Apr 14 2008
JM Eagle, the world's largest plastic pipe manufacturer, today announced a partnership with The H20 Africa Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on creating widespread public awareness of the water crisis in Africa and support for solutions. As part of the agreement, JM Eagle will become H20 Africa's official supplier of infrastructure materials, providing high-strength PVC piping products at cost, and commit $150,000 to the Foundation.
H20 Africa is the charitable component of Running the Sahara, an historic expedition and feature documentary film by Academy Award winning director James Moll, which was narrated and executive produced by Matt Damon. The film chronicles the historic quest of three men to run across the Sahara Desert, a journey of over 4,600 miles that took 111 days. H20 Africa was founded by Damon and the Producers of Running the Sahara as they became aware of the world water crisis and its impact on the region where the expedition and film took place.
“We're excited to be part of this important project, and believe our extensive experience in water infrastructure will add real value and support to the overall H20 Africa initiative,” said Walter Wang, CEO of JM Eagle. “Living without a consistent source of clean water is not just a concern - it's a crisis. In helping to develop the necessary water infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa, we are fulfilling an immediate need, as well as providing the basis for long-term, sustainable solutions.”
Mr. Wang added that the ultimate goal is to build a water infrastructure that will be the link to health and economic prosperity in communities throughout sub-Saharan African. “Most developing countries in the world are not water-deficient—they're infrastructure deficient,” commented Wang. “In other words, they have water but they don't have ways to get or transport it. Our objective is to change that.”
JM Eagle has supported efforts to bring clean water to communities in developing countries around the world, believing it is one of the essential needs to effectively address illness and poverty. Most recently, the company provided plastic pipe and other materials to transport drinking water from a mountain spring to a community of 5,000 people in Honduras, and supported a project to develop water delivery and sanitation systems for needy communities in Northern Thailand.
“We're extremely pleased to have JM Eagle as a partner,” commented Jim Van Eerden, Chairman of The H20 Africa Foundation. “Their deep knowledge and expertise regarding water infrastructure will play a key role in helping us continue to provide safe water that enables entire communities to pull themselves out of the cycle of poverty.”
Van Eerden noted that by working with established NGO's - that are on the ground in Africa and overseeing H20 Africa programs - JM Eagle will help to identify and provide the necessary materials for a variety of individual projects like deep-well drilling, irrigation system construction, and routing fresh water resources to communities in Niger, Mali, Senegal and other countries across Africa.
According to H20, lack of water has created compounding damages to many African regions. A failure to cultivate crops and build effective irrigation systems leaves families and children hungry, and any hope of a solid economic base diminished. The near absence of clean water and sanitation also results in extreme health hazards and the spread of preventable disease. Additionally, the immense daily struggle of finding water takes priority over education and social advancement, and caused an unrelenting cycle of poverty and suffering.