BY JENNIFER TURNBULL
This morning, I had the privilege of hosting an intimate breakfast for members of the Belu Collective. In the warm setting of The Orange Pub by Cubitt House, we were honoured to welcome Dennis Lupenga and Ram Saran Tamang from WaterAid’s Community Voices team. Their stories of hope and resilience offered us a first-hand insight into the impact our partnership brings to communities across the globe.
PROFIT WITH PURPOSE
At Belu, profit isn’t just about numbers on a balance sheet. Since 2011, we’ve given 100% of our net profit to WaterAid, which to date totals £6.1 million. We chose to donate in an unrestricted manner, so it’s important to hear the stories of the communities we’ve been able to support.
PEOPLE AT THE HEART
The morning was a reminder that it’s people – their stories, struggles, and triumphs – at the very core of what we do. Hearing directly from Dennis and Ram brought a sense of urgency to our mission. It’s one thing to talk about change; it’s another to witness the power of community-led action in bringing clean water and hope where it is it’s needed most.
It was deeply moving to hear about the women Dennis met in Malawi and the long 120km journey they had to make to their nearest maternity unit. But it was also clear from his experience that a small change like clean running water had transformed the lives of these women and the newborn babies it supports.
PURPOSE THAT CONNECTS US
Our purpose is simple: to change the way the world sees water. Hosting events like this breakfast helps reinforce why we do what we do, bringing our customers, partners, and the Belu team closer to the impact we’re all helping create. When we take the time to pause, listen, and reflect, we remind ourselves that we’re all part of something much bigger. Ram emphasised this point when he mentioned that small acts of change create lasting and sustainable impact.
HOPE & CHANGE
The last question I asked Dennis and Ram was,
“If you could summarise in one word what clean water means to you and the communities you’ve worked with, what would it be?”
Dennis replied with “change.” He said you can see the transformation happening as communities gain access to safe hospitals. He movingly told the story of Sarah, who had previously lost three children before her fourth—her “miracle baby” survived thanks to the new maternity hospital, clean water, and access to proper facilities.
Ram said, for the communities in Nepal, it was “hope.” Over the six years that WaterAid has worked in the villages Ram visits, the lives of children have changed. They can be children and not have to worry about collecting water multiple times a day, and their parents have hope that their children’s future will be different from their own.
GRATITUDE AND TEAMWORK
Finally, I wanted to give a special mention to the generosity of our Belu Collective members, Cubitt House , for letting us use the beautiful upstairs room in at The Orange Pub. Also, a huge shout-out to the behind-the-scenes work of Jessica Turvey and Sunakshi Shetty from Team Belu. Teamwork truly makes the dream work, and your support ensured the event was seamless and special.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this breakfast a meaningful reminder of the power we hold to make lasting change.
Photo credit: zodeemedia
