10%

The guardians of water

By IW:LEARN

October 15^th, 2024

On the border between Colombia and Ecuador, where the Mira, Mataje, and Carchi-Guáitara rivers flow, the lives of the communities depend intensely on these bodies of water.

Silvia Magnolia Ordóñez, a piangua picker in Tumaco, has seen how the Mira River feeds her family and sustains her community. "The river is our life," says Silvia, aware of its sustenance. Like her, María Jael Cuaical, an indigenous woman from the great Cumbal reservation, feels the legacy of her ancestors at the sources of the Guáitara River. For her, preserving these waters is a sacred responsibility. "We still have our Taita volcano and Mama Laguna," she says proudly.

Magnolia Photo: MMCG Binational Basin Project

Fanny Portillo Bedoya, dedicated to conserving water sources in Ricaurte, fights against threats faced by ecosystems, such as agricultural expansion. "Sometimes cattle get into the streams that supply the springs," she says with concern. Pollution and lack of sewerage are constant challenges.

Tumaco Photo: MMCG Binational Basin Project

These three women share a clear mission: to protect the ecosystems that sustain them.

Magnolia watches as the mangrove swamp fades under deforestation. "Every time a mangrove is cut down, a species disappears," she says sadly. Peasants, indigenous people, and Afro-descendants have joined forces in managing water resources to preserve these vital rivers.

Through reforestation with native trees and community awareness, they are promoting the importance of caring for these resources. "It starts with becoming aware," they say, aware that today's actions have a profound impact on tomorrow.

María Photo: MMCG Binational Basin Project

On International Rural Women's Day (15 October), it is crucial to recognize the leadership of these women, who not only protect their lands and rivers but build a more equitable and sustainable society. Initiatives such as the Mira, Mataje, and Carchi-Guáitara Binational Watershed Project continue the collective work for conservation and empowerment, demonstrating that their work is essential for the resilience and development of their communities.

Link video: https://youtu.be/LXXzls7WNC4?si=t2txgwJFp56CjLt9

About the project: The Integrated Management of Water Resources of the Mira, Mataje and Carchi - Guáitara Binational Basins, Colombia - Ecuador project is executed by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, under the implementation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

It focuses on one of the root causes of the current situation: water governance. The central element proposed by the theory of change suggests that improving water governance (e.g., multi-level dialogue, watershed identity, empowered communities) will generate a series of improvements along the causal chain. For more information, visit the website https://mmcg.iwlearn.org/

Footnotes

Cover photo: Santuario de Las Lajas in Guaiitara Rver By Lenninbt - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35346430 Words by Cristina Aza Tenganan.

Button Label

FootNotes

Cover photo: Santuario de Las Lajas in Guaiitara Rver By Lenninbt - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35346430 Words by Cristina Aza Tenganan.