Dr. Jyotsnarani Jena shares her journey from a childhood riverbank in rural India to a career at the intersection of water management, innovation, and community wisdom. Her story reveals how the rivers that once held her with gentleness now struggle under pollution and neglect, and why restoring water requires science, community, and storytelling working together.

From the rivers of Liberia to the global stage, Lucia N. Yeenee shares how water has shaped her life, her purpose, and her storytelling. In this reflection, she explores how lived experiences can become powerful tools for change and why stories must lead the conversation on water and climate resilience.