On the initiative of the UN, World Water Day has been held every 22 March since 1993 to celebrate this essential resource by raising awareness of the health issues involved when managing it.

COVID-19 has raised awareness of the urgent need to give everyone the opportunity to wash their hands properly: at the beginning of the pandemic, 3 out of 10 people had no facilities at home to carry out these simple and life-saving gestures!

Today, 1 in 3 people still do not have access to safe water (source www.un.org) and according to a recent WHO and UNICEF report, billions of people around the world will still not have access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in 2030 if progress is not made four times fast-er. This is a real global problem when we know that water needs will increase by 50% by 2030 (Source UN, 2017 figures).

This is why World Water Day intends to draw more and more attention to the actions to be taken to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) adopted in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”.

As a member of the United Nations Global Compact and because water is also a fundamental value in its signature «Shaking up water», the SFA Group is naturally participating in this symbolic day.

This year, in more concrete terms, the SFA Group is once again committed to the non-profit organisation Planet Water Foundation through donating AquaHome systems to homes in the village of Sitio Happy Valley, Laguna, Philippines in mid-March. The lack of clean water and electricity access in Sitio Happy Valley, is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the villagers, especially the children.

To help transform the lives of people in need, SFA Group sponsored two AquaHome systems for the Dino and Estorejo families. This solar powered solution makes water safe to drink and provides enough electricity to illuminate homes and charge small appliances.

"Our village has had neither clean drinking water nor electricity for 20 years. My family has no money to relocate so we put up with using kerosene lamps at night and we drink water from a contaminated hand water pump. Because of SFA Group's donation, we need not worry about getting sick due to dirty water. Furthermore, I can now work efficiently, and my grandchildren can study comfortably at night." Aurelio O. Dino Sr., 75 Years Old, Father.