump – is a sustainable water-pumping
system attached to a children’s merry-go-round that supplies water to a storage
tank for immediate use. Adding another favourable element, Macsteel drew
on valued SMME customer support under its Usizo Enterprise Development umbrella
by sub-contracting manufacturing to an Usizo partner.
“Collaborating with RWS serves as a golden
opportunity to align our community involvement programme with our enterprise
development initiative, Usizo,” explained Kim Allan, group CSI Manager.
RWS, a non-profit organisation,
ascertains which schools in rural communities are unable to supply children
with clean drinking water. When the Ntsoanatsatsi Educare Trust approached RWS
with a plea for a PlayPump, Macsteel’s CSR network set the project in motion.
According to Kim Allan, Macsteel has
been collaborating with RWS in this innovative water solution for rural
communities since 2017. Macsteel in the case of
Ntsoanatsatsi Educare also funded to drill the borehole. However, In the
main, when a school is identified and lab-tests have given the borehole water
the all-clear, RWS installs the merry-go-round over the borehole and an USIZO
customer is commissioned to fabricate a Macsteel-supplied water-tank for
installation close to the roundabout.
Providing water on tap for children and
staff as well as the broader community, the installation brings several
benefits, including an improvement to the children’s overall health, a decrease
in water-borne illnesses, increased attendance at school and improved education
results. It also removes the risk faced by young girls when walking long
distances to fetch water from rivers and dams.
According to Elise Monaone, Principle of
Ntsoanatsatsi Educare Centre, the merry-go-round is a huge hit with the
children. She added that it has provided a solution for clean drinking water
and for food preparation at the school and the children’s general hygiene.
Thus far, the Macsteel-RWS partnership
has created market and job opportunities for six valued Usizo customers and
seen the fabrication of tank stands in 22 rural schools in five provinces in
South Africa.
“Shared social value is key,” said
Allan. “Creating opportunities that bring together underprivileged communities
and Macsteel’s space renewal initiative through Usizo is central to our CSR
vision.” She added that the combined issues of water scarcity and the rightful
access to clean water, Macsteel remains committed to finding and contributing
solutions in a sustainable way to the country’s water crisis in rural
communities.
