Diageo invests further in Ethiopian water project

Diageo has been working with the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) since 2007 in collaboration with Gullele sub-city Health Department to bring water and sanitation facilities to the 56,000 residents of Kechene. The last phase of the planned investment will enable AMREF to extend delivery of 24-hour water access following the development of all infrastructure, piping, toilets and water taps that have already been built for seventeen sanitation blocks.

In 2000 Diageo created the ‘Water of Life' campaign and in 2006 made a commitment to provide one million more people with access to clean water each year until 2015. In 2007 Diageo committed to supporting Water of Life in Ethiopia through providing access to clean water with its local partner AMREF.

Since 2007 Diageo has been funding two projects estimated at Birr 3,600,000 (US$300,000) through its NGO partners, one with CARE in South Eastern Ethiopia, Burka Gudo city, Oromiya Region and the second one with AMREF in Kechene, Addis Ababa. Both are focused on ensuring access to drinking water and sanitation facilities.

"Diageo's Water of Life programme has been delivering clean drinking water, sanitation facilities and environmental conservation across our businesses since 2000. Our commitment to the 1 Million Challenge in Africa is proven through the work that we have been doing with local partners in the countries that we operate in," said Nick Blazquez, Africa managing director, Diageo. "Diageo has had a long standing business relationship with Ethiopia through our brands. It is important that we also invest in improving social wellbeing of the countries that we operate in as we believe that this is the foundation for any economy."

Brook Worku, Diageo Ethiopia country manager said, "The injection of funds will also support further community engagement to train community representatives to manage and maintain water and hygiene facilities and protect themselves from disease thereby giving Kechene a long term solution to water shortage issues. Water of Life is about creating long term solutions for local partners and we are pleased to extend our relationship with AMREF with this further investment."

AMREF has been working in Kechene since 2002. The full programme with Diageo started in 2007 and includes:

• construction of 17 sanitation blocks
  
• establishment and training of 17 water and sanitation committees
  
• recruitment and training of 34 Youth Hygiene Educators (volunteers)
  
• Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) training for 44 hygiene educators
  
• monitoring tools for development and training
  
• health education for more than 9,800 community members and sanitation campaigns.