River Care. We Care. Global Environment Centre's River Care Programme focuses on promoting community participation in river and water resource protection and sustainable use through the Civic Science approach. We work closely with all stakeholders in solid waste management and water and river management, and believe that everyone has a role to play in the environment.

Mission: Promote the protection, restoration and sustainable use of rivers by enhancing multi-stakeholder participation and knowledge to stimulate local action.

Vision: To have clean, healthy, living and vibrant rivers for people and the environment.

Objectives
• Protect, conserve and promote living rivers and their biodiversity
• Promote restoration and rehabilitation of river and other water bodies.
• Raise awareness and educate all stakeholders about river care
• Promote civic consciousness and local action through river monitoring and mapping
• Support capacity building and networking of individuals, communities and organisations in river management

The focus of this programme is to promote and support the integrated management of river basins with particular emphasis on ensuring that biodiversity and wetland conservation and community considerations are incorporated into river basin management.

GEC's River Care Programme consists of four team members, all who are well versed and experts at their field knowledge.

• Dr K. Kalithasan (Coordinator, River Care)
• Jagedeswari (Senior Programme Officer)
• Chan Kok Yeng (Programme Officer)
• Sathis (Programme Officer)

GEC has undertaken a range of projects and initiatives related to Integrated river basin management including:

Workshops and meetings

GEC has organised or co-organised a number of meetings including:

• Training of Trainers for Community participation in River Management under DID 1 State 1 River programme (2009-now)
• RIVER Ranger training (2009-now)
• SMART Ranger training (2008-now)
• Workshop on river auditing (2009-now)
• Workshop on water auditing (2010)
• Training programme for Government agency and community leaders on community based river management (2006-2008)
• Training courses on community based river management and assessment (2005)
• Workshop on Biodiversity and River Management in Malaysia (2004)
• Workshop on Integrated management of Wetlands, Biodiversity and River Basins, World Water Forum, Japan (2003)
• East Asian Seminar on River Restoration, Malaysia (2003)
• Workshop on Community approaches to river management, Malaysia ( 2001)
• Workshop on design of River Basin Initiative, Netherlands (2001)
• Workshop on Sustainable management of Water resources In Malaysia (1999)

River management, rehabilitation projects

GEC has been involved with various partners in the following site-based riverine assessment and management projects which emphasize community participation:

HSBC Water Programme (2012 - ongoing)

The HSBC Water Programme (HWP) is a global flagship environment programme created to tackle water risks in river basins, bring safe water and improved sanitation to over a million people and raise awareness about global water challenge. The USD100 million five-year programme is delivered in partnership with WWF, WaterAid and Earthwatch. In Malaysia, HSBC partners with Earthwatch and a local environment research partner, Global Environment Centre (GEC) to train HSBC employees to be Citizen Science Leaders (CSLs) to raise water awareness in Malaysia, using the Klang River as the data monitoring site.

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HSBC Water Conservation and Environmental Programme for Schools in Malaysia (2014 - 2017)

River of Life Public Outreach Programme (2012 – on going) (www.myrol.my)
Sg Kinta Rehabilitation Project under GAB Foundation W.A.T.E.R project (2012-on going)
Sg Way Rehabilitation Project under GAB Foundation W.A.T.E.R project (2007-on going)
Sg Pinang River Care programme (2011-2013)
Sg Klang River Ranger (2009-2010)
Rehabilitation of Kelana Jaya Lakes, Selangor (2002-2009)
Rehabilitation of Sg Pencala, Federal Territory/Selangor Malaysia (2003-2009)
Community Involvement in Conservation of Biodiversity of Sg Nenggiri basin, Kelantan (2003-2009)
Assessment of aquatic resources of Meliau Range Conservation Area, Sabah (2003-2005)
Assessment of the Perak River (2005-2006)
Integrated Management of the Salut-Mengkabong River Basin, Sabah (2003-2006)
Rapid Assessment of Upper Kinta Catchment
Marine Park River Ranger Project