Eight women from across the globe have embarked on a seven-continent, 14-year-long journey to educate the youth about the importance of rivers. SHAlINI SAKSENA caught up with them to talk about their unique mission
Eight women are on an agenda — to save the rivers of the world and enrich this vital source of freshwater. They are of different ages, experience, religion and languages and have come together to tell students how important it is for them to find a solution to the freshwater challenge.
From the US, Chile, South Africa, Norway, Israel, China, New Zealand and India, these women are working under the aegis of the Bancroft-Arnesen Foundation. They began their first leg of the journey in Asia with the mission Access Water-Ganga in 60 days. Covering 2510 km of the holy river, spreading awareness about the importance of safe and abundant world, they started with the subject of the need for clean water, inciting advocacy and igniting action to tackle the global water crisis.
“The expedition involves a conversation with millions of youth to inspire the future leaders of the world to demand safe and abundant clean water. After the 2015 Ganges expedition, the team plans to visit each continent every couple of years, ending the Access Water series with a journey to Antarctica,” Ann Bancroft, educator, explorer and team leader says.
This means that for the next 14 years, these women have dedicated their life for this cause. The reason why they chose the Ganges to begin their series is because the area represents a great example of a deep-rooted dependence on water for human existence.
“There is a critical need to educate students and local communities about the water crisis that not only affects overpopulated areas like India, but to also connects the same problems to their own backyard,” Ann, who is in her 60s and by the time the journey is over is will be in her 70s, says.
liv Arnesen of Norway says that even though the rivers in different countries have different connotations, there is still a commonality — the problems that are associated with the river. “While the rivers in Norway may not have religious sentiments attached to it, one can’t rule out the fact that all of us need fresh and clean drinking water that rivers provide. The urgency to take care of rivers is the need of the hour,” Arnesen explains.
Interestingly, both Ann and liv have another passion. In fact, almost all the team members before coming together for this series had already made a mark for themselves. Ann is the first woman in history to cross the ice to both the North and South Poles. Arnesen is the first woman in the world to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Olfat Haider from Israel is a trekker and mountain climber. Cindy Jiaojiao Hu from China is also a mountain climber and hopes that her participation will inspire the Access Water team to come to China and lead a change in water education. lisa Kanawa from New Zealand is an environmental scientist and tells you that the one thing that she has learnt in her short life is to “take opportunities wherever they come from, be excited about the possibilities and love the journey.”
Then there is Krushnaa Patil from Mumbai, the youngest Indian woman to successfully ascent Mount Everest at the age of 19. Patil, who is now 24, tells you that to be part of the mission was something that came to her by chance and there was no way that she would have said no to it. “To be a part of such a series is a privilege. Imagine, eight women, different countries, languages, cultures and religion and yet, we are all bound together for a common purpose. This truly unity in diversity,” Patil says.
The journey started from the source of the Ganga at Goumukh, Gangotri, on October 17 and will be passing through a variety of communities and cities like Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Patna before concluding near Kolkata and back in Delhi in early December.
“The aim is to explore the river to find how communities and organisations are working to demand cleaner water and inspiring others to do the same. We hope to show how the water and environmental issues along the Ganges are similar to other places around the world and stress the significance of innovative solutions that are vital to the future of this planet,” Ann tells you.
The members feel that because they are all women, people will be more receptive to what they are doing, it is all about women power. “We have a shared vision — to create a better tomorrow by inspiring the future leaders to demand safe water for everyone,” Arnesen says.
Though the group doesn’t want to think of any roadblocks, it’s a tough journey with the language barrier. But Ann is confident that any negativity will be washed away with the stories that they have brought from their country. “We’ll see how the youth responds and mould our stories to fit the vision of the people we will meet in our 60-day tour. The need is for the youth to force the Government to give them clean rivers that will last forever,” she says.