Xylem and Americares to improve WASH access for 1 million people

A woman washes her hands upon arrival at Namanolo Health Centre in Balaka Southern Malawi in November 2020. Photo: Thoko Chikondi.
A woman washes her hands upon arrival at Namanolo Health Centre in Balaka Southern Malawi in November 2020. Photo: Thoko Chikondi.

A partnership between Xylem Watermark, Xylem Inc’s corporate social responsibility program, and Americares, the health-focused relief and development organization, is aiming to reach 1 million people in 2021 with improved access to clean water and sanitation.

In 2021, Xylem and Americares will provide water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure repairs and education to frontline healthcare workers and communities in Bangladesh, Honduras, India, Malawi, the Philippines and Tanzania.

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In India, for example, projects will include rehabilitating handwashing stations, toilets and water treatment systems in healthcare facilities across Mumbai. The partners will also provide WASH assistance to disaster-prone coastal communities in Bangladesh, including those still recovering from Cyclone Amphan.

“Washing hands with soap and water is one of the most effective measures in the fight against Covid-19,” said Austin Alexander, vice president of Sustainability and Social Impact at Xylem. “Through our partnership with Americares we aim to bring this message to life for communities around the world and to empower them through improved access to clean water and sanitation.”

The Xylem and Americares partnership delivered clean water and sanitation services to over 3.5 million people in 10 countries in 2020, helping to slow the spread of Covid-19.