On 14 November 2025, the UNESCO Amazon Water Resilience Challenge – Ecuador 2025 held its Grand Final event, marking the end of a seven-month program dedicated to empowering young Ecuadorian professionals to design and implement water resilience solutions across the Podocarpus–El Cóndor Biosphere Reserve. The online event gathered the three finalist teams, along with representatives from UNESCO, local governments, partner organizations, and community leaders from Loja, Chapamarca and Zumbi.
The event began with welcoming remarks by The Water Agency, followed by a message from UNESCO acknowledging the commitment of the 24 young participants who completed the program. Two video reels were presented, offering a visual overview of the entire journey—from initial training and field week to solution development and community-based implementation.
Each finalist team then presented the results of their pilot projects:
- Zumbi Resiliente – Agua para la Vida (Zamora Chinchipe), which strengthened drinking water infrastructure, restored watershed areas, and mobilized community action through reforestation and capacity building.
- EcoAcción Malacatos (Loja), which used edu-communication strategies to deepen public engagement with the Malacatos River through workshops, environmental mingas, and the construction of a solar-powered interactive river model.
- Water MEVS (El Tambo, Loja), which supported farmers in adopting climate-resilient practices, testing biodegradable hydrogel, improving soil management, and restoring degraded areas with native species.
Community representatives from each location shared heartfelt reflections about their experiences, the collaboration with youth participants, and the positive outcomes generated in their territories.
After a transparent voting process involving all eligible event participants, Water MEVS was announced as the winner of the 2025 edition and received a USD 1,000 award as recognition for their dedication and impact on the ground. The two runner-up teams also received small prize awards in appreciation of their commitment and implementation efforts throughout the program.
The Grand Final celebrated not only the achievements of the participants but also the spirit of collaboration that made the program successful. Through their actions, the youth demonstrated that locally driven solutions – rooted in knowledge, innovation, and community partnership – can contribute significantly to water resilience in Ecuador’s Amazonian landscapes.
