Enhancing Water Stewardship in China

In the last few years, we have launched several programs in China to help raise awareness about the importance of water stewardship and inspire action in communities.

Our community water initiatives in China are diverse and widespread, reaching people in cities and rural villages across the country. Beginning in 2005, we partnered with the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games, the Beijing Youth League, the Beijing Young Pioneers and the First News newspaper to start a city-wide education campaign for 100,000 students and their families to "Save a Barrel of Water." The program has expanded to reach approximately 150,000 students in 15 cities.

Another initiative we joined in 2008 is the "Water Resources Management and Drinking Water Safety in Rural Regions of China," the first public-private partnership among the United Nations Development Programme; the Ministry of Water Resources; the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange; and our Company. This project will establish four demonstration sites in the water-stressed provinces of Sichuan, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang and Liaoning.

The four-year, $6.7 million project aims to improve the quality of drinking water and drinking water conditions in rural areas; improve water treatment; strengthen water resource conservation; and promote ecological restoration and the development of ecological agriculture.

The project will pilot improvement programs in four schools along the Yangtze River, where there is currently a lack of basic sanitation and clean running water.

Supporting Small Business Development Learn how our Manual Distribution Center (MDC) model in Africa has created jobs, promoted entrepreneurship and strengthened local economies.