JAKARTA, INDONESIA -- The Grundfos Foundation (Poul Due Jensen Foundation) has released a DKK $1 million grant ($163,000 USD) to aid in the ongoing disaster response to an earthquake in West Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. The Grundfos Foundation has made this donation to Water Mission, a nonprofit organization, following the 15 January earthquake. Besides personal injuries and deaths, there has been extensive structural damage to buildings and homes, leaving approximately 40,000 people displaced in temporary shelters around the island. Water Mission is already on the ground, providing immediate disaster relief to address the urgent need for the distribution of safe water.
“Safe water access in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is critical in minimizing the spread of illness for people living in marginalized situations,” said Water Mission CEO and President, George C. Greene IV, PE. “We’re thankful for the generous support of the Grundfos Foundation. Our shared presence in Sulawesi allows us to reach people in need as quickly as possible with safe water.”
The existing Water Mission Indonesia office has established disaster response working relationships with partners such as Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA), enabling its team to quickly assess and respond to disasters and provide emergency safe water where it is needed most. To date, the team is operating a mobile Living Water Treatment System (LWTS) and conducting water trucking operations to four Internally Displaced People (IDP) temporary shelter locations. Additional efforts include distribution of P&G emergency water purification packets. Coordination is underway with government officials to plan for a centralized safe water distribution point and to begin mass safe water production for additional displaced residents.
“Grundfos Indonesia is part of the neighborhoods affected by this disaster, and we are committed to contributing to the relief efforts now underway, thanks to the generosity of the Foundation and the collaboration with Water Mission,” said Radinal Latuconsina, president director, head of sales, Grundfos Trading Indonesia. “On behalf of our company and all of the employees, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is affected by this disaster.”
Grundfos and Water Mission have a long working history in the Sulawesi region. The two organizations have worked together to provide safe water to communities here since responding to the devastating Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in 2004. Water Mission’s Indonesia team has been among the first responders to disasters in Indonesia and other countries around the world, including providing emergency safe water solutions following the earthquake and tsunami that struck Sulawesi in 2018. Water Mission is once again leveraging its established presence in the region to quickly provide emergency safe water and is one of the first global humanitarian organizations to immediately respond. Grundfos also has an established presence in Indonesia and is providing Water Mission with logistical support.
