By: Jayda Jeune | HGP Nightly News |
The Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Recover Guyana, has officially launched Project FLOW, a groundbreaking four-year program designed to provide clean, purified water to thousands of students across the country.
According to Lorna Carlson, Socioeconomic Manager at ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, the initiative seeks to ensure that public secondary schools, technical institutions, and special-needs schools gain sustainable access to safe drinking water.
“With support from GGI and the Ministry of Education, the pilot project began in March 2025, and the results were immediate,” Carlson shared.
Alistair Rutledge, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sustainable development, noting that the project demonstrates how natural resource wealth can directly improve lives.
“This is wonderful for us as investors, and wonderful for Guyana. The real El Dorado has finally been found,” Rutledge said.
Dr. Dave Lalltoo, Project Lead and President of Recover Guyana, described the initiative as a symbol of social responsibility and stewardship.
“This is more than water purification. It’s about dignity, equity, and the courage to reimagine the future,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary Schools), Sherwyn Blackman, emphasized that the initiative bridges education, health, and environmental advocacy, calling it a “transformative step” for Guyana’s learning institutions.
“We all know water is life — and this project helps us maintain that essential structure,” Blackman said.
One student from a participating school shared that the program has already fostered new eco-friendly habits, encouraging students to refill reusable bottles rather than rely on single-use plastics.
By 2029, Project FLOW aims to serve 58,000 students across 141 public secondary schools, 10 technical institutes, and 4 special-needs schools. By 2030, the project is projected to prevent over 25 million plastic bottles from entering waterways and landfills, helping to cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious citizens.
The system utilizes Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) and rainwater sources, which are filtered and dispensed via solar-powered purification systems, merging innovation with sustainability in education.
