Are You Ready for a Global-Water Multimedia Adventure?

Posted by Abigail Brown, Water For The Ages at 9:00 PM on June 15, 2009.

Already today, I have been able to visit people and places in Yemen, India, Mexico, Niger, and Kenya to learn more about local and global water issues. How, you may ask? Easy, I reply -- The Water Channel.

The Water Channel is a partnership between MetaMeta Communications, UNESCO-IHE, Cap-Net and Nymphaea. It compiles videos from around the world on water topics ranging from Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) to watershed education and outreach.

My favorite videos so far include -

Water is a Gift: An artful, short animation about water produced by the Natural Water Resources Authority in Yemen (complete with English subtitles). This animation juxtaposes drawings and digital video to talk about the significance of groundwater and drip irrigation in Yemen.

Tears (Lagrimas): A short “fictional” film about a young girl wistful for the days when she was able to access water at a local water source. This video has no words, only images, and was shown at fourth World Water Forum in Mexico.

Kenya: What Water Means to Me: One teacher at Karen ‘C’ Primary School in Kenya documents her students’ views on water. These students discuss the role of H20 in their daily lives: water shortages at school, water shortages at home, water-borne illnesses, and possible solutions to these water problems.

If you want to see others, visit the 164 videos (and counting) at The Water Channel website.

Abigail Brown manages water resources in Washington State.