Activists for Peace: Conserving water is everyone responsibility
Under the International Program Children of Mother Earth, the volunteers from the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) in Colombia, visited nearly 6,000 homes on World Water Day, with the objective of giving practical advice on the reasonable use of this resource.
Over 1,000 Guardians for the Peace of Mother Earth gave environmental talks in 53 cities of 23 departments, where they gave short presentations on how to conserve water.
The volunteers taught the society that water is an essential resource for the survival of the human being. During the tour the participants received a gift made with recyclable materials from the Guardians. (See table of activities in Colombia)
Region of Antioqueña
In Antioquia department, in the cities of Bello, Rionegro and Necoclí, home visits were made to raise awareness in families. This event was attended by the director of the Environment from Necoclí city, Rubiel Medina. The information was presented in 370 households, raising awareness to a total of 1,307 people.
Santander
In Antioquia department, in the cities of Bello, Rionegro and Necoclí, home visits were made to raise awareness in families. This event was attended by the director of the Environment from Necoclí city, Rubiel Medina. The information was presented in 370 households, raising awareness to a total of 1,307 people.
In Barrancabermeja, the rounds were carried out in La Paz neighborhood and in Children for Peace Foundation. In Girón, the community called the attention of people that are engaged in deforestation.
In Northern Santander, the Guardians for the Peace from Cúcuta, under the theme “Let's Save the Freshwater of our Mother Earth”, gave awareness talks in the neighborhoods Ospina Pérez and Nuevo Horizonte.
Likewise, the volunteers participated in a special activity at the Environmental Park, in the company of the Environmental Police of Northern Santander, Comfanorte and ICBF from Los Patios city. In addition, they visited households, businesses and companies.
Costa Caribe
In the Caribbean region, the Ministry of Housing reported that 64 cities of the Coast have deficit of potable water (32%). The most affected areas are: Magdalena with 15 cities, Bolívar (14), La Guajira (10), Sucre (9), Cesar (7), Atlántico (6) and Córdoba (3).
In view of this problem, the Guardians gave the presentation to 1,170 homes, giving advice on how to save water, educating 4,700 inhabitants.
La Guajira and Sincelejo
In the cities of Fonseca and Hatonuevo more than 255 households were visited, benefiting 874 people. Through the radio station Hato Nuevo Estéreo, the importance of taking care of freshwater was announced.
In the neighborhoods El Cocuelo and La Manga de Sincelejo, the citizens received talks about the good care of water. According to the aqueduct Aguas de la Sabana (Adesa) this zone waste monthly 48% of the water produced during that period.
Cartagena
Approximately 2,000 inhabitants of the neighborhoods Villa Estrella, San Fernando and San José de los Campanos participated in the activity. The national coordinator of the Social Program Children of Mother Earth, David Peluffo, shared 5 tips to preserve water in the station Radio de Cartagena.
The Environmental Public Establishment of Cartagena (EPA) invited the Guardians for the Peace to the shopping center Paseo de la Castellana to present the exhibition. In this event, representatives from the Mayor's Office, Aguas de Cartagena, the Environmental Police, among other entities participated.
Magangué
In Magangué, Bolívar, the volunteers from the GEAP developed educational talks in Boston neighborhood, generating interest in the community on this environmental issue. The residents made the commitment to practice the given recommendations in order to save the fresh water of Mother Earth.
Soledad, Atlántico
In the neighborhood of Hipódromo the community activity began in the 1st of Soledad Family Police Station, where the Commissioner, Tey Merlano said:
«Humans have forgotten to take care of nature, and I think it is very important that in this moment you are doing this campaign».
The chancellor of the Educational Institution San Carlos, Angelina López de Fabregas, asked the Guardians to give awareness talks to 250 students from the school. A total of 1,681 people participated in the activity. Also, the information was disseminated through the radio station Madrigal Stereo.
Santa Marta
38 volunteers from the GEAP, due to the scarcity of water in Santa Marta, toured the area and reached 132 people, educating them about the care of freshwater. In addition, the volunteers gave an educational talk to 265 children from IED Simón Rodríguez Sede 2 and 3.
Cundiboyacense Region
The Guardians presented awareness talks in Cundiboyacense region in the communities of Sibaté, Fusagasugá and the department of Boyacá (Zetaquirá and Rondón cities and the village of San Isidro).
The Activists visited the Rondón Mayor's Office, where they were received by the Mayor Rusbel Chávez. With poems, videos and stories the students and the community were educated on how to care for the water and the forests.
Girardot
The Mayor's Office of Giradot and the Environmental and Ecological Police of Cundinamarca, invited the Activists for Peace to carry out the first water reign at the Giradot pier. The event was developed with a nautical parade emphasized by the importance of conserving freshwater.
Chain Stores, Secretaries of Education, Health and Economic Development, as well as the Giradot Sports Directorate, Government, CAR, and Firefighters representatives attended the event. Radio Todelar, Noti8 of Giradot, DW TV, among others, supported the activity.
Cauca's Valley
The Vallecaucan Guardians held community environmental activities in 18 neighborhoods and in the cities of Cali, Cartago, Toro, Buga, Guacarí, Ginebra, Palmira, Yumbo and Pradera.
«Let's take care of water and reservoirs, so that the subsequent generations will not suffer the consequences of the lack of water and mistreatment of Mother Earth”, said José Rodas, resident of Cartago, Valle.
Cali
The volunteers toured the 1st commune (Aguacatal neighborhood) and the 6th commune (Comfenalco neighborhood). A total of 221 households were visited, benefiting 932 inhabitants. On the other hand, Eliana Osorio, member of the Environmental Commission of the town said:
«This activities are precisely what we need to do with people, to convey the message and educate the community about the importance of taking care of water and the environment and Mother Earth».
Cartago
The environmental seminars were held in Las Veraneras, El Rosario, Pueblito Paisa and San Juan de la Cruz neighborhoods, reaching 276 people. Different communication media supported the event, including, CNC, NVC, Radio Robledo, Candela Stereo and Noti Region.
Buga and Toro
In Montellano neighborhood, 96 homes opened their doors. Also, 27 citizens supported the proposal of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth with their electronic signatures. In addition, the residents of Bohío and San Antonio, city of Toro, received awareness talks.
San Juan Bautista Guacarí
The residents of the city San Juan Bautista Guacarí, face serious problems due to contamination by illegal mining and the inappropriate use of agricultural actions. The Guardians were able to give environmental talks to educate 142 adults.
Yumbo and Palmira
In the industrial capital of Cauca's Valley, 197 inhabitants of the Dionisio district learned various actions in order to take care of freshwater. In Palmira, 35 homes of the Poblado de Comfaunión district committed to take care of this vital liquid.
Fanor Rodríguez, financial controller of Aquaoccidente, during the talk at his house highlighted the work that the GEAP does; likewise, he invited the Activists to work together with the company.
Pradera and Ginebra
17 Guardians for the Peace of Mother Earth walk around the neighborhoods Prados de la Colina, Altos de la Pradera, La Michela, La Colina and Vereda Lomitas. The lecturers referred to the avalanches of the Nima River caused by deforestation and damming that affected the intake of the aqueduct that supplies Palmira.
The station Cañaveral Stereo made known to the community the activities that were held. 91 families received the educational talks. In Ginebra, the members of the community thanked the realization of this community environmental educational day.
Amazonas
In the city of Leticia, capital of the department of Amazonas, the Activists visited 22 families of Simón Bolívar neighborhood. Through the exhibitions the community received advice on how to tackle the pollution problem and how to preserve freshwater.
Orinoquía
The community environmental talks were held in Villavicencio, Saravena, Granada and Arauca. In the Meta, 395 households were reached. Ondas del Meta radio station, in the section Spread the Word, interviewed the regional coordinator, Dimax Dávila, who added on the importance of freshwater and the actions that can be done at home for its conservation.
In Arauca, the neighborhood San Vicente de Paul, 42 families received the Guardians. Likewise, the radio station RCN transmitted the educational report made by Juan Manuel Sánchez on the occasion of World Water Day.
Southern Region
In the departments of Huila, Caquetá, Putumayo and Tolima, the volunteers visited 784 households in 8 cities. In Tolima, residents of Pablo VI neighborhood and students of the School of Bachelors from the Metropolitan Police of Ibagué, received the educational talk. In Huila, through the local station, the citizens received the information.
An engineer from public companies presented a group of young people from I.E. Pastrana Borrero to receive the exhibition. Likewise, the City Hall, through its Secretary of Government, Cesar Rojas, gave space to the environmental day, where some of the Secretaries of the city attended.
In Narino, 119 volunteers from the GEAP in San Juan de Pasto toured the Santa Monica neighborhood, aiming to create in each family a sense of responsibility for the use of freshwater. The president of the Communal Action thanked the visit to the 90 households.
Bogotá D.C.
784 houses, stores, and small businesses in the cities of Suba, Rafael Uribe Uribe, Engativá, Puente Aranda, Barrios Unidos, Nueva Granada, and Usme, received the awareness talks, where 2,071 adults and 783 children benefited.
Doris Sosa, resident of San José neighborhood said,
«I have ways to save, collecting water from the washing machine, using it in the toilet and for cleaning the house; and whenever we brush or are in the shower, we turn off the key when we're not using it.».
In the Artillery Battalion No. 3 Fernando Landazabal Reyes, located in Usme, 412 soldiers received the information about the World Water Day and the programs run by the GEAP.
Second Lieutenant Parra expressed her grattitude and commitment:
«Although we do not pay the water bill, we all benefit; therefore, it is time to start protecting it”.»
The media participated in the event, including TVRed, channel 6 of Hv Television and its program, Decorate your home, Radio Rumbo 107.4 FM, Alternativa Stereo 101.4 FM and La Voz de mi Barrio 7.
The scarcity and waste of water that many households live in, is due to lack of information. On the other hand, the National Government, through the Commission for Regulation of Potable Water and Basic Sanitation (CRA) issued Resolution 692 of 2014, in which it adopts measures to promote the efficient use and saving of potable water.
