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By the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization report, by 2050 one in five developing countries will begin facing dire water shortages along with droughts that will last decades in other countries. The bad news is that 2050 is 28 short years away, and those of us born in the 90s will be around (and alive and kicking) to see it. I don’t know about you, but that news has got me panicked and quite honestly, petrified.
Our waters are being cluttered by corporate pollution, and are making our clean water supply dwindle day by day. It is a hard pill to swallow to realise that sometimes individual efforts are not enough, and at the end of the day it is the corporation’s responsibility to create better manufacturing systems that do not clutter our planet. But until then, these individuals and organisations are putting their best foot forward to not only provide clean and healthy drinking water to communities but also to save and conserve marine life for the betterment of the seas.
I. WOTR
Established in 1993, Pune-based WOTR Organisation ensures water and food availability to support the sustainability and growth of rural and disadvantaged communities. As of 2021, they have spread their good work over nine states, collaborating with their partners to create watershed developments, integrate water resources, and have increased women’s empowerment and biodiversity in each area they have worked in.
WOTR recognises that 280 million rural Indians live in abject poverty and their ecosystem-based approach strives to promote ecosystem restoration in a sustainable manner. By using an integrated watershed development model as well as educating farmers about water governance, they have been able to save over 347 crores of water, as well as provide drinking water to over 80,000 people.
You can join them here.
II. Marine Life Of Mumbai
Siddharth Chakravarty, an academic researcher, Abhishek Jamalabad, a marine biologist, and Pradip Patade, a marine expert, came together in 2017 to create the Marine Life of Mumbai, first on Facebook and now on Instagram, to educate the citizens of Mumbai on the vast coastal marine life right in our backyards.
They conduct coast walks regularly, and show people the diversity that exists right here on Mumbai’s coast while educating their audience on the importance of the conservation and preservation of the coastal ecosystem.
Find them here.
III. ReefWatch Marine Conservation
Established in 1993, ReefWatch India has been involved with the restoration, education and outreach activities of coastal marine life in India for decades. From coral reef restoration in the Andaman Islands to establishing marine stranding networks in Karnataka, the organisation has done much to preserve the coastal biodiversity of the country. With their Underwater Imagery Competition as well as volunteer opportunities and learning resources, they are encouraging the younger citizens of our country to get involved and make a difference.
Find them here.
IV. Wild Otters
Focused on three verticals –– wildlife research, education and outreach, Wild Otters was founded in 2018 with an aim to understand ecosystem dynamics and community ecology between otters and humans in Goa and Karnataka. They focus on community collaborative efforts to facilitate learning and understanding of the marine environment around us, and the importance of conservation of the same. They are known for their Otter Collective, a call for artists around the world to create otter art and help stop the illegal otter pet trade in Southeast Asia and Japan in particular.
V. Paani Foundation
What started out as an experiment in 2016 by Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, and the team behind Satyamev Jayate has since turned into a full-blown organisation helping farmers in Maharashtra combat the man-made drought that has plagued the state for decades.
Through collective action like the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup and then the Satyamev Jayate Samruddha Gaon Spardha, they have managed to create over 550 billion litres of water storage capacity and over 51,000 citizens have been trained in technical know-how of water and drought management, as well as in leadership skills; giving them the confidence and motivation to train thousands more across the state.
Support them here.
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