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PARIS, March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Acqua for Life is a development program focused on universal access to drinking water in water scarce regions with:
For the ninth consecutive year, Acqua for Life is continuing its global development program. Since 2010, Acqua for Life has invested over 5.5 million euros in projects worldwide. To date, this has brought 880 million liters of water to 130,000 people in 146 communities across three continents*. In order to reach even more beneficiaries, as of 2018 Acqua for Life will partner with WaterAid, a UK based NGO, as well as historic partners Unicef USA and Green Cross International.
"The issue of the environment intimately involves everyone: it should be addressed in a concrete way. We can in no way ignore that the future of the next generations depends on our choices." Giorgio Armani
* 2017 Green Cross International figures for the Acqua for Life program
The program: Acqua for Life
Acqua for Life is a comprehensive program that focuses on providing access to clean water, which has a positive socio-economic impact on communities' health and livelihood.
The Acqua for Life program helps install water points, latrines, as well as rainwater collection, water filtering and purification systems in areas that lack water, a natural element fundamental to life. This results into people having water to drink, prepare food every day, wash, and maintain water crops and their livestock. Children can attend school more regularly. Women have more time to focus on their children, dedicate time to their literacy and be productive for their community, instead of having to fetch water.
With Acqua for Life, people reclaim the right to drinking water and sanitation recognized by the United Nations in 2010.
Barbara Palvin: what #WaterMeans
Barbara Palvin, face of Giorgio Armani's fragrance Acqua di Gioia, travelled to the water scarce communities of Sri Lanka. She was visibly moved by the people she met, and learning about their hardships due to no access to clean water. Seeing the enormous impact access to clean water has on literally every aspect of people's lives, has caused a strong commitment to the Acqua for Life program.
After her visit Barbara Palvin stated: "Concretely, the actions of Acqua for Life let kids be kids, and help them to go to school. The access to clean water means improved health conditions for the full community and a better overall livelihood. Thanks to the Acqua for Life program, people can actually live their lives instead of spending their days trying to get safe water."
Following her discovery of what #WaterMeans in Sri Lanka, Barbara Palvin is committed to raising awareness about the water scarcity issue, engaging people to share on social media what #WaterMeans in their daily lives.
ACQUA FOR LIFE - BARBARA PALVIN: WHAT #WATERMEANS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajq6-6LWT_k
ACQUA FOR LIFE - #WATERMEANS education: https://youtu.be/n8YqFxReL4c
ACQUA FOR LIFE - #WATERMEANS health:https://youtu.be/ZteCdbGChnU
ACQUA FOR LIFE - #WATERMEANS letting kids be kids: https://youtu.be/2KXLtk6fkyY
ACQUA FOR LIFE - #WATERMEANS sustainable futures: https://youtu.be/81MBgEgydQ8
Acqua for Life with Unicef in the United States
For the ninth year running, Giorgio Armani's Acqua for Life campaign continues to help Unicef provide safe, clean drinking water to children by donating $5 for every Acqua di Gio or Acqua di Gioia fragrance purchased in the United States during the month of March. Since 2010, Giorgio Armani has raised $4 million to support Unicef's Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programs in Belize, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nicaragua, Ivory Coast, Guatemala, Haiti, Mauritania, Togo and Vietnam. For the March 2018 campaign, funds raised will support Unicef's WASH programs in Haiti.
Acqua for Life with Green Cross International
Green Cross International builds wells, latrines and washbasins to provide hygiene means and protect the immediate environment for the most deprived communities. In addition, Green Cross International conducts awareness campaigns on local water issues and hygiene, especially in schools, so that children understand already from an early age the importance of simple actions, such as washing hands with soap, to prevent the spread of germs. Finally, the sustainability of the project also involves training adults in the proper use and maintenance of infrastructure.
Since 2011, Green Cross International has implemented projects for Acqua for Life in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, China, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Brazil. For 2018 the focus will be in Senegal, Sri-Lanka and Bolivia.
Acqua for Life with the new partner: WaterAid
Acqua for Life is honored to have an additional partnership for 2018 with international non-profit organization WaterAid. WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation, and is currently working in 34 countries globally to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people.
Giorgio Armani's Aqua for Life initiative selected WaterAid to join existing partners Unicef US and Green Cross International due to their technical expertise in the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector. Other key factors beneficial to the partnership include WaterAid's global presence, collaborative approach and commitment to finding sustainable solutions to the WASH crisis.
In 2018, the Acqua for Life initiative will be supporting three new WaterAid programs focusing on schools and health care facilities in Madagascar, Nepal and Papa New Guinea.
