AMREF and Diageo: Providing access to safe drinking water for vulnerable communities in Africa
Diageo is the world's leading premium drinks business, whose brands include: Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Baileys, J&B, Captain Morgan, José Cuervo, Tanqueray and Bushmills Irish whiskey. Diageo is a global company, trading in over 180 markets around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).
Background
to the partnership
AMREF and Diageo became partners in 2006 through a shared vision to provide vulnerable communities in Africa with improved access to safe drinking water. As part of its “Water of Life Campaign”, Diageo is committed to enabling access to clean water to one million additional people every year in communities across Africa. Through 'Water of Life', Diageo is funding two AMREF water projects, one in Kechene, Ethiopia, and another in the Mkuranga district of Tanzania.
But their support hasn't stopped there, they have also been a fantastic help in supporting other aspects of AMREF's work. To help raise more money for their projects Diageo worked with AMREF to organise a 'Water of Life Half Marathon', with over 400 runners and raising over £80,000. Their contacts have helped secure 'money can't buy' auction prizes for other fundraising events and their global marketing team is aslo helping AMREF raise its profile in the UK with their expertise.
PROJECT IN FOCUS: Improving water and sanitation in Ethiop
ia
Kechene is the largest slum in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. The people who live in Kechene have traditionally been stigmatized as the lowest caste of Ethiopian society.
Just 15% have access to clean drinking water and significantly less people have access to sanitation – leading to extremely unhygienic and squalid living conditions. As much as three quarters of health problems in Kechene are infectious diseases resulting from unsafe water and poor sanitation.
With Diageo's support, AMREF is providing the people of Kechene with clean water and sanitation facilities; toilets, showers, drinking water sources and storage tanks. But as well as providing the infrastructure, AMREF is also working with the communities of Kechene directly to help educate them about the risks of poor hygiene practises and to provide them with the knowledge and skills to maintain their new facilities, making it a truly sustainable project. To read more about this project, click here.
"Thanks to AMREF and Diageo, my family and my neighbours are rarely sick. I can devote more time to my pottery and injera-selling business and make more money. Even more importantly, my children do not have to miss classes. They say,'I go to school on time, my grades are improving!'" Mesela Abreham, Kechene resident