Tanky Troopers Inspire At Badlaav

Written by Caroline / 20 August 2009 / Read Caroline's latest blog entries.

This adorable group of children (in the front, wearing t-shirts) spent the summer of 2009 in their neighborhood, promoting the efficient use of water, encouraging their parents and peers to turn off their tanks. Calling themselves the Tanky Troopers, this passionate group shared their story at Badlaav, the Indian Youth Summit on Climate Change, with the hundreds of youth who joined in Delhi during that week of trainings. The Tanky Troopers told participants the responses they got from older people in a series of skits and songs. Many people shut the doors in their faces, saying they had other things to worry about than the thousands of liters of water they wasted.

In many Indian homes, pumps are used to draw groundwater (or city water) into large black 1000 L tanks that sit on rooftops, allowing water to be used throughout the day. Many people forget to turn off their tanks or pumps, thus drawing more water into the tanks throughout the day, causing hundreds of liters of waste - daily! In a country struggling to meet the water survival needs for thousands, such wastage is hard to bear! The Tanky Troopers were an inspiring approach to engaging communities, using song and dance -- and pure, amazing, adorable passion -- to spread their message.