Young Leaders from Five Cities Tackle Critical Water Challenges in Joint Initiative with Xylem

Against a backdrop of escalating global water challenges, young leaders are stepping up to make a difference with the Water Heroes Academy – a joint initiative by Manchester City’s global community program, Cityzens Giving, and global water technology partner, Xylem. Launched in 2021, the initiative empowers young leaders to tackle water challenges in their local communities by using the power of football to provide essential education on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

This year, five water projects led by inspiring young leaders in Bangalore, Barranquilla, Nairobi, Tacloban City and Washington D.C. took part in the program. Earlier this month, Manchester City supporters were invited to vote for their favorite project, and with almost 18,000 votes cast, Nairobi was named the winning project for 2023.

Today, it is estimated that 70% of Nairobi’s population live in informal settlements, with only 20% of the population having access to piped water and sanitation.¹ The Nairobi team’s project focused on educating young girls about using clean water for sanitation and hygiene during their period.

The young leaders from Nairobi will be visited by a Manchester City Club Legend and receive additional training from Manchester City coaches in the Football and Water Education curriculum. Each of this year’s projects also receives seed funding, educational tools, and training and mentoring from Xylem and City Football Foundation, providing young leaders with the resources they need to create their own unique programs.

Since 2021, the Water Heroes Academy has engaged more than 200 young leaders and delivered vital water and football related education to more than 12,000 young people in ten cities.

To learn more, visit Water Heroes Academy.

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to solving the world’s critical water, wastewater, and water-related challenges through technology, innovation, and expertise. Our more than 22,000 diverse employees delivered combined pro forma revenue of $7.3 billion in 2022. We are creating a more sustainable world by enabling our customers to optimize water and resource management and helping communities in more than 150 countries become water-secure. Join us in the effort at www.xylem.com and Let’s Solve Water.

About Manchester City Football Club

Manchester City is an English football club initially founded as St Mark’s West Gorton in 1880. Renamed Manchester City FC in 1894, the club secured its first major trophy in 1904. It has since enjoyed success on both domestic and international fronts, most notably completing an outstanding UEFA Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup Treble in 2023.

One of 13 clubs comprising the City Football Group, Manchester City plays its home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium, a 53,500 seat arena that the club has called home since 2003. The stadium sits on the wider Etihad Campus, which also encompasses the City Football Academy, a state-of-the-art training and development facility that houses its men’s, women’s and academy teams.

For more information, please visit www.mancity.com.

¹ https://www.urbanet.info/nairobi-clean-water/

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