The PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India Foundation, in association with the Gram Vikas, on Tuesday handed over water storage systems and refurbished sanitation facilities to about 300 families of Daruthenga gram panchayat on the city outskirts, which was severely impacted by Cyclone Fani.
These facilities were reconstructed by community members themselves under the guidance of the Gram Vikas and were inaugurated by MLA Suresh Routray in the presence of PwC chairman Shyamal Mukherjee. The project is part of the PwC Foundation’s efforts to provide support to disadvantaged communities in times of natural disasters.
Apart from providing safe drinking water, masonry training camps were also organised to help participants, 60 per cent of whom were women, find sustainable livelihood opportunities. Speaking to the families, Mukherjee said, “As part of our corporate responsibility initiatives, our aim is to identify the communities that are most in need. As part of the project, we will provide safe drinking water and help create secure sustainable livelihoods for the people of three villages.”
So far, PwC has reached out to 13 regions in the sub-continent, he said.
Gram Vias ED Liby Johnson said, “Our aim was to reach out to the rural communities in the periphery of Bhubaneswar city affected by the Cyclone Fani but neglected. The PwC Foundation enabled us to rebuild the best possible infrastructure and rehabilitate communities, schools and Anganwadis.”