Xylem & UNICEF USA's Partnership:
Increasing Access to Safe Water, Sanitation and Climate Resiliency
Partner since 2020
Global water technology company Xylem and its corporate social responsibility program Xylem Watermark aim to provide education and equitable access to safe water and sanitation (WASH) to support healthy lives and help build resilient communities. Since 2020, Xylem’s support has enabled UNICEF to reach 6.6 million people in the hardest-to-reach communities across the globe.
Most recently, in 2023 Xylem and UNICEF signed a five-year collaboration agreement to provide financial, technical, advocacy and In-kind support to bolster UNICEF’s efforts. Beginning with the Horn of Africa – a region experiencing extreme weather conditions worsened by climate change, including heavy flooding and a devastating drought – UNICEF and Xylem are partnering to deliver technical solutions to severely affected communities in Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.
One of UNICEF’s program aims in the region is to equip utilities in vulnerable communities to provide resilient, equitable and sustainable services, with an emphasis on communities hosting refugees and those displaced by climate impacts.
Capacity building to ensure long-term water security for communities in East Africa is a core focus of the partnership. Xylem colleagues will share technical expertise with UNICEF's WASH specialists in the region, collaborating to identify new solutions and innovations focused on climate-resilient approaches and technologies in areas such as solarization of borehole pumping, non-revenue water prevention, and aquifer recharge. Local utility staff will receive hands-on training and up-skilling, and UNICEF will support utilities in the areas of finance and governance.
The Horn of Africa projects will leverage learnings from UNICEF and Xylem’s collaboration to advance water and sanitation access in India between 2021-2023. Xylem championed UNICEF’s work with the government of India to enhance WASH standards in schools and pre-schools in the hardest-to-reach communities in several states. UNICEF facilitated the development and implementation of Swachhta (cleanliness) Action Plans in 168,340 schools. More than 3.3 million people were directly impacted through this collaboration.
A partnership that recognizes the fundamental role of water in family and community health
“Xylem Watermark is powered by the collective action of our customers, colleagues, and partners like UNICEF, who share a commitment to advancing water security for all,” said Vincent Chirouze, Managing Director for Xylem Africa,. “This evolution of our work together illustrates how collaboration and innovation can address the most pressing water challenges facing communities today.”
Xylem’s partnership with UNICEF has flourished since its first commitment of USD$1 million to support UNICEF’s COVID-19 pandemic response was made in 2020.
Learn more about how UNICEF and companies work together to create better futures for children.