Caring Ami relishes Malawi opportunity
A Bangor supermarket worker is preparing for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – travelling to Africa to improve the lives of remote villagers.
Ami Craig, aged 25, from Conlig, is part of a four-strong team of Asda colleagues that will travel to Malawi next month to support the pioneering work of ethical water brand Thirsty Planet and its charity partner, Pump Aid.
Millions of people in Malawi don’t have access to clean water, and many have to walk huge distances several times a day to collect water from unprotected wells, putting themselves and family at risk of disease. But Ami and co will aim to change that by helping Pump Aid officials to build a water pump and toilet in a village, giving the community its first supply of clean, safe water and sanitation facilities.
Ami qualified for the trip because the store where she works, on Main Street, Bangor, was one of the four top sellers of Thirsty Planet water in the UK during a recent promotion.
“There was a notice up in the store explaining that someone from our branch would be chosen to go to Malawi, and anyone who was interested had to write an essay saying why they wanted to go,” explained Ami. “I based my essay on a trip to Indonesia I enjoyed as a student, where I studied the impact of deforestation on colonies of butterflies to support my dissertation. That was a brilliant experience, and it really opened my eyes to the world around me.
“Although as switched on as I am when it comes to the environment, I was shocked when I researched the situation in Malawi and read about the extent of waterborne disease in the country. It’s a frightening situation and I can’t wait to get over there so I can build a pump and hopefully make a difference.
“We take it for granted that we can just turn on a tap if we want water, but the people in the schools and villages we’re visiting don’t have that luxury. It’s made me appreciate more than ever how lucky we are – and what a great job Thirsty Planet and Pump Aid are doing.”
Thirsty Planet provides people in Africa with clean water for life by making a guaranteed, specified donation to Pump Aid for every bottle sold. This mechanic has already helped to supply clean water for life to more than 800,000 people in Africa, and sales of the bottled water are currently funding a new water pump every six hours on average.
Each pump, which is based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese design, costs just £250 to build and most of the components are made by the community using easy-to-find materials such as plant fibres.
Paul Martin, managing director of Thirsty Planet’s parent company Waterbrands, said: “The pumps make a huge difference because without them villagers often have to walk miles to the nearest water source several times a day – and even then, the water may be dirty or contaminated.
“Our aim is to supply clean water to 10 million people in Africa by 2015, and thanks to the hard work of people like Ami, we’re well on the way to reaching that target.”