Khans sponsor Water Sanitation Services to 2 schools and a mosque in Nadi

Nadi businessman, Gulab Khan and his two sons, Salmaan and Sahib Khan, have taken the initiative to sponsor two schools and a mosque in Nadi with Water Sanitation Services.

The family are sponsoring Mulomulo Primary School, Meganiyah Muslim Primary School and the Mulomulo Mosque.

Khan says as a lifelong resident of Nadi, he knows first-hand the challenges faced regarding water supply and sanitation.

The Businessman says he is a proud member of the Nadi Muslim League, where their religion states the importance of cleanliness and assisting their communities when they can, and he takes this seriously.

He further says this is why he and his sons have adopted the schools and their local mosque, and they hope other business people will take a cue from them and work to repair the water crisis in the country.

Khan adds that when he realized how bad the water situation was, he knew that he cannot change this for all of Fiji, but he can do it for the area where he lives.

He says that he approached the South Pacific Foundation, and they helped liaise with water sanitation companies and have helped facilitate the work on the ground.

Khan initially connected with the South Pacific Foundation, a newly founded non-profit organization that focuses on building partnerships and raising resources to focus on rural and maritime development within the Pacific region.

Khan is also encouraging other Fijians to reach out to the South Pacific Foundation and begin lending assistance to their communities.

Megeniyah Muslim Primary School Head of School Fareena Rozina Azaad was elated by the services and shared how deeply water supply and quality issues affect students.

Azaad says they put great focus on hygiene and sanitation at the school, and a huge part of that is ensuring the water they use is safe for the students.

She says they are grateful to the Khan family and the South Pacific Foundation for their initiative and look forward to seeing the work they will do in other schools.

South Pacific Foundation Founder Ratu Lavisai Kabakoro says citizens like the Khan family make him hopeful that through his foundation and proactive members of communities Fiji can tackle the water crisis head-on.

He says they understand the governing bodies are overwhelmed, however, in the meantime Fijians are consuming dirty water and getting sick.

Kabakoro says it takes everyone to do what they are all called to do, and right now, he is calling on Fiji to combat the water crisis.

He is encouraging members of the business community to take up the mantle of responsibility and join in his Wai Ni Bula initiative, where businesses can sponsor 10,000-litre tanks of sanitized water to be installed in schools and communities most in need.

The foundation partners with local social enterprise Clean Healthy Water to conduct surveys, sanitize and treat existing water tanks, and install new water tanks, storage facilities and filtration systems.

Clean Healthy Water Director Tevita Mawi shared that it is important to them as a social enterprise that the services they offer as a company also give back to the communities they serve.

Mawi says they value partnerships with organizations like the South Pacific Foundation, and they truly believe a multi-faceted approach can help sustainably solve the water crisis in Fiji.