LifeStraw, a developer of filtration and purification products for safe drinking water, launched its third annual Follow the Liters campaign in western Kenya from February 13-24.

At the end of the two weeks, the humanitarian campaign will have brought sustainable access to safe water to more than 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 rollout of new filtration products, a greatly expanded retail presence and additional programs that link its retail business to its humanitarian safe water mission.

LifeStraw’s Follow the Liters program is an ongoing campaign. When a consumer in North America or Europe buys any LifeStraw water filter or purifier, one school child in a developing country receives safe drinking water for an entire school year. A portion of the proceeds from retail sales is used to purchase and distribute high-volume LifeStraw water purifiers to school children in rural Kenya and rural India that don’t have access to safe drinking water, and to educate them on safe water practices.

In February, LifeStraw will distribute 2,652 LifeStraw Community 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, providing ongoing access to safe water to more than 618,000 school children. LifeStraw Follow the Liters has the goal of reaching 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 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 in April and the hurricane that destroyed parts of Haiti in October.

Photo courtesy LifeStraw