Tapping into WET project

A global tradition of annual activities commemorating World Water Day every March, launched by the United Nations in 1993, is reaching school children in Bahrain for the second year in a row, through activities conducted by Nestlé Waters and its global NGO partner Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), focusing on water stewardship and the importance of healthy hydration.

This year’s events are in line with commitments made in the first Nestlé in Society report for the region, published in 2015, in which the company pledged to promote healthy hydration as part of a healthy lifestyle, vowing to further implement our healthy hydration awareness programmes for teachers and children providing a better understanding of the benefits of water as key to healthy hydration.

“Water is a precious resource that is shared among individuals, farmers, industry, the environment and others,” said Rime Raya, nutrition, health and wellness manager at Nestlé Waters. “Raising awareness about the importance of water amongst our employees and the local communities in which we operate on World Water Day is one of the ways we bring our commitment to water stewardship to life.”

Project Wet activities implemented in the region include Blue Planet, The Life Box, Aqua Bodies, a Drop in the Bucket, One for All, and Sum of the Part, all of which aim to lead children through a process that allows them to understand the importance of water in people’s lives, teach them that human actions affect water and educate them on how to protect and preserve it.

In the Middle East, Nestlé has since 2009 reduced absolute water withdrawal by six per cent across its factories in the region, while production volume increased by 62 per cent.

World Water Day, as recently highlighted in EducationMatters is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. World Water Day dates back to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development where an international observance for water was recommended.

The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. It has been held annually since then. More information is available on the following website: https://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/home/en/