Bengaluru, 24 April, 2017: AMD, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative has collaborated with Jaldhaara Foundation, the NGO partner of WaterHealth India, to provide access to safe drinking water to people living in the low income community of Kumbar Kotai in Bengaluru.
With AMD’s support, the community can get potable water from the now-established WaterHealth Center. The facility was launched by AMD’s Dr. Kiranmai Pendyala, Corporate Vice President and Human Resources Chief Operating Officer.
Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Kiranmai Pendyala said, “Community service is an important part of AMD’s culture and we are proud of this CSR partnership. It offers AMD an opportunity to invest in the wellbeing of local communities. Access to clean water is a basic human right. By making available safe drinking water, we will be able to prevent waterborne infections and diseases in the community”.
AMD employees from the company’s Bengaluru R&D center will regularly volunteer with Jaldhaara Foundation to spread awareness about sanitation and hygiene in the community. They will work with the organization to conduct school education programs focused on life skill education and formation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Ambassadors. In addition, the plant will create new employment opportunities for people from the community; of those hired as plant operators, 40% are expected to be women.
An estimated 20% of Bengaluru’s population reside in urban slums, and 60% of them lack access to reliable water supply. They are served intermittently by tankers and community pipes that do not guarantee safe drinking water. As a result there is mass prevalence of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, common fever, and jaundice. AMD and Jaldhaara Foundation’s efforts will go a long way in eradicating these concerns at Kumbar Kotai.