SAFE WATER AND AIDS PROJECT (SWAP) DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER KNIGHTED

Access to clean safe drinking water has contributed to a decline in opportunistic diseases among HIV positive persons in the Nyanza region. This follows the introduction of water purification systems that have seen over 18,000 thousand families have been provided with clean water.

According to a study conducted by the Centre for Disease Control showed that HIV infected persons who drank clean water had less occurrences of diarrhoea and other opportunistic diseases.

Netherlands Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Joost Reintjes said that opportunistic infection in HIV infected persons has also decreased as communities can now utilise an inexpensive programme of providing safe water at point of use through treatment, safe storage and behaviour change.

Netherlands Ambassador to Kenya Mr. Joost Reintjes said that it was commendable that organizations such as Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) supported the findings of the CDC by ensuring communities have clean drinking water.

The ambassador was speaking during the presentation of the Knight in the Order of Orange to Ms. Alie Eleveld who is Country Director with Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) in Western Kenya. The honour is conferred on persons of Dutch origin who have rendered exceptional service to societies that they work in. 

Ms. Eleveld was honoured for the work including her ingenious development of baby and Family Care Centres which:  provide clean drinking water to communities as well as support them to commercially sell other Baby/Child/Maternal Life Improving Products and Services. Through a partnership with Procter & Gamble’s Purifier of Water (formerly Pur) brand over 3.5 million sachets of P&G purifier of water supplies translating to 35,571,180 liters of safe drinking water have been distributed to communities in Nyanza.

Commending Ms Eleveld, Procter & Gamble’s Sub-Sahara Communications Associate Director said that her efforts have enabled the company touch and improve more Kenyan lives.  “We are particularly proud of Ms. Eleveld’s ingenious initiative The Pampers Baby & Family Care Centre which has helped us reach more Kenyans by expanding the reach of our products. She has opened a world of possibilities to Kenyan communities through a simple commercial practice that has long term positive impacts while at the same time helping us reach more people’, said Ms. Khululiwe Mabaso.

Procter & Gamble and SWAP have been working together in Western Kenya to promote and sell water treatment and other health products as an income generating activity that also benefits the wider community.