Winner of the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize awarded during 8th World Water Forum in Brasilia
During the closing ceremony of the 8th World Water Forum in Brasilia, the Japan Water Forum and the World Water Council had the pleasure of awarding the 5th Kyoto World Water Grand Prize to Charité Chrétienne pour Personnes en Détresse (CCPD - Christian Charity for People in Distress), a grassroots organization from Togo.
Presented during the triennial World Water Forum since 2006, and organized by the Japan Water Forum in cooperation with the World Water Council, the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize awards grassroots organizations of developing countries for their outstanding accomplishment in solving water issues, which serves as a model for other grassroots organizations.
CCPD’s winning initiative was presented during the closing ceremony, and their prize of 2,000,000 JPY (approx. $18,000 USD) was awarded for implementing their proposed project, which addresses important water issues.
In the West African nation of Togo, more than half of the population live below the poverty line, and a large number of the population lack reliable access to education, healthcare, electricity, and clean or safe drinking water. Water-related issues are therefore commonplace, and the work of NGOs like Charité Chrétienne pour Personnes en Détresse are vital for helping the most at-risk groups.
Their winning initiative showcases the charity’s work to improve the living conditions of women, children and underprivileged people in rural areas through water, sanitation, hygiene, and education schemes.
The organization, based in Togo, was recognized for the work it has accomplished in empowering individuals and community groups to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation through construction and refurbishment of drinking water and sanitation facilities, clean-up of sites, and raising awareness through educational campaigns and workshops. These efforts have contributed to a noticeable decrease in water and sanitation related diseases and deaths in the community of Togo. From 2013 to 2016, CCPD received donations from the Japan Water Forum (JWF) Fund, which provides small grants to grassroots organizations.
The 8th World Water Forum brought together heads of state, ministers, high-level decision makers, water experts and professionals, local authorities, academics and civil societies to what has become the world’s biggest water-related event. Held in the Southern atmosphere for the first time, the Government of Brazil hosted the event in its capital, Brasilia, between the 18th and 23rd of March 2018.
The World Water Forum is designed to maximize interaction at all levels, from grassroots to heads of state, to work for better management of our most vital resource, water. It also provides a platform to recognize valuable advancements on the ground, such as those undertaken by CCPD, which contribute to a more water-secure world.
World Water Council President Benedito Braga underlined the importance of grassroots charities, such as CCPD, in working towards water security, stating, “There is an absolute necessity to increase water security, ensuring enough good quality water to sustain multiple needs. Taking care of our water resources is the shared responsibility of everyone on the planet”.