Etihad Aviation Group will fund the construction of 30 water wells in three African nations to assist in easing a critical shortage of clean water in remote communities.

The initiative was announced by Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer of Etihad Aviation Group, in support of the ‘Well of Hope’ water security initiative launched during the holy month of Ramadan by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Globally, more than 844 million people lack access to clean drinking water, equivalent to one in every 10 people on earth. Each day, over 800 children under five years of age die due to the consumption of contaminated water or exposure to poor health conditions.

Douglas said construction of the water wells in select locations of Nigeria, Mauritania and Sierra Leone would begin by the end of 2019 as part of Etihad’s commitment to humanitarian aid through its Corporate Social Responsibility programme. “Etihad Aviation Group is committed to supporting or initiating campaigns for the betterment of communities in need, and water security is a critical issue,” said Douglas. “This initiative reflects our recognition of this crisis, and our commitment to contribute in a small way to a practical solution.”

Last week, hundreds of Etihad employees ‘pumped’ 20,595 litres of water through a virtual pumping device, as part of the ‘Well of Hope’ water security initiative of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, which has committed to match the virtual water volumes achieved by 20 private or public organisations in the UAE with an equivalent amount of clean water in needy remote communities. - TradeArabia News Service