By BIS Correspondent for BIS Mumbai

 Water gives life. For the tribal communities of Jawhar and Mokhada in Palghar district, water is an essential part of daily life, health, farming and livelihoods. Recognising the importance of every water source, Bosco Samajik Vikas Sanstha (BSVS), Walvanda, organised a month-long campaign on water conservation, sanitation and environmental protection from September 1 to October 4, 2026, in the spirit of the Season of Creation.

 Under the planning and guidance of Fr Jesu Robinson, SDB, Rector and Director of BSVS, women, youth, children, teachers, staff and villagers came together to protect and clean their common water sources.

 Communities Caring for Their Water

In several villages, drinking water wells and their surroundings were cleaned by local women and youth. Women from Dapti and Suryamal in Mokhada, and Barwadpada, Sambarpada, Kumbharkhand and Dhumpada in Jawhar, participated enthusiastically in removing garbage, grass and other waste from around the wells.

 The activities also became an opportunity to learn about the ‘Living Water’, safe drinking water, responsible water use and the importance of protecting community water sources. The women were encouraged to see themselves not only as users of water but also as guardians of the village's water resources.

 Young people from villages such as Kalamgaon, Pathardi and Shirasgaon actively participated in cleanliness activities around wells and borewells. Tree plantation activities were also undertaken, helping youth understand the connection between trees, soil, water and the environment. Their enthusiasm demonstrated that young people could become powerful agents of environmental change in their own communities.

 SEEP Children Learning by Doing

A special cleanliness and awareness campaign was organised on October 2, 2026 across 40 Zilla Parishad schools in Jawhar and Mokhada, marking the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, and as part of the Season of Creation, in honour of St Francis of Assisi, the patron of ecology.

 Together with teachers, BSVS staff and villagers, the students cleaned drinking water wells, borewells and surrounding areas. Through this hands-on experience, they learnt an important lesson: protecting water begins with keeping its source clean.

 A Community Impact

The month-long campaign created a positive impact across the participating villages. Women became more involved in water-source management, youth took greater responsibility for their surroundings, and children developed stronger habits of cleanliness and environmental care.

More importantly, the activities encouraged a sense of community ownership. Water sources were increasingly seen not simply as public facilities, but as precious resources belonging to everyone and requiring everyone's care.

 The campaign showed that meaningful change can begin with simple actions—cleaning a well, planting a tree, saving water, or teaching a child not to pollute a water source.

 The message that emerged from the villages was clear:

“Water gives life. Protecting every drop means protecting our people, our environment and our future.”

 Through this initiative, BSVS continues to accompany rural and tribal communities in building villages that are cleaner, healthier, environmentally responsible and more resilient for generations to come.