SAN DIEGO, CA - The GROW Fund program by Organics Unlimited has announced the results of its 2016 donations to an Ecuadorian clean water program ran by Fundación Niñez Internacional (Children International Foundation). The company stated this has helped fund a five-month Safe Water Project, improving the health of 450 families.
“Some of my favorite moments are when I learn of the results of our grants,” said Mayra Velazquez de León, President of Organics Unlimited and GROW. “It shows how our customers’ banana purchases create change and provide a better life for children and families living in the low-income areas where bananas grow.”
The region of Ecuador focused on by the foundation’s Guayaquil Agency is Duran, an area with a population of 236,000 and poverty rate of 67.8 percent. According to a press release, research showed over two-thirds of families who received aid from the organization did not follow proper safety measures for the storage and use of water for cooking and drinking. That’s where the GROW grant comes in. The company said the grant has funded workshops teaching things such as:
- Safe water practices
- Methods of water disinfection
- Conservation of water quality
- Prevention of water-related diseases
- Proper home hygiene practices
After the program, Children International conducted home visits to assess the results of the Clean Water Project.
“I learned how to disinfect water with chlorine and received a little dropper to measure the correct dosage of chlorine,” shared Vilma Sornoza, a mother and beneficiary of the Clean Water Project. “Before, my son was frequently ill, but now his health has improved. I always want the best for my son, and this program allows me to give him that.”
GROW by Organics Unlimited noted that it has supported the Safe Water Project with grants since 2013, and was the sole funder of the 2016 Safe Water Project for the town of Duran. Over the past decade, through retailer and distributor support, GROW organic banana purchases have raised over $2 million in aid for communities near Organics Unlimited banana farms in Mexico and Ecuador. A percentage derived from the purchase of each box of GROW organic bananas is earmarked for the GROW Fund.
