Save the Water Campaign
AA Foundation has been running a Water Campaign in association with various other organizations and groups.
As designed by the Flying Birds of India, the purpose of the Water Campaign is to raise awareness on the fundamental rights to water access and other water-related issues. This has been done other groups and organisations from India deeply concerned about the increasing scarcity of water, which will have serious consequences for the preservation of life and the environment in the immediate future.
The paucity of drinking water both in urban and rural areas has escalated to an acute level in the last ten years, especially heightened by drought and privatization of water. Globalisation in India has opened up an invasion of global capital on the natural resources. Water—the source of life for all species—is being converted into a commodity. Rivers, lakes, dams, and groundwater resources are being taken over by the global water market. This has resulted in intense struggles between local communities in various parts of India and the water corporate giants.
The goal of this campaign is to educate our society on the privaitisation of water and its negative impact on all living species, and is also an attempt to bring back the sacredness and centrality of water in daily life. This is our attempt is to connect lives, the eco-system, and the sacredness of the earth.
The aims and objectives of Flying Birds’ Water Campaign are:
—to campaign against the privatisation of water
—to redefine water as a natural right of the species and not a fundamental right of any humans
—to produce and screen films on water issues, water struggles, water conservation, and related issues in collaboration with schools, colleges, and communities in order to initiate dialogue on the issues of control and use of water
—to engage students and youth in the conservation of water like bunting, water harvesting, and planting trees
—to engage and sensitize students and youth in water related issues creatively through various forms of arts in communities, schools, colleges, public, and religious places on individual and group levels
—to organise seminars and workshops to educate people on the negative impact of water privatisation on people and all species
—to address the socio-political and cultural implications of water privatization resulting in informed taking of action
Background of Water Campaigned designed by Flying Birds of India
Mushtaq Ali's Initiative to Save the Water
Sixteen-year-old Mushtaq Ali, of the 11th Class at Jamia Senior Secondary School, New Delhi, wrote and directed the animation film 'Pani Pani Pani Re' for the Flying Birds of India. This was his very first film. It is based on his own daily life experience with water. Mushtaq hopes to become a professional Development Communicator in the future. He has been running a campaign to save the water, the essential natural resource of Delhi’s various communities and neighboring states, such as: Okhla Village, Seelampur Trans Jamuna, Kathputli Colony, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, Dwarika, and others, where water shortage is a part of everyday life.
This campaign has become a movement now. Mushtaq has presented 'Paani Paani Paani Re' in various communities, colleges, art centers, schools, public places, residential colonies, parks, and streets in an effort to sensitize communities about the importance of water. He interacts with the audience after the screenings to motivate them to harvest the water through cost-effective traditional methods. He has been distributing the film through Faceebook, Youtube, Mobile Phones, and DVDs to the people of various local, national, and international communities. National media has also written abou this initiative. This movement is supported by Aseem ASHA Foundation, Flying Birds of India, and Community Media Initiative in collaboration with other organizations such MAAC, South Extension, Kalakar Trust, Agha Khan Trust, Tagore International School, Lady Irwin College, St.Mary's School, and others. Mushtaq is deeply inspired by the Hindi feature film based on water issues Well Done Abba and its song ‘Pani Ko Taraste' made by eminent film director Shyam Benegal.
Media Stories about Mushtaq’s Film
"Congratulations! I am happy that my film sparked the creativity and imagination of at least one person. It makes me happy and useful in some way. My best wishes to all of the Flying Birds."
—Shyam Benegal, eminent film maker, India
Watershorts Festival
First Water Shorts Fest, a community film festival where various films related to water issues were screened was held at St. Mary's School, Dwarika in New Delhi.
World Water Week 2012
Flying Birds of India and Community Media Initiative celebrated the third week of March 2012 as World Water Week at St. Mary's School, Dwarika. This celebration included:
—Water Campaign in Dwarika, Sec 19, New Delhi by the students of St. Mary's School and by the members of Flying Birds of India
—Water Shorts Fest
—production of a short video film based on local water issues of Dwarika, New Delhi
—sensitizing local water issues through the screening of a newly-produced water-related film in various societies, schools, and communities in Dwarika
—presentation of the 15th Udaan Community Film Fest
—release of the short film 'Holy Water' on World Health Day, 7th April, 2012 at Hazrat Inayat Khan Health Center, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, New Delhi
Story of the Short Film 'Holy Water'In the first part of the film, several Junior students from St. Mary's School are asked to assist their Senior classmates in testing the PH of local water at a chemistry lab. There they examine water samples, discovering mud and unhealthy saline content in the water. One Senior student asks a junior to sip some water from the test tube. Then another student comments sarcastically, "This is a new cold drink launched by our Dr. Joshi!" Everyone laughs, recalling an old advertising slogan of a famous cold drink: 'Yahi hai right choice baby...Ahaaa". The plot of the story attempts to communicate the problem of water privatization. Water—the source of life for all species—is being converted into a commodity. Rivers, lakes, dams, and groundwater resources are being taken over by the global water market. This has resulted in intense struggles between local communities in various parts of India and the water corporate giants.
In next section of the film, a teacher asks these students m to make a presentation about the local water problem. The next day, she informally invites them to speak on on the water issue in relation to their daily lives. Each student responds by sharing their own problematic experiences. They talk about the saline and muddy water which spoils their geyser and even washing machines. Some talk about the high cost of water in Dwarka. Many of them speak on the dangerously low water supplies. After that, the students join forces and design a creative poster campaign to address the issue of the high price of water in Dwarka. They go to the streets in local colonies to sensitize others on the issue in order to raise awareness:
"Costly water in rupees, cheaper blood in dollars. We want cheap water, fresh water, healthy water."
In next section of the film, a teacher asks these students m to make a presentation about the local water problem. The next day, she informally invites them to speak on on the water issue in relation to their daily lives. Each student responds by sharing their own problematic experiences. They talk about the saline and muddy water which spoils their geyser and even washing machines. Some talk about the high cost of water in Dwarka. Many of them speak on the dangerously low water supplies. After that, the students join forces and design a creative poster campaign to address the issue of the high price of water in Dwarka. They go to the streets in local colonies to sensitize others on the issue in order to raise awareness:
"Costly water in rupees, cheaper blood in dollars. We want cheap water, fresh water, healthy water."
Unfortunately, they receive no support from the colonies where people fail to understand the growth of this life-threatening issue. Using his own name, the lead character Aviral Joshi is a student of 11th Class from St. Mary's School. He suggests that the group visit a temple in the area. There, Pujari ji helps them to spread the message through their poster campaign in the house of worship, while suggesting that they go to other religious leaders, too. After that, they meet Maulana of Dwarka Mosque and a priest of St. Thoma Church at Dwarka. Both these religious leaders also help them to continue the message. Pujari, Maulana amd the priest make efforts themselves to save water in their own way. One of the film's aims is to show how if religious leaders of India help in spreading awareness for this noble cause, its solution could be made possible easier.
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