LifeStraw Honors World Water Day with Release of Annual Impact Report and Launch of New Products Benefiting Humanitarian Relief

Reaching over 3.9 million people around the world with safe water in 2023, including Ukraine, Syria, Turkey, Gaza, South Sudan and Haiti, while launching SafiCycle, a new menstrual health and hygiene program. 

BALTIMORE, March 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LifeStraw, a public health B Corp and Climate Neutral Certified Brand on a mission to provide equitable access to safe drinking water, reveals its 2023 LifeStraw Impact Report on World Water Day. This year's World Water Day is focused on uniting around water and using water for peace to lay the foundation for a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.

"World Water Day marks a significant moment for our organization and partners around the globe as we continue our work to provide access to safe drinking water during a year with an increased need for humanitarian aid and disaster relief," said Alison Hill, CEO of LifeStraw. "In 2023 alone, we received over 55,000 contributions from customers and our community to support our safe water work in places like Gaza, Ukraine, South Sudan, Türkiye, Syria, Malawi, Morocco, and even Maui. In order to support additional work this year, we are also excited to be launching an accessory series where all proceeds will support our humanitarian response efforts."

Limited Edition Bracelets and Water Bottle Carriers Supporting Safe Water Programs

For the first time, LifeStraw is launching limited-edition Safe Water Bracelets and Water Bottle Carriers, all proceeds of which benefit humanitarian efforts.

• Safe Water Bracelets are sourced from a program supporting special education in Kenya. All bracelets are unique and made from locally sourced beads. Sets of three are sold for $29.
• Safe Water Bottle Carriers are sourced from women's groups in Kenya to support income generation. Made from repurposed Kenyan fabric, they hold all sizes of the LifeStraw Go Series, include a cell phone pocket, and retail for $25 each.

LifeStraw's 2023 Impact Report outlines the results of its commitment to positively impact people and the planet this past year and beyond.

Topline social and environmental impact by the numbers:

• 18,000 filters sent to Gaza
• 9,680,105 kids with access to safe water through LifeStraw's Give Back Program
• 101,859 people were reached through LifeStraw's Safe Water Fund emergency response
• 3 new Give Back programs launched in Haiti, Venezuela, and Ghana
• 1,756 girls with access to comprehensive menstrual health through LifeStraw's new program, SafiCycle
• 1,153,000 guinea worm filters donated to the Carter Center to support eradication
• 134,956,708 plastic water bottles offset through the use of LifeStraw products
• 5,226 tonnes of carbon emissions offset
• 580,000 gallons of water saved in testing optimization

LifeStraw's new programs and milestones:

• LifeStraw launched SafiCycle?a menstrual health and hygiene program for young girls
  SafiCyle is dedicated to providing sustainable menstrual products and comprehensive reproductive health education to girls across the globe.
  
  "As a company dedicated to realizing safe water as a human right, we recognize that the intersection of safe water, hygiene, menstrual health, and gender equity represents a critical nexus in the pursuit of global development and social justice," said Hill. "One of the challenges we've tackled head-on is the burden placed on girls, who are often tasked with fetching water from distant sources, thereby hindering their access to education. While providing water purifiers addresses one aspect of this issue, it doesn't fully alleviate the educational barriers girls face."
  
  In response, LifeStraw launched SafiCycle. Safi means 'safe' in Swahili. SafiCycle's mission is to empower girls and women by ensuring they have the resources for safe, dignified menstrual health. In 2023, SafiCycle's inaugural program reached 1,756 adolescents in Western Kenya with four pairs of The Period Company's reusable menstrual hygiene underwear, along with ongoing training and education.
  
  LifeStraw hopes that access to high-quality, sustainable products will empower girls to manage their periods with dignity and comfort, ensuring they can fully engage in school activities and contribute to better health outcomes.

• Humanitarian and Disaster Response
  LifeStraw responded to numerous natural and humanitarian disasters, reaching over 101,000 people in Türkiye, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza, Malawi, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maui, Kenya, Morocco, Afghanistan, and Nunavut, Canada through its Safe Water Fund emergency response
  
  
• LifeStraw's Give Back Program Grows
  Over 9.6 million people have received a year of safe drinking water since the program's inception in 2014; for every product sold, a school child receives safe water for an entire year. In 2023, LifeStraw successfully expanded its Give Back Program to three new regions?reaching over 149,400 kids with safe drinking water in Venezuela, Haiti and Ghana. LifeStraw employs over 40 full-time staff members in western Kenya who operate its programs year-round.
  
  
• Guinea Worm Eradication Reaches Historic Low
  In 2023, LifeStraw donated over 1.1 million LifeStraw Guinea Worm filters to the Carter Center to support eradication efforts. Guinea Worm cases reached a historic low; only 13 human cases were reported in just four countries. This is down from over 100,000 cases in 18 countries when LifeStraw began its work with the Carter Center in 1994.
  
  
• Climate Impact Examined
  In 2023, the purchase of LifeStraw Home pitchers and bottles offset more than 134 million single-use plastic water bottles. LifeStraw's water lab in Vietnam saved 580,000 gallons of water through innovative testing optimization.

LifeStraw's 2023 Impact Report also details its environmental footprint, ethical sourcing and production standards, and packaging sustainability efforts. Download the entire LifeStraw 2023 Impact Report.  Additional images are available here.

ABOUT LIFESTRAW
LifeStraw believes everyone deserves equitable access to safe drinking water. With humanitarian roots, the company began over 25 years ago with the creation of its Guinea worm filter, which has been instrumental in the near-eradication of Guinea worm disease. Today, LifeStraw is a Climate Neutral certified B Corp designing beautiful, simple and functional products to provide people with the highest protection from unsafe water, no matter where they live or where they source their water. LifeStraw products are used in more than 64 countries by schools, clinics, outdoor enthusiasts, adventure travelers, and households. They are regularly deployed to support communities impacted by emergencies or natural disasters requiring potable water. LifeStraw's innovative water filtration technology is rigorously tested by independent laboratories and leveraged across some of the harshest environments around the world. For every product purchased, a school child in need receives safe water for a year. LifeStraw's water filtration options are sold in retail stores in North America and Europe and online at www.lifestraw.com. Follow LifeStraw on Instagram and TikTok at @LifeStraw.

SOURCE LifeStraw