Sharjah, January 10, 2005: Today, Assist International announces the donation by GE of a water purification system that will produce at least 432,000 gallons of potable water per day in Banda Aceh, the northern Indonesian province that was the hardest hit by the tsunami. The equipment has the potential to provide drinkable water for 110,000 Indonesians per day. GE expects the system to be functional as soon as next weekend, January 15-16.
GE is also donating an 800 kVA power generator to power the system, as well as additional equipment including breakers, cables, membranes and filters. To ensure the system can begin working as quickly as possible, GE is dedicating the resources and expertise of more than 50 engineers, operational specialists and project managers.
The equipment, which weighs 75 tons, is currently in Sharjah and will depart for Banda Aceh on Sunday night, January 9th, on the world's largest aircraft - the Antonov An-225. Originally built for the Soviet space program, it is now used to carry ultra heavy and oversize freight. The cargo will be flown to Singapore where it will be transferred to a ferry barge. On Tuesday night it will depart for Banda Aceh and is scheduled to arrive in Lhokseumave jetty (Banda province) on Thursday, January 13, subject to weather and other conditions.
Upon arrival in Indonesia, the equipment will be turned over to PLN, the Indonesian state utility company
"The water purification system which GE is donating is going to literally save thousands of lives," said Bob Pagett, President of Assist International. "It is Assist International's privilege to partner with GE whether in Africa, or Southeast Asia, in projects that really make a difference."
The tentative timeline for the project is:
Assist International is involved in relief efforts across the region as well as ongoing humanitarian projects.
Assist International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit humanitarian organization based in Scotts Valley, California, that networks resources from the business world, service clubs, doctor and hospital groups, corporations and individuals with human needs throughout the world. Assist International is a nonsectarian, nonpolitical organization dedicated to relieving human suffering in developing nations by providing medical equipment and supplies, medical education and other relief supplies. For more information, visit the Assist International website at www.assistinternational.org.
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