Yemisi Izuora
Procter & Gamble (P&G), makers of iconic brands such as Always and Ariel, is celebrating the achievement of its 2020 goal of delivering 15 billion liters of clean drinking water through its non-profit Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program.
The Company is now accelerating its efforts to help provide clean drinking water to more people by delivering 25 billion liters – more than 100 billion glasses of water – worldwide.
This announcement was made at an event held in Abuja co-hosted by Global Citizen to commemorate the 2019 World Water Day where the company announced a new project with the humanitarian organization, PLAN International, targeted at high water need communities in Northeast Nigeria.
Leaders from Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Society for Family Health (SFH), Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and more, joined the Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Suleiman Adamu for a discussion on the importance of clean water, proper sanitation and hygiene and how public, private and NGO partnerships can accelerate progress.
Since the program launched in 2004, P&G has worked closely with a network of more than 150 partners to raise awareness of the global water crisis and provide water to families in more than 90 countries through a simple purification process invented by a P&G laundry scientist. With just one packet, a bucket, a stick and a clean cloth, 10 liters of dirty, potentially deadly, water can be turned into clean, drinkable water in only 30 minutes.
To date, P&G’s efforts to provide access to clean water is transforming communities by improving health, enabling education and increasing economic opportunities.
Commenting on the achievements of P&G through the CSDW Program, Adil Farhat, Managing Director, P&G Nigeria said: “We excited about this 15 billion liters milestone and are committed to providing access to clean water for more families in the year ahead. P&G has provided approximately 240 million liters of clean water in Nigeria since the program began in 2004 and we will intensify our WASH efforts in schools and continue our work in collaboration with many stakeholders.”
P&G Global Gender Equality & Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program Leader, Allison Tummon Kamphuis said: “We are proud to leverage our longstanding partnerships with Society for Family Health, PIND, Rotary International and PLAN International to provide clean water and foster behavioural change in Nigeria. P&G is set to provide more than 25 million liters of clean water in the next three months and will support Global Citizen’s campaign to increase investment in proven water, sanitation and hygiene solutions in Nigeria.”
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Water Resources, Hon. Engr. Suleiman Adamu said, “WASH forms a central part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and it is imperative that good progress is made towards achieiving it. The contribution and commitment of everyone is required to ensure deliberate attention is given to WASH and accelerate a Nigeria with safe drinking water and no open defecation that is why the efforts of Procter & Gamble and Global Citizen to provide safe drinking water is highly commendable”.
P&G is also partnering with National Geographic again to celebrate World Water Day and share the stories of five “Water Champions” – who are working each day, individually and collectively with P&G, to help solve the water crisis.
The 2019 world water day celebration, cohosted by P&G and international advocacy organization Global Citizen, featured award winning actress Uzo Aduba with a performance by artist and activist Falana; while the panel discussion was moderated by journalist, Chika Oduah.