EveryDropCounts Workshop for Community Engagement against Water Scarcity at Only Green Talks
The Only Green Talks platform is an initiative by Act Sustainable, a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to raising awareness and promoting sustainable solutions to combat climate change and environmental crises. This platform brings together experts, individuals, and organizations from diverse backgrounds in an encouraging environment to discuss current challenges and solutions. The project aimed to involve 50 to 100 young stakeholders, specifically targeting an audience aged 18 to 23, to discuss water conservation in Cairo.
Under the motto #EveryDropCounts the event aimed to include several sectors of society, featuring startups, community leaders, and members of the EU Delegation.
The workshop was held on the 16th of May 2024 and consisted of five parts, including panel discussions, networking sessions, and a wrap-up session at the end of the day. The goal was to enhance youth awareness and motivate them to lead water-responsible initiatives among their peers.
Water experts and young activists take part in a lively discussion
An interactive conversation and exploration of possible solutions to water issues, has ensued as a result of a panel discussion. Using four questions as a starting point, moderator Eng. Hossam Emam, co-founder and CEO of Act Sustainable, conducted the panel discussion where the stage was equally shared between participants and five invited local experts, Dr. Yousra Abdelaziz, head of the Plastic Unit; Dr. Ayman Ayad, Programme Manager for Water from the EU Delegation in Egypt; Eng. Ahmed Yassin, representative of EU Jeel Connect Egypt Focal Point; Eng. Sarah Hazem, researcher at the International Water Management Institute Egypt (IWMI); and Mostafa Abdallah, from Wave Makers Egypt NGO.
Aside from fostering discussion and thought leadership, the workshop was aimed to deliver actionable measures that can be applied by participants on a local level.
Young participants translated the theory into concrete mitigation strategies proposed after analyzing the impact of water scarcity in their community. Possible obstacles were taken into account to foster proper collaborative problem-solving techniques that would ultimately enhance community engagement.
The outcomes were translated into concrete guidelines, such as the need to increase funding, the benefits of networking and experience sharing, and the implementation of corporate skills training programs.
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