Orbia Supports UNICEF's COVID-19 Response.pdf

Orbia is donating $500,000 USD to UNICEF to support the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The contribution will enable the installation of handwashing stations in vulnerable schools and communities, reaching 450,000 children and family members with access to clean water and soap. Orbia is also donating essential supplies, including water tanks and pipes, manufactured by the company. The handwashing stations will be installed in areas of greatest need, including Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Peru, and South Africa. Handwashing with soap and water is crucial in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus disease, but only three out of five people globally have basic handwashing facilities. Approximately 40 percent of the world's population (three billion people) do not have a handwashing facility with soap and water at home, rising to 75 percent in the least developed countries. In Latin America and the Caribbean, over 50 million people, including children and adolescents, do not have access to basic handwashing facilities with soap and water at home. Bernt Aasen, UNICEF Regional Director in Latin America and the Caribbean, stated that COVID-19 puts vulnerable groups more at risk of getting infected by the pandemic simply because they are not able to wash their hands. Orbia's generous contribution plays a critical role in addressing this issue. Handwashing is crucial in protecting children and their families against many other potentially lethal diseases, including diarrhea, which is the largest cause of death for children under five.