After 17 years of work it has now been decided to stop DACAARs production of handpumps and eventually the Hand Pump Factory in Pakistan as a so far highly successful part in the history of DACAAR is closing down. On 29 July, DACAAR in cooperation with UNHCR officially handed over the Hand Pump Factory to the Pakistani NGO WESnet (Water, Sanitation and Environmental Network Trust).
Over a period of 17 years, 51.520 hand pumps have been produced for use in Afghanistan and Pakistan. An effort that has provided more than one million families equal to nearly seven million persons access to safe water from DACAAR-made hand pumps, a press release brought on Mellemfolkeligt Samvirkes internetsite states..
– Through all the years we have known that the day would come where the hand pump factory should close down. We have known that this would happen when the market and the producers where capable of taking over and no longer depending on support from organisations like DACAAR, said DACAAR director Gorm Pedersen.
– This has been made possible because of many years of commitment and efforts from Hand Pump Factory to support and empower new producers while providing hand pumps to Afghan refugees in Pakistan and the people of Afghanistan, added he.
Since the establishment of DACAARs Hand Pump Factory it has been the aim to build up a sustainable market empowering future producers to take over and now a sufficient production capacity is a fact. There seems no longer to be a need for production run by DACAAR, a Danish development aid-consortium.
Changes in the market creating more competition and development agencies new strategies have also been a part of the decision to close down activities in Pakistan. By the end of 2005 the Pakistani government agreement concerning Afghan refugees in Pakistan comes to an end and therefore creates a need to readdress DACAAR activities in Pakistan.
Closing down the Hand Pump Factory does not influence activities in Afghanistan, where DACAAR plays a leading role developing technology and quality control of hand pumps and continuously works to secure access to safe water.
Kilde: www.ms.dk
