Contribute Water brings clean water to Africa with every bottle of water sold here!
Imagine if every time you bought a bottle of water in Malta you were helping someone in another country, who struggles to have the same basic entitlement every day? Well that’s what one couple is doing from their home in Sliema with their company Contribute Water. Set up six-years ago by Karl and Janika Wijkmark, their bottled water is trying to make the world a better place one sip at a time. Impressed yet?
Business-with-a-heart!
Business-with-a-heart
“We got the idea when we decided that we wanted to start a social enterprise,” says Karl. “We are of the opinion that a business can do so much more than just make money. After extensive research, we decided we would like to help with the global water crisis, after finding out that around 800 million people live without access to clean water. We wanted to connect the product we’re selling with the charity we’re interested in, hence our business model. The concept is very simple: for every bottle sold, part of the money goes to charity projects in Malawi. So far we have built four water pumps, helping thousands of people.”
At home and abroad
As well as helping people in Africa, Karl and Janika are working with organisations in Malta to encourage businesses to be more contentious. “Using our water is a great way for companies to take care of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Most employers offer water to their staff or customers, so why not do good at the same time? We are also part of a two-year pilot project run by SOS Malta and CORE Platform. It’s called Resilient Communities and is aimed at addressing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. We also work with an organisation called Tree-Nation, which is planting trees on our behalf, to make up for our carbon footprint. So every year we tell them how much plastic, electricity and transportation we’ve consumed in carbon and then they guide us on how many trees we should plan in order to make up for it.”
Contribute Water helps fund pumps in Malawi
The ripple effect
Karl and Janika’s hard work seems to be paying off. They now sell thousands of bottles each month and businesses are taking notice. “You can find Contribute Water in most localities such as Maypole, The Convenience Stores, Brown’s Pharmacies as well as the restaurants Shakes 'n bakes in San Gwann and Po-K in Sliema's Plaza Shopping Centre,” says Karl.
So how much of the profit goes to charity? “It depends on where you buy it,” continues Karl. “A certain percentage on each bottle sold is donated. It was important for us to give on every bottle we sell and not just on the overall profit, as a company can exist for many years without making any money. Using this model, we’re sure we’ll always donate to charity.”
Local reaction
So, does Karl feel enough is being done to educate people in Malta about the country’s own water supply? “No, I don’t think it’s on everyone’s mind, but in comparison to the people we are helping in Malawi, we have an abundance of water in Malta, we just need to be careful with how we’re using it. Here, we can just turn on the tap and have running water, but, for the people that we’re helping, that is a luxury. They are happy if they can fetch a bucket of water a day.”
As well as buying water, you can donate directly to those in need, through Contribute Water’s partner charity Pump Aid.
Or maybe next time you’re thirsty, quench it with a good deed!