The Blue Community Network welcomes the first Blue Community in India:
“UDYAMA” refers to continuing to ask “what’s next” despite the lack of success in addressing the root causes of poverty, hazards and vulnerability in rural, coastal and urban areas.
Founded in 1997 in Odisha, India, Udyama aims at strengthening and building capacities of local communities for rejuvenating ecological, economical and human capital by making optimum and sustainable use of local resources, working directly with the community and partner development organisations. Udyama’s role is focused on strengthening the local community through development communication, capability building exercises and participatory tools. One of UDYAMA’s thematic areas is citizen action and advocacy for climate justice & End Water Poverty Campaign and human right based approach.
UDYAMA has an extensiv network of cooperation with local communities and organisations, but also national and international organisations and institutions in a wide range of environmental activities, including water and sanitation projects for children and women. UDYAMA considers “Water as Connector”. It connects community to country. UDYAMA undertakes water as one of Next Development Challenges.
Pradeep Mohapatra, co-founder and secretary of UDYAMA, declares:
«Water has always played a central role in climate change for all living things. But now it is playing a different role. Climate-related disasters are likely to increase mass migration, strain health systems through increased disease, and threaten food and water security. But water is also a connector. It connects countries and communities. As a Blue Community and together with the global network, we are addressing water as one of the next development challenges.»
The Blue Community Network is proud to welcome UDYAMA as its first partner organisation in India and we look forward to working together to promote the human right to water and sanitation, to campaign for water as a common good and to defend it against commodification and commercialisation, and – an issue of paramount importance to India – to strive for good quality tap water for all, everywhere, banning bottled water and plastic pollution. With UDYAMA, the Blue Community has a strong partner in India to develop and spread these values and the network throughout the country and the subcontinent.