In a world increasingly affected by climate change and environmental degradation, local solutions and community-driven narratives have never been more crucial.
Goa Water Stories is an initiative that seeks to do just that—empowering the youth of Goa to take ownership of their water-related challenges through creative storytelling and interdisciplinary approaches.
POWER OF NARRATIVES
This project engages young people in building a multi-media archive that explores water ecology, climate change, and their impacts on the environment, rooted in Goa's rich cultural heritage.
At its core, Goa Water Stories taps into the power of narratives—drawing inspiration from folk tales, songs, paintings, and poetry—to highlight how water and ecology have shaped the daily lives of Goans throughout history.
COMMUNITY WISDOM
By using their own voices, youth are creating a space where environmental issues are not just examined through scientific data, but also through the lived experiences and wisdom of the community.
"This project’s timing couldn’t be more urgent. Goa, like many parts of the world, faces a growing water crisis. From fluctuating ocean temperatures and flash floods to droughts and the erosion of local biodiversity, the region’s environmental challenges are becoming more apparent by the day," says Wency Mendes, who is one of the key persons behind Goa Water Stories.
From fluctuating ocean temperatures and flash floods to droughts and the erosion of local biodiversity, the region’s environmental challenges are becoming more apparent by the day
Wency Mendes
KEY PARTNERS
These shifts have serious consequences on agriculture, with crops like cashews, mangoes, and rice struggling to thrive in altered conditions. Goa Water Stories aims to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern environmental science, using local insights to find sustainable solutions for local village communities.
The initiative brings together four key institutions—Living Waters Museum, which is an online digital archive museum of water stories across the country, Goa Institute of Management, Manohar Parikkar School of Law and Governance at Goa University, and Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts—and a dedicated group of 30-40 youth, primarily women.
A START
For over a year, the participants were involved in extensive research, engaging not just with academic experts but with local elders who hold invaluable oral histories.
The goal is to synthesise these rich cultural narratives with contemporary scientific knowledge, creating a holistic, grassroots approach to water and climate issues.
While Goa Water Stories is yet to undertake large-scale studies, it serves as a powerful starting point, planting the seeds for future, more extensive environmental research.
THE LAUNCH
As part of the exciting journey of Goa Water Stories, the initiative will have an informal yet significant launch event on March 5 at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Pune. This gathering marks the first public introduction of the project, where the team will share the concept and vision behind the endeavour.
On March 5 and 6, 2025, the IISER in Pune will host the ‘Dialogue on Water as Commons' where researchers, academicians and artists from across the country will present and discuss the issues concerning threats to sources of water and the numerous waterbodies.
EXHIBITION AT SUNAPARANTA
By the end of March, there will be an in-person presentation of all the projects at the Goa Institute of Management. By mid-August, an exhibition is planned at Sunaparanta which is also a partner in the project. Additionally, the team hopes to create a permanent installation that will travel to various science centres, enabling the project to engage with a wider public and foster greater awareness.
Ultimately, Goa Water Stories aims to spark a broader conversation about how the community can confront the water crisis and climate change. It is a call for a more inclusive, localized model of development—one that is built from the ground up by the very people who will be most affected by these challenges.
ONLINE REPOSITORY
Through creativity, collaboration, and a deep respect for local knowledge, the project hopes to inspire action and create lasting change in Goa’s approach to environmental sustainability.
Across the last 18 months, over 30 young women and men of Goa, through an open fellowship grant, and a programme of workshops, developed their project proposals into 18 multimedium and media projects.
These multimedia projects are now available as an interactive online repository and archive for a larger public as Goa Water Stories at
https://goawaterstories.livingwatersmuseum.org.