Multimedia journalist and presenter Katie Arnold left for Kyrgyzstan this week to explore water related conflict in the Naryn River basin as part of her Neville Shulman Challenge Award.
The main source of flow for the 800km long river is meltwater from glaciers in the Tian Shan Mountains on the border with China, which makes the communities that rely on the river particularly vulnerable to climate change. Travelling on foot, horseback and bike, Katie will document the social, political and economic impact that climate change is having on those living in this region and the challenges they may face in the future. Ending her journey in the Fergana Valley, the largest irrigated area on earth, Katie will report on a region on the brink of an ethnically charged water war. She will return to the UK in September.
The Neville Shulman Challenge Award grants £5,000 each year to a challenging research project which aims to further the understanding and exploration of the planet, its peoples, cultures and environments. Previous recipients have travelled to Israel to meet the world’s smallest and oldest ethno-religious group, explored Mozambique’s remote Njesi Plateau, and retraced Roald Amundsen’s 800 mile sledging journey across Arctic Canada and Alaska.
Are you excited about the prospect of undertaking a challenging expedition? The deadline for the next Neville Shulman Challenge Award is 30 November.
Find out more and how to apply.
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