Pump Aid

Country: Malawi, Zimbabwe

Category: Children, Sanitation & Clean Water

Total Raised: $62,436

How have we helped?

Grants paid out by 3rd parties

21st Century Leaders recommended six water charities to Hogan Lovells, 21st Century Leaders' pro bono lawyers, for their Charity of the Year campaign. This resulted in one of 21st Century Leaders recommended charities. PumpAid Foundation, receiving £32,000 in donations, raised by Hogan Lovells for their chosen water charity.


About Pump Aid

Pump Aid was founded by three teachers, Ian Thorpe, Amos Chitungo and Tendai Mawunga who were living and working in rural Zimbabwe. After witnessing so many of their pupils and friends become ill and die from unsafe drinking water, the teachers took it upon themselves to find sustainable water solutions and better sanitation provisions for their local communities.


Pump Aid’s founders developed an award-winning technology - the Elephant Pump, a low cost, community centred approach to sustainable water production. The technology was so successful that Pump Aid has been able to provide a lifetime’s supply of clean water to over 1 million people across Zimbabwe and Malawi.


They believe that access to clean water is a fundamental human right, it not only has a massive impact on health but also on education and agricultural production. Clean water means that children can go to school and communities can farm and sell their own produce, generating their own income. In 2005, the innovative technology of the Elephant Pump was recognised with the prestigious St Andrews Prize for the Environment and the World Bank Prize for Innovation in Development.


But water isn’t the only serious problem facing these communities, with 4000 children dying every day from poor sanitation and an estimated 2.5 billion people without access to a toilet, Pump Aid created the ‘Elephant Toilet', a cheap, clean and sustainable solution to the sanitation crisis. The Elephant Toilet has also been awarded the St Andrews Prize for the Environment 2008 for best design; this is a major compliment to Pump Aid and shows appreciation of the simplicity and appropriate technology used to work within rural communities.

How have we helped?

Grants paid out by 3rd parties

21st Century Leaders recommended six water charities to Hogan Lovells, 21st Century Leaders' pro bono lawyers, for their Charity of the Year campaign. This resulted in one of 21st Century Leaders recommended charities. PumpAid Foundation, receiving £32,000 in donations, raised by Hogan Lovells for their chosen water charity.


About Pump Aid

Pump Aid was founded by three teachers, Ian Thorpe, Amos Chitungo and Tendai Mawunga who were living and working in rural Zimbabwe. After witnessing so many of their pupils and friends become ill and die from unsafe drinking water, the teachers took it upon themselves to find sustainable water solutions and better sanitation provisions for their local communities.


Pump Aid’s founders developed an award-winning technology - the Elephant Pump, a low cost, community centred approach to sustainable water production. The technology was so successful that Pump Aid has been able to provide a lifetime’s supply of clean water to over 1 million people across Zimbabwe and Malawi.


They believe that access to clean water is a fundamental human right, it not only has a massive impact on health but also on education and agricultural production. Clean water means that children can go to school and communities can farm and sell their own produce, generating their own income. In 2005, the innovative technology of the Elephant Pump was recognised with the prestigious St Andrews Prize for the Environment and the World Bank Prize for Innovation in Development.


But water isn’t the only serious problem facing these communities, with 4000 children dying every day from poor sanitation and an estimated 2.5 billion people without access to a toilet, Pump Aid created the ‘Elephant Toilet', a cheap, clean and sustainable solution to the sanitation crisis. The Elephant Toilet has also been awarded the St Andrews Prize for the Environment 2008 for best design; this is a major compliment to Pump Aid and shows appreciation of the simplicity and appropriate technology used to work within rural communities.