Description
The International Secretariat for Water’s call for solutions “Global Youth Take Action” has ended. Launched in May 2020, we are pleased to announce that 294 projects were submitted from more than 50 countries. This response demonstrates that a growing number of young water leaders are ready to mobilize and propose innovative solutions for a peaceful and sustainable future.
The COVID19 health crisis that has hit the world has highlighted the precariousness of drinking water and sanitation facilities, where almost 40% of households worldwide do not have access to handwashing facilities. This global challenge highlights the importance of ensuring universal access to water.
This call for projects was designed to identify, encourage and support youth engagement in water management in the context of the current pandemic. More specifically, this call for proposals aimed to support initiatives on water and health, water and agriculture, water-related risks and water sharing.
The call for proposals in numbers
More than 294 solutions were submitted.
These projects, submitted from over 50 countries, are 45% led by women or mixed teams, and 200 projects were submitted under the Water & Health theme – demonstrating that young people are dedicated to addressing the challenges posed by COVID-19 in their communities.
Selected Projects
9 projects have been selected by our jury to receive financial and technical support from our organisation and more than 40 quality solutions have been published on the “Youth for Water and Climate” platform – an effort will be made to accompany these initiatives in finding the conditions for their implementation.
1- Indonesia: Millenials Fight Covid-19
Organization: Youth With Sanitation Concern.
This project aims to improve health and living standards of the Gudang Agen community through enhanced water access and the adoption of better hygiene practices in response to the pandemic.
2- Ghana: Kyɛnsu— Community Water Share Kiosk for Slum Households
Organization: Ghana Youth Environmental Movement
A community water-sharing project aimed at fighting water poverty by redistributing drinking water resources to informal settlers of Accra whose access to water has been significantly hindered by COVID-19. In the long term, the project will be supported by an autonomous community-based water planning and management group led by youth.
3- Peru: Biblioteca Sonora del Agua: un encuentro entre saberes ancestrales y científicos en tiempo de pandemia
Organization: Pachapaq, for the Earth
This project aims to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in the rural communities of Quispillacta and Chungui by providing access to reliable information in indigenous languages and by recovering ancestral knowledge on water management.
4- Madagascar: Eau’SYTECH
Organization: Association Tihary
The project aims to increase access to drinking water in Behisty in the Commune of Ambohimangakely through the empowerment of youth and the increased use of simplified artisanal water filters in low-income households.
5- Bénin: L’hygiène chasse le coronavirus
Organisation: JCI Natitingou Baobab
In a landlocked region of northern Benin, the project aims to facilitate access to information in the context of a health crisis in order to improve household hygiene by integrating rationalized water management. Numerous awareness-raising activities will be carried out with school clubs.
6- Bénin: STOP COVID-19 au niveau de la tête du bassin versant de la Mékrou : La jeunesse s’engage
Organisation: ONG TANDEME GENERATIONS
The project seeks to promote the adoption of barrier gestures among the populations at the head of the Mekrou basin through the sensitization and training of young artisans on the production of hand soap, hand-washing devices, and face covers.
7- Togo: Projet d’appui aux jeunes pour la sécurité alimentaire et l’amélioration de leurs revenus
Organisation: Groupe d’entraide agricole des jeunes
This project will provide a solar-powered borehole equipped with a reservoir for market gardening and to provide drinking water to local farmers. To ensure product quality and avoid land degradation, preference will be given to organic fertilizers.
8- Kyrgyzstan: Green Rangers
Project leader: Nursultan Karabaev
This project aims to strengthen the participation of youth in water resources management by organizing a “Green Rangers actions summer camp” in Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan transboundary communities to achieve peaceful sharing of water between neighbors.
9 – Kazakhstan: Access to safe drinking water in Kazakhstan and shared water use in Central Asia
Organization: Association of practicing ecologists
This project aims to analyze and map drinking water quality in Kazakhstan and use the data for advocacy and awareness-raising purposes. An online map will be created.
Conclusion
The implementation of the projects has already begun! We invite you to visit the Youth for Water & Climate platform to see how the projects are progressing and their impact on local communities. Special thanks to our partners who allow us to offer financial and/or technical support to the selected projects.
