SHUKALB Launches Its “Friends of Water” Program for 2026

SHUKALB has launched the implementation of its “Friends of Water” education and awareness Program for 2026, an initiative aimed at educating younger generations about the importance of water and the protection of water resources. The Program is designed for third-grade students in primary schools and is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

This year, “Friends of Water” involves five regional water supply and sewerage utilities and 20 primary schools across six municipalities in Albania: Elbasan, Berat, Shkoder, Lezhe, Vlore and Fier. The Program’s implementation in these municipalities is supported by the SDSLeaD (Smart Decision Support and Leakage Detection) project, funded under the Interreg VI-A IPA Greece–Albania Cross-Border Cooperation Program.

On 8 October, SHUKALB organized training sessions for teachers from the participating schools, moderated by Olta Alla, SHUKALB’s Manager of Programs, and attended by teachers who will guide students in carrying out the program’s activities. As part of the initiative, teachers will conduct dedicated classroom sessions during which children will have the opportunity to express their ideas through drawings highlighting the importance of water and the protection of water resources.

The children’s drawings will initially be presented at local exhibitions in each participating municipality. Subsequently, the three best drawings from each school will be selected for inclusion in the National Exhibition “Water Through the Eyes of Children”, which SHUKALB will organize on 15 December 2026.

Through this Program, SHUKALB aims to foster an early connection between children and environmental protection, inspiring them to become true “friends of water” and contributing to a more sustainable future for Albania’s water supply and sewerage sector.