Risk Know How practitioner, Professor Ramon Fernando Colmenares-Quintero, Director of the Engineering Research Institute at Universidad Cooperative de Colombia and BERSTIC Network: "The greatest impact in empowering the Wayuu community to make decisions on risk related to energy and water came from inclusive, culturally sensitive consultations and co-design... This process respected their beliefs around natural resources while incorporating technological innovations, creating a stronger sense of ownership and participation in the solutions. This understanding—that solutions must be built with the community, not imposed on them—helped ensure that any new energy and water initiatives would be sustainable and accepted, ultimately empowering the community to manage risks more effectively."
Limited resources mean around 1.4 million Colombians lack access to clean water. Water insecurity is linked to malnutrition and premature death in indigenous communities e.g., the Wayuu in La Guajira County
Read about the work of #RiskKnowHow practitioners in this community: tinyurl.com/2p94k6ma