CFI Honorary President Lord Polak CBE on Wednesday in the House of Lords praised the work of Innovation: Africa, an NGO that provides Israeli solar, water and agricultural technology to rural African villages.
Lord Polak said in his speech: “Thanks to Innovation: Africa, 1.7 million people in remote villages in sub saharan Africa have clean running water. So, would my noble friend the minister agree to meet with Innovation: Africa to explore ways in which her department can help ensure that clean fresh water can be delivered to the millions in desperate need?”
Explaining how the NGO provides water to remote villages, he said: “For the last 12 years the charity Innovation: Africa has enabled remote villages to harness the power of the sun, using Israeli solar and water technology. The solar panels power the pump which is placed in the aquifer below ground. The clean water is then pumped in to a tank and taps were installed throughout the village providing up to 10,000 people with clean water from one system at a cost of about £40,000 per system”.
Lord Polak added: “I understand that innovation Africa works closely with UNICEF, one of our key partners in wash and their use of innovative technology is particularly encouraging, particularly as they use green energy on that and achieving are ambitious STG6 (sustainable development goal 6) wash targets is going to require a major increase in resources and capacity to use those effectively. We must make the most of domestic funding, contributions from the household and attract any finance”.
From renewable energy to agriculture to IT and more, Israel is a leader in the global innovation sector.
Since 2008, Innovation: Africa has completed over 300 solar and water installations bringing light, access to clean water, improved education, refrigeration for vaccines and medicines, and food security impacting more than 2 million people in 10 African countries.
