Xylem Africa, a global water technology company, and Manchester City Football Club have constructed two water towers for the Football for Hope Centre and the English Arabic Basic School at Dehia in Cape Coast.
The projects were undertaken in collaboration with Planet Water Foundation, partners of Xylem, and Play Soccer Ghana, a football NGO, partners of Manchester City, to give the two communities access to potable water.
The water towers are also intended to improve sanitation and hygiene in the communities and prevent sicknesses, lateness to school and absenteeism.
They will officially be handed over to the beneficiaries on Thursday at a football and water education festival for children, led by young leaders from Play Soccer Ghana.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Chetan Mistry, Strategy and Marketing Manager of Xylem Africa, said the projects were part of its partnership with Manchester City to raise awareness on water protection, conservation and communication through football.
The gesture was also to assist underprivileged communities across the continent with the needed amenities.
Already, he said Xylem and Manchester City had reached more than one billion people through water awareness, education and volunteerism that advanced their shared mission to create a more sustainable world.
He indicated that, so far, six communities had been identified in Cape Coast to be supported with various projects.
He observed that people did not understand the concept and importance of water as much as they understood football and therefore, there was the need for a deliberate thorough sensitisation.
“Water is important because it is the life of every community and so if we do not start looking after our water well, then we are going to destroy communities because lack of access will affect their hygiene and lifespan,” Mr Mistry said.
Mr Selasi Kpodo, the Regional Sales Manager for Ghana and Nigeria, Xylem Africa, recalled that when their team visited the beneficiary communities to cut the sod for similar projects in 2020, it was observed that many school children travelled several kilometres to fetch water.
“Some of them run late for school and some do not go to school at all, especially for the young girls who are in their periods,” he observed.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that water facilities would have a significant positive impact on academic performance and levels of education in the communities.
