The Kectil Conference 2025 Youth Leaders, Lima Peru

Written by: the Public Affairs team

On August 7th and 8th, The AWA Project team had the honor of participating in the Kectil Conference Youth Leadership 2025, the very first Kectil Program Conference held in Latin America, which took place in Lima, Peru. The event brought together inspiring youth leaders from across the region, including participants from Colombia, Bolivia, and other Latin American countries.

On behalf of AWA, our Public Affairs Director, Mafer Chaparro, was invited as a speaker in the panel “The LATAM We Want: Preserving Natural Resources and Non-Renewable Assets.” During this session, we highlighted the urgent need for water equality and the importance of youth empowerment in the management of water within their local communities. Furthermore, we shared the importance of South-South collaboration to address water issues and how strengthening this much-needed cooperation becomes urgent in a globalized world.

Beyond the panel, we also showcased AWA’s initiatives, including our podcast, blog, and Water Ambassadors Program, which continue to foster awareness, education, and action on water-related issues. Over the two days, four of our team members actively contributed as staff, participants, and speakers, making this a truly collaborative and enriching experience.

The conference provided a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and empower passionate youth leaders who are driving change in areas such as environmental conservation, international youth representation, community impact, gender equality, entrepreneurship, multiculturalism, and more. Their commitment and vision reaffirmed the potential of the next generation to lead the transformation of Latin America toward a more just, sustainable, and inclusive future.

We had the privilege of sharing this space with other changemaker organizations, including our valued partner, Fondemar, who contributed meaningful local perspectives from Ilo, Marcona in Peru.

As AWA, we are deeply inspired by these encounters and reaffirm our commitment to continue building spaces that amplify youth voices and foster collective action for water justice and sustainable development in our region.