Water For People & PlayPumps

In late 2005, on a trip to South Africa, Steve and Jean Case witnessed the water crisis firsthand. Under their leadership, the Case Foundation established PlayPumps International – U.S. (PPI), a nonprofit organization focused on fundraising, advocacy, and education about water poverty in Africa.

Since the creation of PPI, the powerful appeal of the “play and pump” idea, together with compelling images of children at play, has contributed greatly to increased awareness of the water crisis. There are now many new organizations working to solve that crisis, and many new technologies that have been introduced to bring clean water to communities.

In October 2009, PPI announced that it selected a new implementing NGO, Water For People, a nonprofit international humanitarian organization that supports the development of sustainable safe drinking water. Water For People provides access to safe water and sanitation globally, and has been a leader for almost 20 years in promoting sustainable solutions, particularly by leveraging the power of the local private sector for on-going operations and maintenance. Through its grant from PPI, and an additional grant from the Case Foundation, Water For People has added the PlayPump technology to the list of water solutions that it offers to communities in rural Africa beginning in 2010. 

Press Release about investment in Water For People

Learn more about Water For People here.