Soon after getting back to work at the start of the new year, Daniela Fantini, proprietor of Fantini Rubinetti, a major company headquartered in Pella sul Lago d'Orta, Italy, was pleased to announce that the target set in 2012 under the 100 FONTANE_FANTINI FOR AFRICA project - in other words to bring clean water to the population of Masango in Burundi - has been achieved.
In about two years, and in the face of considerable difficulties, the results on the ground are: 12 water sources that capture water from rock; 27 kilometres of aqueduct; 100 drinking fountains already in operation and 30 more close to completion.
The drinking fountains bring clean water to approximately 25,000 people.
Each fountain now has a number and is assigned to a named individual in the Masango community, who is responsible for looking after it and attending to its maintenance.
"The key goal of the project", explained Daniela Fantini "was to enable children to spend far less time fetching water and to spend that time on schooling instead, by way of a first step in laying the foundations for a better future. In the near future, meanwhile, there is plenty of scope for new projects aimed at consolidating and implementing the positive effects of "100 Fontane", and we are working on them!"
The target of building more than the 100 Fountains first planned was achieved through the enthusiasm and participation of everyone, in Italy and abroad, thanks to donations from Fantini's customers and agents, the campaign to reissue the I Balocchi collection, and unexpected donations from generous members of the public.
"Above and beyond the results achieved", concluded Daniela Fantini, "100 Fontane has been an extraordinary adventure from a human point of view for all of us. Thank you all very much!"
The launch of the initiative, at a special event held during Cersaie 2012, was supported by the video 100 Fontane_Fantini for Africa, made by the American film director Justin Tipping.
The project's development, the feelings experienced and the current situation are now told in a new video, made by the Catalan film director Nilo Mur Zimmerman: thanks and happy viewing!
