Accessing the bathroom to use the toilet or to wash our hands is something most of us do every day without a second thought. Sadly, 1.69 billion people around the world lack access to basic sanitation, while 494 million individuals practice open defecation regularly and 30% of the world’s population do not have access to handwashing facilities with soap and water at home.
Last year, GROHE ran its “Energy for Life” campaign across 13 countries in Europe including the UK, the Middle East and North Africa, contributing 1€ for every eligible shower system and thermostat sold to support UNICEF and LIXIL’s “Make a Splash!” partnership. The total of 1.2 million euros collected was applied directly to partnership activities, supporting the underserved communities of Nigeria and Indonesia gain access to basic and safely managed sanitation and hygiene.
“At LIXIL, we are proud of our global partnership with UNICEF and GROHE’s ‘Energy for Life’ campaign. It will support the immediate and long-lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Nigeria and Indonesia, where issues like open defecation and unsafe sanitation are a bitter reality for the majority of the population. Water is at the core of our business, and as a global leader, we are aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 6. We are committed to share our expertise and drive change for the better – to make access to clean water and sanitation a reality for everyone, everywhere”, says Jonas Brennwald, leader LIXIL EMENA.
“Improved sanitation and hygiene are important, especially for children in Nigeria, as this reduces the
risk of childhood diseases that can impede their overall wellbeing, learning and growth. Here at UNICEF,
we are grateful that the support from GROHE will not only help to scale access to safely managed
sanitation to more children and households but will also help contribute to the achievement of an open
defecation free Nigeria,’’ states Jane Bevan, chief of WASH, UNICEF Nigeria.
“Making sanitation services more affordable and accessible can save children’s lives and improve their health, education and economic opportunities,” says Maniza Zaman, UNICEF Representative in Indonesia.
“Our partnership with GROHE and LIXIL will bring together government partners, entrepreneurs, suppliers and financial institutions to help accelerate access to safely managed sanitation for millions of people, allowing many more children to live and thrive in a clean and healthy environment.”
