Oxfam to raise funds for PNG water systems

Transcript

The non-government organisation, Oxfam, is running a contest this weekend, bringing together engineering teams asked to compete in a water engineering task.

The Oxfam Water Challenge aims to raise money to pay for the installation of water and sanitation systems in Papua New Guinea.

Organiser Hannah Davis says through sponsorship of the competitors they want to raise more than 30 thousand US dollars.

Don Wiseman asked her about the nature of the task the teams would be set but that remains classified until the weekend.

HANNAH DAVIS: What I can tell you is that the teams have received a design brief, which basically means that they have to use their expertise to build a water system, with limited time and limited materials. So that should give them a real insight into the way we work in the Pacific.

DON WISEMAN: How long will they have to do that?

HD: They will have two and a half hours.

DW: So they have to design and build it within that time?

HD: They, some of them have designed it, so with the more money they raise, they have been fundraising since October, with the more money they raise they get certain incentives. So those who hit a thousand dollars, they will have received a design brief. So they know exactly what they have to do. And there's some who are turning up on the day and designing and building in two and a half hours.

DW: I know they are doing some engineering but they are all from engineering companies are they?

HD: Yes they are all companies from across the water and engineering sector.
 
DW: And you will then have these, presumably ingenious ideas for getting clean water to isolated communities. So will they be put in, put in to those communities?

HD: They won't Don no. And the reason that we do that is that each of the communities that we work in, in Papua New Guinea are very, very different and we like to work with local community partners to make sure that the systems that we're putting in place are sustainable and really fit within that community. So they are just being given a bit of an insight, the teams that we are working with on the day. And ultimately, they are raising the money so that we can get one of these water and sanitation projects off the ground.

DW: Expensive projects of course aren't they? I know that Oxfam's been involved in a lot of these sorts of things around the Pacific, particularly in Papua New Guinea where there's an extraordinary need.

HD: There really is yes, 80 percent of people don't have access to clean water and they are actually forced to drink dirty water, every single day. We just don't think that is right and we just don't think that it's fair. So that's why we are working with our local partners on the ground to ensure that clean water can run in these communities.

DW: The teams involved they've come from where?

HD: A mixture of places really, so all across New Zealand and we've actually got a team coming from Fiji to take part.

DW: And these are engineering groups, that have been involved in this sort of thing before?

HD: Some of them have, yes and in fact we have the team that won a  similar challenge with us last year, Water Care, coming back for a second year to see if they can take the trophy out again. Some of them are brand new to us and we are delighted to have them on board and to see who can win the coveted trophy of the Oxfam water challenge day champions.

DW: Do you think you'll get this $40,000 you need?

HD: We do, at the moment we are, we've raised just over $26,000 and they've actually got till the end of March to raise the money. So yes we're confident that people can raise the money.