Project Flow brings water purification to Guyana’s school system

– Recover Guyana, GGI, ExxonMobil collaborate to push initiative

Launched under the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), Recover Guyana and ExxonMobil have introduced a nationwide water purification initiative set to transform public schools across the country.
The project – titled Project Flow – aims to provide clean drinking water to all public secondary and special needs schools across Guyana’s 10 administrative regions, combining innovation, STEM learning, and environmental awareness to benefit students and their communities.

Davindra Lalltoo, speaking at the launch of the initiative and serving as President of Recover Guyana, provided more details on the project.
Project Flow aims to empower students – through their environmental clubs – to operate and maintain these water purification systems for years to come. By 2030, the project aims to engage more than 1500 students and teachers, who will receive training in environmental sustainability, shaping them into environmental champions within their schools and communities.
The project is also about job creation, education, and opportunity. Every installation will create local employment for carpenters, electricians, solar installers, and plumbers, while Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students will gain hands-on experience as interns, preparing them for future careers and skills development.

At the same time, school science labs will now have direct access to a 100 per cent STEM-orientated facility, giving students a practical resource for experiments, innovation, and sustainability-focused projects. By engaging local workers, empowering young trainees, and strengthening science education, Project Flow proves that sustainability can drive both prosperity and knowledge.
Beyond sustainability, the project fosters education, job creation, and skills development. Each installation generates local employment for carpenters, electricians, solar technicians, and plumbers, while TVET students gain hands-on experience as interns, preparing them for future careers.
“We are gathered to ignite a transformative effort – one that will touch the lives of more than 58,000 students, eliminate approximately 25 million plastic bottles, and align our country with the global call of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. This is more than water purification. This is about dignity, equity, and the courage to reimagine the future,” Lalltoo said.
He further explained that Project Flow will ensure that public secondary, TVET, and special needs schools have daily access to purified, safe drinking water.
“The FLOW system combines Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Ultraviolet (UV) purification to guarantee the highest water quality. To be fully energy-efficient, every system will be solar-powered, reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. In addition, regular quality assurance testing will be conducted by our laboratory, which will be GYS 170 standard certified and in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The project will also be supported by the Guyana Water Inc. through its laboratory to guarantee that every drop of water accessed by students is safe and clean,” he said.
Additionally, he pointed out that this system will enable significant cost savings for schools – resources that can be redirected toward other high-impact initiatives.
“Imagine what these schools can now reinvest into classrooms, learning materials, and the expansion of student support services. The potential for long-term educational impact is both powerful and promising,” he noted.
Meanwhile, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasising its alignment with national priorities and its focus on STEM education.
Routledge said the project’s expansion marks a significant milestone in advancing technological learning across Guyana. “It’s wonderful to see that we’ve proven the model and are now ready to roll it out right across Guyana – across the whole country. This is an essential partnership that we look forward to continuing and building upon with the Ministry of Education,” he stated.
He emphasised that STEM education remains at the core of the project’s mission, underscoring its importance to Guyana’s long-term development.
“STEM education is something that this project is founded on, but it is also absolutely fundamental to the future growth and prosperity of the country. The world is advancing through technology, and economies are increasingly driven by it. For Guyana to compete and sustain its economy in the future, we need to strengthen our capabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” Routledge noted.
He further encouraged continued innovation within the education system, pointing to the need for greater opportunities for students to explore new technologies.
“We must continue to enhance the curriculum and give more opportunities for students – like those here today – to be inspired by the possibilities and excited about what STEM education has to offer. And what better way to do that than by having a project like this in every secondary school, demonstrating what technology can achieve?” he said.
According to Routledge, the initiative embodies true partnership and progress, reflecting ExxonMobil’s ongoing collaboration with the Government.