LifeStraw's Follow the Liters Program Reaches Milestone, Providing Safe Drinking Water To More Than 618,000 School Children In Kenya

PROGRAM KICKS OFF YEAR OF MAJOR EXPANSION FOR THE WATER FILTRATION LEADER

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Feb 09, 2017, 10:00 ET

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Feb. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeStraw, a global leader in developing innovative filtration and purification products for safe drinking water, is launching a big year of developments beginning with its third annual Follow the Liters campaign in western Kenya, February 13 –24. At the end of the two weeks, the humanitarian campaign will reach a milestone, bringing sustainable access to safe water to over 618,000 school children. LifeStraw promises that this major feat is only the beginning of a high- impact year marked by a brand licensing partnership with the American Red Cross, the roll out of new products, an expanded retail presence, and additional programs linking its retail business to its humanitarian safe water mission.

Girl at school in rural Kenya proudly shows the glass of water she poured from the LifeStraw Community water purifier which transforms microbiologically contaminated water into safe drinking water.

LifeStraw's Follow the Liters program follows a simple formula. When a consumer in North America or Europe buys any LifeStraw product, one school child in a developing country receives safe drinking water for an entire school year. In February, LifeStraw will distribute 2,652 water purifiers and educate over 257,000 children and teachers at 380 schools in western Kenya and Homa Bay. After this distribution, 1,011 schools will have the purifiers and over 618,000 school children will have ongoing access to safe water. LifeStraw Follow the Liters is aiming to reach over one million school children by 2018.

Furthering its mission to be the global safe water leader, LifeStraw also begins a brand licensing partnership with the American Red Cross in 2017. The American Red Cross recommends that households and businesses have a supply of water on hand for each person in case a disaster occurs. LifeStraw's water filtration products provide American consumers with the confidence that their water will be filtration safe for use in the event of emergencies.

LifeStraw is partnering with Thirst, as official hydration partner and a member of the leadership group for its #Run4Water, a collaboration to generate awareness and mobilize action to address the global water crisis. LifeStraw will support Thirst's founder, Mina Guli and her team, as she takes on the enormous challenge of running along six rivers in six contents in six weeks. LifeStraw has also expanded its Safe Water Fund, an online non-profit platform that enables socially conscious individuals and organizations to support safe water programs. In 2015, the Fund mobilized access to safe water for victims following the earthquake that struck Ecuador and the hurricane that destroyed parts of Haiti.

LifeStraw will unveil an ambitious collection of category-expanding water filtration products for diverse consumer uses. The brand will enjoy a vastly increased retail presence with expansion into major mainstream outlets. LifeStraw is sold in North America through exclusive partner, EarthEasy, and can be purchased in retail stores or online at www.lifestraw.com.

About LifeStraw: LifeStraw focuses on innovation of technology that converts microbiologically contaminated water into safe drinking water with products that are designed to fit the needs of the people that use them. The first LifeStraw was the LifeStraw Guinea Worm Filter introduced in 1996, which has been instrumental in the near-eradication of Guinea worm disease. In 2015, the personal LifeStraw filter was introduced for use in developing countries. Today LifeStraw is used in 64 countries and includes filters and purifiers for households, clinics, schools, and for outdoor recreation, travel and everyday personal use.

Media Contact:
Meryl Rader
[email protected]
+1 908 5283826

SOURCE LifeStraw