08 August 2019
2019 marks the 10th anniversary of BAT Bangladeshās Probaho clean water initiative.
Launched in 2009, Probaho now provides 400,000 litres of water daily through 78 filtration plants in some of the many rural areas of Bangladesh which are affected by arsenic-contaminated water. The initiative touches the lives of 200,000 beneficiaries every day.
The initiative is in keeping with our Groupās commitment to working towards enabling prosperous livelihoods for all farmers who supply our tobacco leaf. It also supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
One Probaho beneficiary said: āMy children, my family, they all drink Probaho water. We drink it, cook it, wash with it.ā
Another added: āBefore Probaho we would spend a lot on healthcare. Thatās changed now. Fewer illnesses, fewer trips to the doctor.ā
Probaho was featured in our originalĢżāWe are BAT company videoāĢżand in aĢżsubsequent follow-up production, from 2017, which you can watch above.
Shehzad Munim, General Manager, BAT Bangladesh, said: āProbaho is a project that we are very proud of at BAT Bangladesh and demonstrates our commitment to improving the lives of people and communities where we operate. When the small actions of people add up to make something bigger than themselves, it creates a ripple effect ā which makes projects like Probaho possible.ā
Earlier this year, BAT Bangladesh launched a media campaign to drive further awareness of Probaho, all in keeping with theĢżWorld Water Day 2019Ģżtheme of āleaving no-one behindā.
You can read more about Probaho and watch a video celebrating the 10 years of the initiative on itsĢż
Download our latestĢżSustainability ReportĢżto read about our work and progress across our three strategic focus areas: harm reduction, sustainable agriculture and farmer livelihoods, and corporate behaviour.