St. George’s, Grenada: Close to 15 young people from the Youth Emergency Action Committee (YEAC) are more knowledgeable in the areas of climate change and its relationship to water resources management. They were part of G-CREWS Water Ambassadors Program “Data for Decision Making” 1-week training session. The training is a collaborative undertaking between the Climate-Resilient Water Sector in Grenada (G-CREWS) project and Caritas Grenada for YEAC.
The training is the first of a 3-module series aimed at raising awareness and understanding of the relationship between climate change and water resources management. It is also meant to challenge the young people to help find solutions to local and regional challenges in the face of water crises to help build disaster resilience and climate resilience. As the gap between climate change and disaster risk reduction becomes closer, the training paid particular attention between climate change, water resource management and disaster risk.
Prior to the commencement of the training which began on Monday 24th July 2023 at the Grenada National Museum, a formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between G-CREWS and Caritas Grenada for YEAC was done. Signing on behalf of G-CREWS was Head of Project (GIZ), Ms. Marion Geiss and Diocesan Coordinator Francis Darius for Caritas Grenada for YEAC.
Ms. Geiss welcomed the partnership echoing the importance of a climate related project partnering with civil society and the youth in building capacity in areas that are critical towards our very survival.
“I am very happy to see that you came out here today to support and change something, not just wait for others to change it for you, because this is your island, people and future and you can make a difference”, she said.
Mr. Francis in his remarks was equally elated with the collaboration and the benefits it will bring not only to their members but to Grenada on a whole. He added: “Our aim at CARTIAS and YEAC is to ensure our communities are as resilient as they can be to deal with the many shocks that may happen. We live in a very volatile area of the world where we are faced with hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, so we have a particular interest in being prepared.”
A recent Knowledge Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey completed for 2023 showed the need for linkages between our actions, water resources and climate change. It also revealed that 75% of youth opted to learn about water conservation through face-to-face engagements with youth organizations followed by social media.
The G-CREWS project continues to enhance public, private sector and decision makers’ understanding of the challenges faced by the water sector due to climate change through targeted awareness and education activities.
The G-CREWS project is jointly financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) under its International Climate Initiative (IKI), and the Government of Grenada.
Over 6 years, the Government of Grenada, the Grenada Development Bank and the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA), in partnership with the German Development Corporation (GIZ), implements the project’s five components.