Instead of presents being given to employees and customers, more than 15,000 people will have access to clean water.
“We are delighted about NCC’s generous Christmas donation to children in Niger,” said Véronique Lönnerblad, secretary general of UNICEF Sweden. “The fact that the employees are refraining from personal Christmas gifts in this manner and are instead contributing to the survival of thousands of children sets a good example for other Swedish companies.”
To decide on a joint Christmas present, NCC arranged for all 18,000 employees to vote on different present proposals. UNICEF and the project of constructing water pumps in Niger, one of the driest regions in Africa, was the project that received the highest number of votes.
“There has been widespread involvement from employees in voting on a Christmas present that makes a real difference. NCC consumes large amounts of water and thus the project is highly relevant and important,” said Ann Lindell Saeby, senior vice president corporate communications at NCC. “We hope that our donation will be of great help. It will be interesting to follow the progress of the project.”
Poverty in Niger means that only a small amount of the water available can be used. Only a third of the population in rural areas has access to clean water.
People who do not have access to clean water have to use dirty water from wells or ponds. Many children suffer from malnutrition, illness or die due to the effects of diarrhea and other diseases that could easily be cured.
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