Every year on 22 March, we commemorate World Water Day to take action in tackling the global water crisis. The official site of World Water Day (worldwaterday.org) states that 1.8 billion people worldwide don't have access to clean drinking water and instead have to resort to drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. Clean water – a main necessity of daily life – is increasingly difficult to access.
On World Water Day, Starbucks joins forces with Planet Water Foundation for Project 24 at SD Negeri Sukahurip 2 (public elementary school Sukahurip 2), Bekasi, West Java to create access to clean drinking water by deploying the AquaTower water filtration solution to support the daily drinking water requirements of up to 1,000 people per day. Since 2013, Starbucks together with Planet Water Foundation have built 10 water filtration systems across Indonesia.
Starbucks also hosts water-health and hygiene education programmes into the schools and communities where it deploys the AquaTower. The programmes teach children and their caregivers about germs, how they spread, proper hand washing, bathing and brushing their teeth.
Starbucks' participation will help Project 24 succeed in the challenge to build 24 water filtration systems in 24 hours, bringing clean water to 24,000 people across five countries including Indonesia, Cambodia, Colombia, India and the Philippines. This initiative is designed to raise support and awareness regarding the issue of water poverty, suffered by so many people across the world.
