UNENGO “MAMA-86” held a number of educational and informational activities on the occasion of the Water Day.

Kyiv

Due to the World Water Day, and in order to support the initiative of the students and the teacher of Kyiv Finances and Law Lyceum, on March 21^st, UNENGO “MAMA-86” announced the contest “Say Thanks to Water!” on the radio “Kyiv” and at the Water Information Centre. The contest is supported by the Water Information Centre www.aqua-kiev.info.

The impetus for the contest launch became students’ research works on the state of water objects and practical actions for their conservation and restoration. In 2011 students of Pechersk International School had studied the state of Orikhuvaty Lakes in Golosiiv district of Kyiv and the quality of underwater, which is used as drinking water by Kyiv residents (photo 1).

For several years students of Kyiv Finances and Law Lyceum under the guidance of teacher Olena Zryutina have been taking care of the source of the river Mokra, which runs through the Solomyansk region of Kyiv. In 2011 children improved the territory nearby the source: they planted bushes and primroses. This year children gathered waste, planted flowers and set the information table about the Mokra River (photo 2).

The money for production of the information plate, for organizing the activities on cleaning the territory of the river’s source and for water analysis were collected during the school fair (photo 3).

UNENGO “MAMA-86” continues the work on dissemination of information about the contest and fundraising for the prize fund for contest winners. Information about the contest is available on pages of “MAMA-86” in social networks and at www.civicua.org.

On March 22, UNENGO “MAMA-86” representatives Anna Tsvietkova and Nataliya Chyzhmakova participated in the Consultative Seminar on the World Water Day. About 35 participants attended the meeting – representatives of the Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources of Ukraine, State Water Agency, Municipal Utility Enterprise “Kyivvodokanal”, Department of the river Ros’ basin, Water Resources of tDesna and Dnepr Basin Management Departments, research institutes and NECU.

During the meeting, coordinator of “Drinking water and sanitation” direction of UNENGO “MAMA-86” Anna Tsvietkova had made a speech “Regarding Problems on Access to Water and Sanitation in Ukraine” and presented the results of study of the situation on ensuring the right to water and sanitation in 9 regions of Ukraine: Kherson, Mykolaiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Donetsk, Chernigiv, Kirovograd, and Poltava districts, Crimean AR and Sevastopol. At the meeting, the topical issues were discussed, such as the introduction of an integrated management of water resources and trans-boundary river basins in Ukraine, improving the state of water resources in Kyiv, the importance of water in human life, modern technologies for prediction and mapping the flood zones, world trends of water management in agriculture, the quality of irrigation water in Ukraine, methods of its improving and impact on soil features and production quality, the conception of a rational water use in the deficit of freshwater conditions, surface water quality impact on endocrinological diseases of population and water use problems in Chernigiv district.

On March 24, representative of UNENGO “MAMA-86” Nataliya Chyzhmakova on the invitation of Kyiv Lyceum N 38, held the lesson on Water Day 2012 theme “Water and Food”. She started with methodology on “water footprint” calculation with examples on popular food among students. Students answered the questions of express-questionnaire on water and sanitation safety at home and school and tried to evaluate their own “water footprint”. Besides, children watched the movie, which was awarded with the “Golden Drop” – the main prize of the III International Contest “Water and Film”, which took place in Marcel this year in the framework of the 6^th International Water Forum. The movie was filmed by Russian children and tells about restoration of a stream in Russia.

Nova Kakhovka

“MAMA-86-Nova Kakhovka” prepared and held 3 theatrical performances of facilitating teams, dedicated to the Water Day.

The first event was held on the March, 14^th, in the village Obryvka and gathered 100 village residents, representatives of “MAMA-86-Nova Kakhovka”, schoolchildren, and village teachers. The facilitating team of Nova Kakhovka, consisting mainly of schoolchildren from city and villages nearby the city, as well as students of Agrotechnical college of Nova Kakhovka, presented folklore about water, humoresques, poems, and musical compositions. Theatrical performances had brightly and emotionally complemented interesting performances of “Ecology” Centre of student self-government from Maslivka School and “MAMA-86-Nova Kakhovka” team leader Taisiya Kozak, which told about the results of study of well water from Obryvka, Maslivka, Pischane, Novi Lagerya and Korsunka. Attention was drawn to the fact that almost at all villages the quantity of nitrates in water exceeds the standards. Taisiya Kozak told that the main reasons of water quality deterioration are illegal sand collection, waste pits use without isolation and pollution from agriculture. She also told the audience how water in wells can be improved. (photo 4).

The second event was held on March 16^th, in Nova Kakhovka School No.8, where more than 200 citizens of Nova Kakhovka took part – schoolchildren, teachers, municipal water utility representatives and public organizations (photo 5).

After the performance of the dancing group of Nova Kakhovka School N8, the word was given to the director of the water utility enterprise of Nova Kakhovka Ivan Petrenko, who told about the water supply in city and water quality. City is getting water from the underground horizons, and water, provided to people is of high quality. At the same time old pipes and bad isolation of water pumping horizon cause the risk of drinking water pollution. After that there were presentations of photos and interesting facts about water, members of a facilitating team performed poems and songs, dedicated to water. Besides, Taisiya Kozak told about “MAMA-86-Nova Kakhovka” experience in dry toilets building, as well as local wastewater treatment construction for school in Korsunka and for the private households. Taisiya Kozak also told about the results of recently carried out study on the state of wells in the park zone of the city. As it turned out, one of the main reasons of water pollution is waste, accumulated in the park zone.

On March 22^nd, in Tavriysk City Palace of Culture of Railway Workers the theatrical performance of the city facilitating team was given. 280 citizens – educators, students, local authorities and school children participated in the event. The event hosts Olena Kramarenko, Vlad Vesnyanka and Diana Zyun congratulated the guests with the International Water Day, and made a short description of the importance and problems of water resources. Members of facilitating team danced waltz, gypsy dance, sang and performed musical compositions. Younger participants of facilitating team presented short scene-advice on waste separate collection, everyone’s responsibility for his actions and punishment for environmental law violation. City Deputy Mayor L. Marchuk told about the water supply situation in Tavriysk; source of water supply in Tavriysk has round the clock supply and drinking water is of high quality. But 30 km far from the city there are villages, where residents get water of improper quality and only twice a day. Taisiya Kozak told about the city water value, its uniqueness and quality. On March, 15^th, together with children Taisiya Kozak made the drinking water analysis for level of nitrates. All (7) water tests met the standards - nitrates did not exceed 25 mg/dm^3. In the end of theatrical performance the quiz dedicated to knowledge about water was held. All questions were answered. O. Kovalchuk performed “Wind of Change” on the saxophone, which touched the audience. The final number was song “Three desires” by M. Glushchak, pupil of the 3^rd class accompanied by the choreographic team “Rozmayittya”. Taisiya Kozak awarded the best participants with diplomas and prizes. Foyer of the Palace of Culture was decorated with about 50 drawings, dedicated to water theme (photo 5a).

Yaremche

“MAMA-86-Yaremche” in a close cooperation with the Carpathian National Nature Reserve annually takes an active part in the World Water Day celebration in the framework of traditional activity “Live Water”, which lasts from March till October and provides everybody with an opportunity to join for solution of water problems.

100 copies of informational bulletin “Water Day-2012: Water and Food Security”, prepared by UNENGO “MAMA-86”, were spread among education institutions and local governments.

On March, 22, in the Palace of Culture of Yaremche, the Department of Youth, Family and Sports of Yaremche City Council, with Carpathian National Nature Park, and “MAMA-86-Yaremche” organized a huge environmental event, where about 300 children from School N1, N2 and medical and health institution “Snowflake” and “Prykarpattya” took part. Member of “MAMA-86-Yaremche” Lyudmyla Gayduk had prepared the presentation about the World Water Day-2012. In the framework of the event the films “The Great Secret of Water” and “Water is the Foundation of Life” were demonstrated.

In the framework of the International environmental action “Let’s Do It – Ukraine!” in Mykulychyn village of Yaremche district due to the financial and informational support of the project “Implementation of Solid Waste Sorting in Mykulychyn” (Anti-crisis humanitarian aid of the International Renaissance Foundation – “For Life in Clean Environment!”) the action was held “Dedicate 120 Minutes to Your River”. On April, 27, 75 event participants had cleaned 3 km of the Meresny stream from household waste (the Prut river basin).

The competition for children with the elements of separate household waste sorting was held. All the participants won presents – T-shirts with slogan “The Future of Forests is the Future of All” and different sweets.

Joint efforts of children and adults gave the mountain stream back its aesthetical attractiveness (photo 6).

Zvanivka Village in Artemivsk region, Donetsk oblast

The World Water Day was celebrated this year on April 6 and 12 in Zvanivka village, Artemivsk region. Participants of informational and educational events were members of the Children’s Leisure Club “Ukrainian Holidays and Traditions: Our Ancestors to Descendants”. The Club was organized in the framework of International Renaissance Foundation project. Children made the probes for the level of nitrates in drinking water, got an opportunity to learn more from the informational materials about water and its importance in people’s life, about eco-sanitation principles, watched thematic movies and took part in the dispute regarding the careful water treatment. Young researches found out that the level of nitrates in the well exceeds standards, and in tap water – 50 mg/l. Club Leaders A. Tymchak and Y. Tymchak had told children about the threats of water, polluted by nitrates. In total 20 young Club members took part in the events (photo 7).

Feodosiya

On March 12^th, 2012 in the Central Children Library in Feodosiya the round table on water and health of South-Eastern Crimea residents took place, organized by “MAMA-86-Feodosiya” and Feodosiya Regional Organization of Crimean Republic Organization “Ecology and World”, together with Feodosiya City Council. During the round table, important for everybody questions were arisen, especially for the resort city – drinking water quality, water supply and sanitation in the Feodosiya region. Current legislative mechanisms of control of laws performing on Ukrainian rights for quality drinking water” (photo 8).

The Secretary of Feodosiya City Council Dmitriy Schepetkov presented his opinion on the obligatory presence of water utilities at such round tables. Head of Department of Education of Feodosiya pointed out, that children’s health depends on the water they drink, so it’s very important to inform families and schools about importance of water quality. Leading specialist of Feodosiya Committee on Family, Youth and Sports Olga Sydorova spoke on further close cooperation, together with all active stakeholders, which understand the importance of water quality, and are active citizens.

On March, 22, in the Feodosiya School-Lyceum N19 school holiday was held dedicated to the World Water Day. Pupils of primary and middle school performed songs and poems dedicated to the holiday topic, and treated their teachers and public activists with drinking water of high quality and other products. Holiday was very funny and interesting! (photo 9).