City Football Schools has announced a unique partnership with Xylem which aims to educate UAE-based children on the importance of hygiene, hydration and water wastage.

The partnership with Xylem, a global organisation and leader in developing innovative water solutions through smart technology, is the latest addition to the work being carried out by City Football Schools across the UAE to promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle for children.

An educational programme focusing on the importance of water has already been implemented by City Football Schools, in tandem with Xylem, in four schools throughout Abu Dhabi, with over 350 children having already taken part.

In total, 15 hours of online coaching has already been delivered, and the programme will be rolled out in a further six schools prior to the winter break, with an additional 15 having expressed an interest in taking part from January 2021.

Simon Hewitt, Head of Football Operations MENA, said: “We have been working hard this year to connect with many schools and children in the country to educate the importance of a healthy lifestyle – and this partnership with Xylem is a fantastic part of those efforts.

“With the current situation, a lot of schools are looking for new and engaging ways to teach their children and when you have an important message around water usage and waste to share, this elevates that opportunity.

“We are delighted to work with exciting projects and partners like Xylem, and we hope the messages shared in the online lessons will give children a chance to reflect on their water usage and how they can play a pivotal role in the future.”

Barbara Lubaczewska, Principal at Al Rabeeh Academy, one of the schools to have taken part in the programme, said: “It is vitally important to do all that we can to promote the role that physical activity and sport both play in keeping children healthy and happy.

“This program has successfully achieved that. The feedback from the students has been amazing and has helped to further their understanding of the important role that water plays in their health and hygiene.”

Frank Ackland, Managing Director, Middle East & Turkey, Xylem, said: “In a region that is of the world’s most water-scarce, the importance of conserving water for sustainable development in the Middle East is crucial. Addressing water challenges is at the heart of what we do at Xylem. That’s why we are delighted to collaborate with Manchester City to create a program that educates children in the UAE on the importance of water, as well as the ways in which it can be safeguarded through better hygiene and water usage habits.

“We cannot solve the global water crisis alone. Engaging children at an early age will help them understand the impact they can have on the global water crisis and hopefully influence the path to safeguarding our collective future.”