A Washington husband and wife who set their company the challenge of raising half a million pounds in 20 years for water-based charities have hit their target almost to the day.
Gordon and Emir Dobson, who run water cooler supplier AquAid, came up with the aim when they launched their business on the Pattinson North Industrial estate two decades ago. Now they're not only celebrating 20 years in business, but £500,000 raised and thousands of lives transformed by the provision of clean water in sub-Saharan Africa.
Money raised from the profits of their business was donated to charities Christian Aid and The Africa Trust (formerly Pump Aid), and invested in bringing clean water to people in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. More than 1,000 sustainable wells have been installed, the majority outside of schools so that children have access to clean drinking water.
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Gordon and Emir have been out to Africa several times over the years to see the life-changing effects of the money their company has raised and to pitch in digging the wells. Emir said: "Access to fresh, clean water is just something that people in the UK are lucky enough to be able to take for granted.
"But in the countries we've tried to help in Africa, access to clean water is often a real struggle with people having to travel miles for it, if they can get it at all. It’s the difference between being ill and being healthy and sometimes the difference between life and death."
The couple's company delivers water coolers and dispensers to offices, homes and schools across the region and as it has grown over the last two decades, so has its donations. The Covid pandemic left them doubting if they'd be able to make their £500,000 target, but things bounced back after restrictions were lifted and they realised they had hit the target last month.
Gordon said: "Water coolers save lives and every watercooler we site for a customer in the North East can raise enough money to bring two children water for the rest of their lives. It is a great way for businesses and schools to really help.
"Thousands of children die every day as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation and we want to be part of the generation that stopped that happening. We are very proud of what we have managed to achieve and would like to say a big thank you to all our customers who have supported us and helped us to reach this impressive milestone."
AquAid's effort have won praise from water-based agencies over the years and Ian Thorpe, chief executive of The Africa Trust, wrote to them personally to thank the company for its fundraising efforts. The letter read: "Your franchise alone has enabled The Africa Trust to establish a lifetime supply of clean water for over 50,000 people.
"Thank you for the part you and your colleagues are playing in lifting people out of poverty to live healthier and more productive lives. There are many ways in which having safe clean water in a village helps to lift people out of poverty.
"Water-borne disease causes more deaths and days lost due to illness than anything else in Africa. A clean water supply in a village also reduces the need for girls to make long perilous journeys to collect water, and means they can spend more time in school."
Gordon and Emir are planning to continue their charitable efforts.
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