As per the El Nino weather phenomenon currently gripping South Africa, the hot and dry conditions are expected to continue well into the autumn period and with this, South Africans will continue feeling the brunt of the dry spell grappling most parts of the country.
As a brand offering products that are essentially water dependent, Sunlight has heeded the call to make a difference in communities and help save water wherever possible. Sunlight have announced the installation of 250 push taps in the sprawling community of Tembisa, on Johannesburg’s East Rand.
According to recent research conducted by Sunlight, Tembisa has been identified amongst one of the many communities with a number of leaking taps and where water conservation is needed.
“Tembisa is a low earning income community that is fast growing and saving water is one of the key issues that they are facing. The community complains about the high water bills caused by leaking taps and the Sunlight push taps is great initiative to help alleviate unnecessary water wastage,” says Avhafunani Matamela, Ekurhuleni Department of Water Engineer of Tembisa.
Along with installing the push taps, Sunlight also initiated a door-to-door campaign within Tembisa, communicating and educating the residents on the importance of saving water. Through this campaign, Sunlight continues to highlight water as a precious and limited resource, and helps to drive the message of protecting this resource and ensuring a sustainable water future. Residents were also educated about how they could use the push taps efficiently in order to save water on a daily basis.
“Our aim is to encourage our local communities to learn to use water sparingly and in more sustainable ways. Without water, there is no life. Therefore we all need to save water today so that it will be available to us in the future and installing the push taps is a step towards ensuring that that water is not wasted.” says Caroline Blumrick, Sunlight Brand Manager.
The impact of water scarcity on South African communities cannot be overlooked. Many people must confront daily, the situation of an inadequate supply of safe water or no water at all, and the very serious resulting consequences thereof. Sunlight is relentless in its pursuit to promoting water saving initiatives as a way of making a tangible difference in the livelihood of communities.
“When conserving water, small adjustments can have a big impact especially as South Africa’s water woes continue to peak. With the country experiencing the worst drought since the 1980’s, water saving has never been so significant,” concludes Blumrick.
About the company
Unilever
Unilever South Africa, established over 100 years ago, is the country’s No 1 employer in South Africa. With a product range that includes foods, homecare, and personal care brands such as Sunlight, Omo, Handy Andy, Robertsons, Knorr, Shield, Magnum, and many others, Unilever is the market leader in 14 of the 17 categories in which it operates in South Africa. For the seventh consecutive year, 9 of its homecare, personal care and foods products won the Product of the Year Awards in 2015.
Sunlight
Sunlight is Unilever’s oldest brand, and its biggest brand in South Africa. The Sunlight brand was first launched with the iconic Sunlight Laundry Bar in 1883, and the range has expanded to include Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid, Soap Powder, Bath Soap, Fabric Softener and 2 in 1 Washing Powder. With a strong heritage and presence in homes across SA, Sunlight is known as the brand that gives you more.
Picture Thys Dullaart