Daily CSR
Daily CSR

Daily CSR
Daily news about corporate social responsibility, ethics and sustainability

Kohler Is ‘Making A Difference’ In Haiti



08/23/2016

Kohler brings safe drinking water to Haitians through ‘father-daughter’ association.


Dailycsr.com – 22 August 2016 – In the western hemisphere of the globe, Haiti remains the poorest of the countries, while more than eighty percent of the citizens at Haiti are living below the poverty line. Only sixteen percent of the rural citizens in Haiti receive “adequate sanitation”. However, less than “one-third” of the people consume “safe drinking water”.
 
Art Stewart along with Lisa Burrell, employees of Kohler as well as missionaries from “Father-daughter” initiative, travelled to Haiti, wherein the “S’MORES International” joined the duo. The latter has been volunteering in the country of Haiti from the year of 2004. However, they have failed to “get used to the conditions”. In Lisa’s words:
“I was especially struck this time by the lack of access to water. To get water, Haitians have to walk long distances to streams, then carry the water back home. To get clean water — well, they don’t.”
 
Lisa has made several trip to Haiti, while in her recent trip with Art, they met up with the families to whom the volunteers had presented “KOHLER Clarity water filters”, in the month of February 2016. The said filters donated by Kohler is “making a difference”, whereby supplying with forty litres of water “free from bacteria and protozoa” on a daily basis.
 
Sandy, Lisa’s mother, and Art went to Haiti in the early years of 2000 and witnessed the country in need, while recognising its potential at the same time. As a result, Sandy created the “S’MORES International” which provides “loans to Haitian citizens” for starting “their own businesses. Lisa adds:
“The residents of Haiti are very determined to build better lives for themselves and their families. With an unemployment rate of 60 percent, starting a business is one of the only ways to earn a living.”
 
The loan offers giving by S’MORES are small in nature with “typically” remains around “$125”, while the recipients get one year’s time to pay the money without any interest amount. The loans have been issued for any kind of businesses that range from “a motorbike repair shop to expanding a chicken-raising operation”. In fact, Lisa also discloses that:
“It’s hard to describe Haiti. The need is so great it can be overwhelming but, because of that, even a small loan can make a big difference. And being able to provide Clarity filters allows us to fulfill another critical need in this country.”
 
 
 
 
 
References:
ethicalperformance.com