Sigue Tu CEPA Foundation has launched the #SéAgua esta Navidad campaign in Puerto Rico, inviting businesses to turn their holiday celebrations into support for rainwater-harvesting education. The drive is part of the global Giving Tuesday movement and aims to fund workshops in schools across the island. It follows a year in which Puerto Rico again faced water scarcity: in August, more than 500,000 people in seven towns were under water rationing during one of the most severe droughts of recent years.
Foundation founder Mariewill Pizarro said that while large-scale solutions to the 67% of broken infrastructure are pending, the next generation can be taught now to conserve and use every drop. Companies taking part make a suggested donation and receive a hand-painted water-drop ornament made by a Puerto Rican school student, to hang on their Christmas trees.
Proceeds will keep the rainwater-capture workshops running in public and private schools, where students from kindergarten through fourth year of high school learn to collect, store and use rainwater. The foundation aims to reach more than 20,000 children and young people and at least 10% of Puerto Rico’s schools. The public countdown began October 26, with companies expected to have trees decorated by December 1, Giving Tuesday. Businesses can sign up via siguetu.org or the foundation’s social media.