17 September 2015, 10:11
Valmet has donated two sets of water filters to Keng Zhen Central primary school in Jiaxian, China to ensure access to fresh water and to make daily activities at the school easier. The new water filters were installed in the school canteen for drinking and cooking.
"Our school is located in a mountainous area, which makes access to fresh water challenging. Our teachers need to walk down to the valley to get fresh water and carry it back to the school," says Mr. Zhang Jiangong, the principal of Keng Zhen primary school. "Furthermore, due to the saline soil, the underground water tastes bitter and salty."
The school has previously pumped water from underground, since there is no water supply system in the town. Water tests also indicated that the water quality did not meet the national standards.
"I was very impressed when I saw the first group of children taste the filtered water: their immediate reaction revealed that it actually tasted different, and on top of that, it will surely have a significant impact on the overall wellbeing of the students and the school personnel," says Ms. Wang Hongmei, Marketing Communications Manager from Valmet.
To ensure proper functionality of the equipment, the donation included a service agreement with the equipment supplier. Valmet also provided second-hand computers to the students and promised to provide IT support.
The school project is part of Valmet's community programs. Valmet supports selected programs relating to science, research, education, environmental protection, nature conservation and youth activities.
Valmet delivered the first paper machines in China already in the 1930s and has had local operations in China since 1989. In China, Valmet currently has 2,100 employees, six production sites and three service centers close to its local customers.