In 2024, Le Puits The Story Well are partners in the PLUIË project, led by the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance. The association will create a podcast and a storytelling production to raise local awareness of the importance of rainwater management in the Geneva region. We are looking forward to sharing these rain stories to start a conversation about local climate change adaptation. People are changing how rainwater is valued, working at the scale of the private garden, the commune, and the region. Their actions are an inspiration, showing that every drop counts!

The PLUIË project is funded by the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, the Fédération génevoise de coopération, the Pôle métropolitan génovois français, the Ville de Genève and the République et Canton de Genèva. 

On March 14th, Le Puits were excited to welcome Le Karch to our workspace and garden. As you can see from the photo of Yara Leone, a Karch team member, it was a beautiful spring morning for the visit.

As part of our collaboration with the  PLUIË project, led by the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, we will be talking to Le Karch. The Geneva-based NGO will contribute to our forthcoming podcast: Genève: l’Eau Vert!  It investigates what is being done to increase green water storage in the Geneva Region. That is rain and water stored in vegetation and ponds. Les Puits will be asking local NGOs, architects, and engineers:

• why is storing green water important in a changing climate?
• how is green water stored in the Grand Genève region?
• who benefits from this climate adaptation approach?

Le Karch-GE are experts in pond building, to host threatened species of amphibians and reptiles in Grand Genève. Check back in with the blog next month, to discover more about their work!

It’s April 16th, and Le Puits are getting cooking! It is time to start simmering our storytelling project for the PLUIË project. After a week of temperatures higher than 20°C, the vegetation is lush, especially now the sky has clouded over, and the rain is falling.

As part of our collaboration with the  PLUIË project, led by the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, Le Puits is creating a storytelling performance, for 11-12 year olds.

The narrative frame has been made, but it needs planting up with lively observations of springtime growth. So I was out for a stroll this morning and made up a skipping rhyme, threading flowers I saw as I walked into it. How many of them do you know in it?

* Speedwell * Daisy * Dandelion * Celandine * Plantain * Periwinkle * Hawthorn *

        * Wild Garlic * Wild Strawberry * Clover * Clover * Clover * Clover * Primrose *

       ************************ And now the rain!******************************

Afterwards, I came back to the Le Puits workspace, and cooked up lunch using some local wild garlic, boiled in a fish stock; a few leek tops a neighbour gifted me from their garden; a splash of coconut milk; a spoonful of crab paste; a sprinkling of celery salt, and a dash of chili sauce made by a friend. A quick and tasty rain-fed recipe: try it!

We are delighted that IRHA has now published the five-episode Podcast Pluie on their YouTube channel!

Find links to these episodes, researched and produced by Dr Rachel Hosein Nisbet, here:

Vocals: Christie Finn

Music: ‘Me Vlast Vltava (The Moldau)’, Bedřich Smetana (Creative Commons; Musopen Symphony)

With contributions from : Dr Sabine Chamoun (OCEAU); Mme Sonja Kleiner (Le CERN); Mme Yara Leone (Le Karche); Mme Marion Dunand & Mr Marc Sylvestre (IRHA)

1. L’eau de pluie, une alternative dans le Grand Genève

Pourquoi et comment intégrer l’eau de pluie comme solution face aux défis d’approvisionnement en eau ? Marc Sylvestre (IRHA) et Sabine Chamoun (OCEau) décryptent les enjeux, les opportunités et les impacts du changement climatique sur la gestion de l’eau dans la région du Grand Genève

2. L’eau de pluie, tendre vers une ville éponge

Comment transformer nos villes en véritables “villes éponges” ? Découvrez avec l’Office cantonal de l’eau (OCEau) comment des infrastructures vertes – toitures végétalisées, noues, bassins de rétention – peuvent révolutionner la gestion des eaux pluviales.

3.L’eau de pluie, une gestion transfrontalière

Entre la Suisse et la France, la gestion de l’eau est un défi commun. Le CERN partage son expérience sur la coopération transfrontalière et les solutions mises en place pour mieux gérer cette ressource essentielle dans une région aux multiples juridictions.

4. L’eau de pluie, un vecteur de biodiversité

L’eau de pluie ne sert pas qu’à l’approvisionnement humain : elle joue un rôle clé dans la préservation des écosystèmes. KARCH-GE nous explique comment une bonne gestion des eaux pluviales peut favoriser la biodiversité, notamment celle des batraciens, en milieu urbain et rural.

5. Et si tu récoltais l’eau de pluie ?

Et si chacun pouvait agir ? Marion et Marc (IRHA) proposent des actions concrètes pour récolter et utiliser l’eau de pluie à domicile. Un épisode inspirant pour tous ceux qui veulent s’impliquer et faire partie du changement.

In June 2025, and Le Puits offered a storytelling session at Divonne Library! It was a storytelling engagement that re-worked stories developed for the PLUIË project.

The first stories were created as part of a project led by the International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance, Le Puits, for 11-12 year olds. They were designed to facilitate five learning outcomes, within a one-hour performance (see below for more details). It was offered in schools in the Pays de Gex region, and across the border, in French-speaking Switzerland.

The event reworked the stories for a young audience (4-5 years old), and included a painting activity, to think about the magical, creative powers of rain.

For information about our process of creating stories for groups, with specific learning outcomes, please contact us!