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In the period 2017-2020 Country Water Partnership-Armenia as a partner together with Urban Foundation for Sustainable Development and Yerevan State University Environmental Law Resource Centre undertook the implementation of USAID-funded “Participatory Utilization of Resource Efficiency of Water” Project/ PURE Water Project.

“Environment is where climate change makes its first impact. It’s either in the air we breathe, the temperatures we live in, the water we drink, the environment we are surrounded by. So environment is the front and center to climate change response, and that’s why environment of conservation needs to be in the discussion around change in water management,” says James Dalton, Director of the IUCN Global Water Programme.

Commenting on the COVID crisis, and whether youth will be thinking about climate resilience now, Maitreyi Koduganti Venkata says: "In times of crises like this, what everyone thinks of is to keep our loved ones safe, keep our families safe. The idea of climate resilience is perhaps not even on the agenda, but that doesn't mean that it's not there at all. The climate protests are still happening, people are still voicing their concerns, it's just on a different platform. An abandonment of this issue has the potential to worsen certain circumstances.”

On the question why youth should submit their change journeys to the Water ChangeMaker Awards, Lindsey Aldaco-Manners, President of World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW) says: ”We have a unique opportunity to be a solution, and I think that is also why the Water ChangeMakers Awards exists, because youth are on the rise and that is something to be seen”.

“Water, sanitation and hygiene are absolutely critical for resilient societies. Whether you are talking about resilience to diseases like Covid-19 or resilience to climate change. And for resilience, you need a strong sector and for good water decisions to be made”, says Virginia Newton-Lewis, Director of Policy and Advocacy at WaterAid Sweden.

GWOPA’s Julie Perkins talks about the role of water operators and explains why everyone should submit their change journey to the Water ChangeMaker Awards, get recognition and share their solutions with the rest of the world. “The very courageous and visionary people and institutions, who have taken bold leadership to climate action should really be credited with this”.

GWP Cameroon and its partners have trained women leaders in the Meri District, Northern Cameroon on community sensitization on fluorosis and its health impacts. The aim was to help change mentalities and break stereotypes related to dental fluorosis. An evaluation shows that the training and the activities of the women leaders has had a positive impact on the community's perception of the disease. The approach also created momentum for awareness activities in the entire Mayo Tsanaga River Basin.

The 3rd SADC Groundwater Conference will be held in Windhoek Namibia on 9 - 11 November 2020.