Picturehouse Cinemas began supporting Plan UK in summer 2008 and since then have raised over £100,000 to help us bring water to several communities in the Dosso region of West Niger, one of the driest regions in the world.
In partnership with Plan, Picturehouse Cinemas launched their own brand of water: 10p from every bottle of water bought at a Picturehouse Cinema is used by Plan UK to provide access to clean drinking water and sanitation to communities in the Dosso region.
Picturehouse will be funding their fourth borehole project this year in the community of Bangou Fada Rouzou. This project will provide 990 people with safe drinking water for the first time, by constructing a borehole as well as providing blocks of school latrines for students. Vital hygiene and sanitation education will also be provided in the community.
The recently completed borehole in Guindagonidey, also funded by Picturehouse, is already bringing much needed change. “The borehole is a really welcomed project in our community. We have been drinking water for a long time that isn’t even good for animals to drink. Also, our well dries up quickly and then we get diseases this way too,” says 11-year-old Sahadatou.
Picturehouse has also been able to raise much needed funds to support the food crisis in Niger during 2009/2010.
Picturehouse Cinemas feel that Plan's child-centred and educational approach is particularly sympathetic to their own values and this led them to choose Plan UK to be their main company charity.
Lyn Goleby, Managing Director of Picturehouse Cinemas, says: "Cinema is a universal language in bringing the world together. We felt that it was time to stop just watching other people and time to start making a difference".
For more information about how Plan is working with Picturehouse please contact our partnerships team.