Every Step Counts: GF Employees in Austria Walk for Water to Support Families in Slovakia
This year, employees of Georg Fischer in Loosdorf, Austria, will once again lace up their walking shoes for a cause that reaches far beyond the trail ahead of them. On 11 June 2026, as part of the global GF Walk for Water 2026 initiative, colleagues, partners, and supporters will come together in a powerful expression of solidarity — raising awareness and funds to help families gain access to something many of us take for granted every day: safe water, sanitation, and a healthy place to call home.
And this year, Habitat for Humanity is proud to be part of that journey.
The annual GF Walk for Water, organized by the GF Water Foundation, has become a global movement uniting thousands of participants around one shared purpose: addressing the growing global water crisis driven by climate change, inequality, and inadequate infrastructure.
Since 2019, the initiative has raised more than USD 1.9 million to support sustainable water solutions for vulnerable communities around the world.
Why Water and Housing Go Hand in Hand
For Habitat for Humanity, the connection between water and housing is inseparable.
A safe home is more than four walls and a roof. It is access to clean water, functioning sanitation, proper hygiene, safety, dignity, and the opportunity for families to build healthier futures. Around the world, Habitat works alongside communities to improve housing conditions through construction, repairs, infrastructure upgrades, financial education, and WASH initiatives — Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene programs that help families live healthier, safer lives.
Today, one in four people globally still lack access to safe drinking water, while billions live without adequate sanitation. In many communities, poor housing and limited water access reinforce cycles of poverty, illness, and exclusion. Habitat’s approach addresses these challenges together — because sustainable housing cannot exist without safe water and sanitation.
Building on a Strong Partnership
That is why the partnership with GF feels so meaningful.
For years, GF’s Building Flow Solutions division — formerly Uponor — has supported Habitat for Humanity through product donations, volunteer engagement, and community investment initiatives across North America and beyond.
Together, we have helped improve housing conditions, strengthen infrastructure, and support families recovering from disasters and housing insecurity. From donated plumbing systems to thousands of volunteer hours contributed by employees, the partnership reflects a shared belief that everyone deserves the foundation of a safe, healthy life.
Now, that shared commitment is extending to Slovakia.
Supporting Families in Slovakia Through the Walk for Water
Funds raised through this year’s Walk for Water in Loosdorf will support Habitat for Humanity’s work with vulnerable Roma families living in underserved communities in eastern Slovakia, where many settlements still lack access to basic infrastructure such as water connections and sewage systems.
For many families, the barriers are complex: unresolved land ownership, informal housing, geographic isolation, and decades of underinvestment often leave communities disconnected from essential services. As a result, families may live for years without safe water access, adequate sanitation, or healthy housing conditions.
Habitat for Humanity works with local partner organizations to change that — not through short-term aid, but through long-term, community-led solutions.
The project supported through GF Walk for Water focuses on a self-build housing model that empowers families to actively participate in constructing and improving their own homes. Families receive ongoing guidance from trained construction assistants, while also participating in savings programs and financial literacy training designed to support long-term housing stability and independence.
At the same time, the initiative helps families gain access to basic infrastructure that many households still lack: water connections, sewage systems, bathrooms, drainage improvements, and healthier living conditions overall.
Recently, Habitat supported eight families in one Slovak community with piping materials for water and sewage connections — helping them move one step closer to safe, legal, and dignified housing.
“Every Step Helps Build a Better Future”
“Access to safe water and decent housing changes everything for a family — health, opportunity, education, and hope for the future,” said Ekin Ogutogullari, Area Vice President at Habitat for Humanity Europe and the Middle East. “We are incredibly proud to be part of this year’s GF Walk for Water and deeply grateful to GF employees in Loosdorf for turning solidarity into action. Every step they take helps families in Slovakia move closer to a safe and healthy home.”
Walking Together for Lasting Change
Beyond fundraising, the Walk for Water is also a reminder of something profoundly human: collective action matters.
Each kilometer walked represents awareness. Each conversation sparked during the event helps shine a light on the reality millions of people face every day. And each contribution supports practical, lasting solutions that help families build stronger futures for themselves.
At Habitat for Humanity, we have long believed that change happens when people come together — communities, companies, volunteers, and partners united around a common purpose. The GF Walk for Water embodies exactly that spirit.
This year, the steps taken in Loosdorf will travel far beyond Austria. They will help create healthier homes, safer environments, and new opportunities for families in Slovakia.
And that is impact worth walking for.