EMU Australia Partners With WaterAid

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Feb 18, 2016, 09:00 ET

Global Partnership Aims to Provide Access to Clean Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Education for 15 Communities

NEW YORK and OTTAWA, Quebec, Feb. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Premium Australian footwear brand, EMU Australia is proud to announce their global partnership with WaterAid, the top-ranked international development organization helping people gain sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in the world's poorest regions.

The initial donation from EMU Australia, provided to WaterAid and made possible through the sale of EMU Australia products, will help kick-start 15 projects in Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. EMU Australia further aims to support programs through the sale of its products benefitting current and future projects by WaterAid.

"Charitable involvement at a global scale has always been important factor to EMU Australia. We are excited to be partnering with WaterAid, a great organization that transforms the lives of those who are most in need in this world," said Dan Singer, North America President for EMU Australia.

Currently, 650 million people or approximately 1 in 10 of the world's population lives without safe water. To drive change and deliver lasting results, WaterAid and EMU Australia will take an integrated, collaborative approach towards achieving access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. By improving access to these essentials, WaterAid and EMU Australia hope to prevent water-related diseases, reduce deaths linked to unsafe water, give children more time to attend school and offer adults the opportunity to improve their livelihoods.

"Partnerships like this one between WaterAid and EMU Australia unlock opportunity, helping to chip away at startling statistics that show that women globally spend 200 million hours each day collecting water," said WaterAid America Chief Executive, Sarina Prabasi. "The global water crisis is as solvable as it is daunting. We are thrilled that EMU Australia shares our commitment to make a lasting difference in the world around us."

"EMU Australia's commitment to global charitable actions, targeted at those most in need, is a great fit with WaterAid's vision. A vision of a world where everyone, everywhere has access to safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene by 2030," said WaterAid Canada Chief Executive, Nicole Hurtubise. "This partnership will undoubtedly help WaterAid transform the lives of thousands of woman, children and men."Together, EMU Australia and WaterAid are working towards a vision of a world where everyone, everywhere has safe water, sanitation and hygiene. For updates on their partnership, follow the #EMUxWaterAid hashtag on social media.

About EMU Australia
EMU Australia is a premium Australian footwear brand that believes in beautifully simple and comfortable products that improve the journey, wherever life takes you. Born from coastal origins, EMU Australia blends innovation and craftsmanship with the best natural materials, delivering comfort 365 days a year. With a rich heritage in authentic Australian-made sheepskin products, EMU Australia is influenced by their 'Ever Natural' surroundings, from natural textures and earth-inspired palettes, to local cultural influences, forming a fresh new design approach to ready-to-wear fashion footwear.

About WaterAid
WaterAid is the #1 ranked international nonprofit dedicated to helping people living in the world's poorest communities transform their lives through access to safe water, toilets and hygiene. WaterAid has programs and influence in 37 countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific region. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 23 million people with safe water and, since 2004, 21 million people with toilets and sanitation.

Connect with WaterAid at www.facebook.com/WaterAidAmerica www.facebook.com/wateraidcanada and @WaterAidAmerica @WaterAidCanada or find out more at www.wateraid.org.

One child dies every two minutes from diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation. That's around 900 children each day.
More than 650 million people are without safe water, or 1 in 10 in the world.
More than 2.3 billion people are without adequate sanitation, or 1 in 3 people in the world.
Half of the world's hospital beds are filled by people suffering from preventable water and sanitation related diseases.
On average, women globally spend 200 million hours collecting water every day.
For every $1 spent on water and sanitation, there is a $4 economic return