MILAN – An ethical gift to support an important social objective, that is raise awareness on the importance of water and ensure the poorest countries in the world access to water. At Christmas solidarity becomes “liquid” thanks to the LVIA campaign “Water is Life”, which through special badges-magnets aims to collect funds to bring water to African populations who are still without it.

The social campaign

In the last 10 years, thanks to this initiative, this right has become a reality for 1 million people in 10 African countries. The campaign was launched in 2003 on the occasion of the International Year of Water. In Italy, thousands of people and hundreds of companies, associations and institutions have supported the campaign by becoming water carriers and ensuring access to water to 1 million people in 10 African countries. LVIA (Lay Volunteers International Association) with its local partners has constructed hundreds of wells, water systems, systems for the collection of rainwater and sanitation services for families, communities, schools and hospitals. Thousands of people have been properly trained to plan, implement, and manage access to water and basic sanitation.  

Some numbers

In the world, every day, almost 800 million people – 40% in Africa – drink “unsafe” water; in the rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa, 70% of the population does not have drinking water; 2.5 billion people have no access to basic sanitation services. In addition, every year 1.4 million children die from water-borne diseases. In light of this emergency the Water is Life campaign was created to support and win, with the commitment of civil society and institutions of the north and the south of the world, this battle of civilization.

by editorial staff