According to the United Nations World Water Development Report, groundwater is an important natural resource that supplies nearly half of the world’s drinking water, about 40% of the water for irrigation in agriculture, and around a third of the water used for industrial purposes. In honoring the value of water resources, the World Water Day 2022 focus on “Groundwater” to emphasise the critical role of groundwater and raise public awareness of the urgency in preserving this invisible but precious water resource.

Through social research, CKC has had a number of chances to talk with indigenous households in remote and isolated areas where the national clean water system has not been accessed yet. For them, groundwater is all they possess to survive and sustain their livelihoods based on farming or aquaculture activities.

Not only is it an essential resource for life, CKC understands that natural water also carries priceless cultural and spiritual values through the sharing of the communities that CKC has had opportunities to connect. Particularly, “the water wharf” of Ede people and the “drop of water” of Gia Rai people are both the main water source and the places connecting spiritual and cultural values that these communities have reserved in their daily activities and annual festivals through generations.

It is undeniable that water (in general) and groundwater (in particular) are invaluable assets that nature presents to human beings. Especially in the context of climate change and increasingly severe pollution, groundwater is considered the key to all sustainable development. Let’s join hands with CKC and spread the spirit of protecting water resources, protecting the Earth, and protecting our life.