LifeStraw Team Partnering with Emergency Responders to Provide Safe Water for Victims of the Earthquake in Ecuador

New Safe Water Fund will facilitate contributions by people seeking to assist victims

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Apr 20, 2016, 10:01 ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Following this weekend's devastating earthquake, LifeStraw has deployed a team to Ecuador to help emergency responders provide victims with access to safe drinking water. LifeStraw is working with national emergency management officials in Ecuador, as well as international disaster relief organizations to assess the needs of Ecuadorian people.

According to CNN, the hardest-hit area of the South American nation was the coastal Manabi Province, and getting supplies and rescue crews to the affected areas has been a challenge.

Through the new LifeStraw Safe Water Fund (http://bit.ly/SafeWaterFund), a project of New Venture Fund, a 501c3 public charity, socially minded individuals and organizations are now able to contribute to disaster situations, like Ecuador, with an immediate need for access to safe drinking water.

LifeStraw will work directly with responders in the areas identified as having the greatest problems with compromised water sources, to provide LifeStraw Community water purifiers. This microbiological water purifier removes virtually all bacteria, viruses and protozoan parasites from water and has been independently tested by the World Health Organization. It is designed specifically for emergency situations and hard-to-reach areas. It's durable, long-lasting and requires no additional batteries or parts. It will help prevent waterborne disease that often occurs in the aftermath of the immediate disaster.

LifeStraw's experience in disaster response
Vestergaard, the parent company of LifeStraw, has been active in responding to emergencies over the past 25 years. Most recently, the company has been active in responses to the Nepal earthquake in April 2015, Cyclone Pam that hit Vanuatu in March 2015, and Typhoon Haiyan that devastated parts of the Philippines in 2013. Vestergaard remains active in long-term response in these areas and also works in areas with ongoing emergencies such as Myanmar, South Sudan and the DRC Congo.

The LifeStraw Safe Water Fund (http://bit.ly/SafeWaterFund) is an interactive online platform managed by the New Venture Fund, a 501-c3 public charity. Individuals and groups can support programs through tax-deductible contributions that go toward specific safe water programs they select.

CONTACT: Meryl Rader, 908-528-3826, [email protected]

SOURCE LifeStraw