The Smile Generation has raised more than $660,000 to support charity: water and provide clean drinking water to more than 16,5000 Ethiopians in need. Since 2009, the Smile Generation said, it has brought clean drinking water to more than 200,000 in need.
“With the generous support of our donors, we were able to surpass our original $500,000 donation goal and give even more support to charity: water and their mission to provide clean drinking water for people around the globe,” said Kyle Guerin, director of the PDS Foundation and corporate responsibility.
“For many developing countries, access to clean water changes everything. Over the last year, it has become increasingly clear how vital access to clean water and sanitation is, making this partnership more important than ever,” Guerin said.
Diseases from dirty water kill more people each year than all forms of violence, including war, the partners said. Clean water is always essential for good health, they continued, but right now, it’s also a critical defense against COVID-19.
Without strong healthcare systems to rely on, prevention is critical to protecting vulnerable people in developing countries from COVID-19, the partners said. Good hygiene practices, especially effective handwashing with clean water and soap, are key to preventing the spread of the virus, they added.
Furthermore, 785 million people in the world live without clean water. Most live in isolated rural areas and spend hours each day walking to collect water for their family, taking time away from school and work, the partners said. Plus, this water often carries diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio.
By 2025, the partners continued, half of the world’s population will be in water-stressed areas. Access to clean water means education, income, and health, especially for women and children, the partners said.
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