Erkki Paasikivi Foundation and UNICEF launch a partnership for clean water in Ukraine and Finland
The three-year partnership between Erkki Paasikivi Foundation and UNICEF Finland supports access to clean water in Ukraine and strengthens Finnish children’s understanding of the importance of clean water.
Erkki Paasikivi Foundation will support water and sanitation efforts in Ukraine and global education in Finnish schools over the next three years.
“We are extremely pleased about our new partnership with Erkki Paasikivi Foundation. A multi-year partnership and the Foundation’s long-term commitment are effective ways to create real, positive change and to safeguard one of life’s essentials — access to clean water — in Ukraine. I am especially delighted that this cooperation will benefit children both in Ukraine and here in Finland,” says Annina Tanhuanpää, Secretary General of UNICEF Finland.
“For us, research, education, innovation and clean water are at the core of our mission. Through this partnership, we can concretely improve access to clean water in Ukraine and increase children’s and young people’s understanding of the importance of safe drinking water,” says Terhi Aaltonen, Executive Director of Erkki Paasikivi Foundation.
UNICEF is an excellent partner for the Foundation as an international expert organization that coordinates and advances access to clean water in challenging conditions.
War has weakened water distribution in Ukraine
Even before the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine faced significant challenges in access to clean water and water services. During the war, the situation has deteriorated considerably: more than 1,100 km of water pipelines, 82 pumping stations, and 12 treatment plants have been destroyed or rendered non-operational. The total damage to Ukraine’s water and sanitation system and reconstruction needs have already exceeded USD 17.5 billion since 2022.
“In 2026, Erkki Paasikivi Foundation’s support to Ukraine will enable the building of new water kiosks in areas where water infrastructure has been damaged or access to clean water is limited. The Foundation’s support enables a very concrete and innovative way to improve the availability of safe drinking water,” Aaltonen explains.
Water kiosks provide people with clean, safe drinking water free of charge. They are not dependent on centralized water systems, allowing them to continue operating even in emergency situations, such as disruptions in water distribution or power outages.
Clean water as part of UNICEF Finland’s global education work
In Finland, clean water is often taken for granted. Another goal of the partnership is to increase Finnish children’s and young people’s understanding of the value of water and of clean water as a fundamental child right. Water is a limited natural resource that must be protected. Understanding the importance of basic resources — and their unequal global distribution — supports active citizenship among young people in Finland, as well as responsible thinking and behaviour.
“A key reason for launching this cooperation specifically with UNICEF Finland is the organization’s broad reach in schools and the opportunity to build on existing mechanisms,” says Aaltonen. “UNICEF’s global education work is a natural way to reach children and young people with information about clean water and to influence their understanding, attitudes and even water use habits.”
UNICEF’s global education activities reach hundreds of thousands of Finnish primary school students, and the materials produced are widely used as part of the national curriculum. Support from the Erkki Paasikivi Foundation and its network of water experts enables the introduction of fresh perspectives into Finnish schools: during the partnership, new water-themed educational materials will be developed for teachers to use in their teaching.
The partnership for clean water in Finland and Ukraine offers valuable opportunities for learning and for developing cooperation in the future.
“Clean water is a vital resource that we must not take for granted, even in Finland. In crisis areas, ensuring access to water is always our priority. We are embarking on a three-year journey together, during which we can learn from one another and, hopefully, expand our cooperation further through our networks,” says Annina Tanhuanpää.
