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Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia) are organising an awareness programme for school students in Dubai, in collaboration with Surge; a global non-profit organisation for water, sanitation, and hygiene projects. This is part of DEWA's efforts to educate future generations about the global water crisis and water scarcity, as well as teach youth about sustainability, and rationalisation of resources.
The programme for elementary and middle school students from the public and private sector includes a variety of activities, including a virtual trip around the world to identify the problem of water scarcity and the challenges facing millions of people around the world to obtain clean water. During the course of the programme, each student will receive his/her passport, which gets stamped after the completion of each stage. Students also participate in interactive and educational activities, and games, to promote environmentally friendly behaviour, conserve natural resources, and rationalise water consumption. The activities include water footprint, water competitions, seeds of hope, and others.
“In line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who realises the importance of investing in the youth as future leaders, DEWA is keen to involve and inform them in educational activities about global, environmental, social and sustainability issues, and rationalisation of natural resources, especially water. We are keen to highlight the issue of water scarcity around the world, and how we can contribute to solving it, and working for a better future for the entire human race. Around 663 million people around the world, do not have clean water, and approximately 2.4 billion people lack basic sanitation. The number of people suffering from diseases related to water and sanitation has reached 1.5 billion people. These figures, which constitute a large proportion of the world's population, require institutions and organisations to work together to develop sustainable solutions to meet these challenges, and ensure that they do not rise again in the future. Our cooperation with Surge and our support for its awareness programmes, around the world, aims to spread knowledge among future generations. This supports DEWA’s motto, ‘for generations to come’, and works to achieve the Dubai Demand Side Energy Strategy, to reduce energy and water consumption by 30% by 2030,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.
Al Tayer applauded Surge’s efforts in implementing distinguished programmes in educational establishments in Dubai. "The programme is an ideal opportunity to introduce students to DEWA’s efforts in addressing the problem of water scarcity, as well as its unlimited support to the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia), which was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and falls under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI). Suqia plays a key role in the implementation of one of MBRGI’s objectives, which is combating poverty and disease through research for solutions to water scarcity, as well as its provision and desalination using solar energy, and modern purification methods,” added Al Tayer.
“DEWA encourages community members to rationalise energy and water consumption, through the launch of several awareness and educational programmes and campaigns, as well as innovative initiatives, throughout the year. This provides information and advice, to community members on ways to conserve natural resources and protect the environment,” concluded Al Tayer.
“In line with the directives of our wise leadership, Suqia supports the efforts of partnership with international, regional, and local organisations, who share common objectives in reducing water scarcity. Suqia is sponsoring the $ 1 million Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to encourage research institutions, individuals, and innovators worldwide, to find sustainable and innovative solutions for water scarcity using solar energy. We are pleased to cooperate with DEWA in this distinguished educational programme, to have a generation who is aware of the world's issues and the risks facing it in the future, as well as its leadership’s efforts and its public and private institutions in providing humanitarian assistance and basic needs – mainly, clean water - for needy people all over the world,” said Mohammed Abdulkareem Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of Suqia.
“DEWA is committed to supporting the efforts of Surge to provide clean water to the needy around the world. 900 students benefitted from the programme last year, and we are working to increase this number to 1,200 students by the end of this year. Since its inception in 2008, Surge has facilitated access to safe drinking water through sustainable solutions to more than 400,000 people in 11 countries around the world,” said Marita Peters, Executive Director of Surge Middle East.
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