World Water Day took place on March 22nd and to mark the important occasion this year, Gucci, UNICEF and Beyoncé teamed up on a special project to bring safe water to the East African country of Burundi.
In partnership with UNICEF USA, Beyoncé launched BeyGood4Burundi, a multi-year initiative, to support programs to “improve water, sanitation and basic hygiene practices in the hardest-to-reach areas of the landlocked East African nation, where nearly half the population had no access to safe water,” according to a release.
Gucci announced that it would donate Dhs3.67 million to the project as part of its Chime for Change program, and this money will help build 80 wells that will provide clean, safe water to over 120,00 women, girls and families in the area.
Marco Bizzari, the President and CEO of Gucci, said of the partnership, “Gucci and Chime for Change are proud to stand with Beyoncé and UNICEF to help change the lives of hundreds of thousands of girls and women in Burundi. Through our commitment to BeyGood4Burundi we continue the mission of Chime for Change to provide education, health and justice to girls and women globally.”
The BeyGood4Burundi initiative is expected to reach 366,000 women and children by the year 2020.
Burundi has one of the world’s youngest populations, with 52 per cent of its population under the age of 18. Additionally, 52 per cent of the population is female. Giving these women and girls easy access to safe and clean water allows them to pursue schooling, deliver children safely and minimises the risk of attack prevalent in their journeys to gather water.
For more information on the program, visit Beyonce.com/beygood4burundi.
