Produced with a special Dope Dye manufacturing process to reduce water consumption, the kit pays tribute to a unique partnership between PUMA, the Club’s global charity initiative, Cityzens Giving, and Official Water Technology Partner Xylem, supporting a network of football and safe water programmes around the world.
This innovative global programme combines football-based education on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), with Xylem water technology to provide clean water access for communities in need.
Working in the Vila Albertina community of São Paulo, Young Leaders from Gol de Letra Foundation are using football to educate young people on water use, water scarcity and WASH. The project aims to make local city kids aware of the importance of water and its conscious consumption.
Vila Albertina is dealing with rising issues of water scarcity. A lack of reliable access to safe water at the project’s main centre causes some football activities to be interrupted or cancelled.
Last weekend, a group of volunteers comprising local City fans and Xylem and PUMA employees joined forces with Fundación Avina to take the first steps in installing a rainwater capture and re-use system at the centre. This system will provide the centre with an alternative source of water, allowing more consistent access to clean water year-round.
Additionally, the volunteers created a sustainable garden which will be fed by rain-water, and a water-reuse system, thereby reducing water waste and growing healthy, natural food for young people and the community.
Andressa, a young leader at Gol de Letra Foundation said: “Here in Vila Albertina we’ve experienced situations where, in the middle of our football sessions, the water supply has shut off. And we had to interrupt our activities because we had no water for the children to drink. Thanks to this partnership, we believe that Xylem’s technology will help to save as much water as possible for the community.”
Gary Dixon, Head of Business Unit Marketing Teamsport at PUMA said: “The Dope Dye manufacturing process drastically reduced the amount of water and dye used during the production of this kit, when compared to traditional ways of dying materials.
“We wanted to go beyond kit design, beyond technology, to have real impact on people’s lives. We’re very proud of this unique collaboration with Cityzens Giving and Xylem, and the positive impact we’ve been able to make together in São Paulo to help solve water challenges in the local community.”
“Football is global, and companies are multi-national, but water is local,” said Joseph Vesey, Xylem’s Chief Marketing Officer. “So, the most important work on water challenges happens one community at a time.
“What Xylem does with Manchester City and PUMA becomes far more meaningful when we’re able to support positive change at the community level. These water heroes, working with Gol de Letra and Fundación Avina, are showing the way, giving a generation of young people in Vila Albertina a deeper connection to the water issues in their community.”
This joint initiative is supporting projects in São Paulo, Mumbai, Buenos Aires and Manchester, and aims to reach 10,000 young people with vital water education and water access.
Stay tuned this season for more news from the projects.
