Inaugural Celebration of PureMadi Foundation
An interdisciplinary team of U.Va. faculty and students have decided to form a Foundation (linked to the U.Va. Fund managed by the Alumni Association) to raise awareness of their work at the interface between water, society, and human health disciplines.
The first major project of the foundation, called PureMadi, is the dissemination of ceramic point-of-use water filtration technologies throughout the developing world, beginning with a soon-to-be-established
filter factory in Limpopo Province, South Africa. According to CEE professor Jim smith, the goals of the foundation are substantial and the work has great potential for humanitarian benefits: “We will work to have 10 filter factories in place throughout the developing world within the next ten years. Each factory will produce and sell 1000 or more filters per month. Given that each filter can provide safe drinking water for a family of 5 or more, our factories at full capacity can benefit an additional half million people per year." Smith said that the factories would be operated with local materials and labor, so the bulk of the funds from sales of the filters would remain in the local community. The rest will be used for re-investment in new filter factories.
To celebrate its formation, the PureMadi Foundation is planning a celebratory event in the Jefferson Ballroom at Alumni Hall on Friday, February 10th from 7-11 pm. There will be dinner, a silent auction, and live musical entertainment. It should be a very enjoyable evening! The event is being supported by the U.Va. Third Year Student Council and and SEAS Graduate Student Council.
To learn more about PureMadi, purchase your tickets, or to make a donation, please visit: www.puremadi.org.
Please feel free to share this invitation with others who may be interested in this event.