Water conservationists thirsty for a chance to help preserve the scarce resource have been given the opportunity to apply for private sector funds for their projects.
Local water activists can tap a five-year, $35 million (€27 million) fund dedicated to projects across the world. The fund is part of HSBC’s global $100 million water programme.
Projects must be sustainable, have a measurable impact and address water-related issues for the benefit of the target community. They can involve multiple NGOs or deal with educational water-related initiatives.
Malta is one of the world’s most water-scarce regions, with water experts warning that groundwater supplies are severely over-extracted. Much of Malta’s water is derived from energy-hungry processes such as reverse osmosis.
HSBC’s water programme is a collaborative project done in partnership with international NGOs Earthwatch, WaterAid and World Wildlife Fund.
Activists interested in applying for funding can discover more at www.thewaterhub.org.