What is FreeFlo and why do we need it?

Water is the essence of life, sustaining every living being in the world. Yet we soon face a world in which only those that can pay for their water will survive. The world’s water supply isn't simply at risk, it is in crisis, and in 2008, there’s still no open communications network for water activists everywhere to find each other, to foster collaboration, to share resources, to organize across cultures.

FreeFlo hopes to change all of that. FreeFlo is a website collaboration designed to empower and connect local water activists all over the world. A sister project to the documentary film FLOW, FreeFlo seeks to enable the growth of a water news and activist network that invites local groups to publish text, audio and video that brings local water issues into sharp focus on a global platform.

When will FreeFlo launch?

FreeFlo will launch in alpha just as the documentary film FLOW rolls out to theaters in Fall 2008, enabling decentralized water activists everywhere to launch their own local sites connecting to a central hub on a global network.

What’s the goal of FreeFlo?

FreeFlo hopes to become an invaluable resource for water journalists, scientists, activists, media makers and concerned citizens all over the world. For the first time, groups all over the world can engage on a platform to discover common purpose, forge alliances, participate in the urgent struggle for the right to clean and potable water everywhere.

FreeFlo hopes to inspire local and regional collaborations as the global water crisis takes center stage in our political discourse. Specifics of locality and issue will be reported on, enabling up-to-the-minute data to be disseminated widely.

It should be emphasized that FreeFlo is not designed to replace or supercede the numerous and vital organizations that are doing incredible water commons work all over the world. Quite the contrary, FreeFlo is designed to offer a global resource that augments, connects and empowers a whole new set of Right To Water initiatives.

The FreeFlo Network

Each local FreeFlo is a member of a decentralized network of autonomous and local FreeFlo’s worldwide. Each FreeFlo should be self-organized by members who join the network after agreeing to the FreeFlo Mission Statement, Principles of Unity and the Criteria for Membership (see below).

The strength of FreeFlo lies in structure; namely, a network of decentralized water journalists, activists, and media makers that develop a local FreeFlo to inform and collaborate on local water issues.

Who runs FreeFlo?

FreeFlo will develop working groups that help maintain the infrastructure of the network. For example, the FreeFloTech working group will be a global working group that maintains the digital infrastructure of the network. Other working groups will cover issues ranging from new member process to communications to grant writing if needed.

Working groups will develop with a maximum of one representative from each group, so as to avoid ‘agenda creep’. Again, transparency of process around editorial and membership is essential to create a level playing field for all.

If we join, do we need to participate in the working groups?

It is essential that each local FreeFlo participate in the process to help maintain the infrastructure of the network. We will be much stronger as a united network in resisting various forms of repression around the Right To Water than if we exist as a single entity.

Who’s behind FreeFlo, and what groups are involved?

FreeFlo was founded by the producer of FLOW, an award-winning documentary about the global water crisis. We hope to include local Right To Water activists from all over the world. We've already commenced outreach, the goal is to launch with 12 groups from the Global North and South, and allow the network to build over time. 

What happens next?

It’s our belief that critical mass can be reached over an 18-month period.  There will be specific outreach to journalists and bloggers on the water ‘beat’ to publish to the central column of the central site. We will also link to relevant water journalism on our water wire; community comments will surely draw the interest of these journalists. 

The goal is to build on existing resources and models by creating a common, non-hierarchical space for collaboration amongst groups. The current reality is that most current water orgs are self-contained and self-generated; and we're seeing predictable replication of project ideas. We believe this can diminish with FreeFlo’s core ambition; achieving more transparency and efficient collaborations amongst FreeFlo groups that work on the Water Commons.

What’s the FreeFlo Mission Statement? Principles of Unity? Criteria for Membership?

Please see below, and note that these documents were inspired by early stage documentation for the Independent Media Center movement.

Mission Statement

FreeFlo is a communication network designed to strengthen the global water activist community, to challenge the privatization of water, to promote solidarity and water justice for all. FreeFlo illuminates issues impacting water ecosystems and individual access to water, and supports local, community-controlled solutions for sustainable water use. 

Principles of Unity

1.  FreeFlo is committed to water as a fundamental human right and based upon principles of equality and decentralization of information. Members of FreeFlo oppose the privatization of water and seek to protect and conserve water resources.

2.  FreeFlo considers the open exchange and access to water-related information a prerequisite to the building of a more free and just society. 

3. FreeFlo shall utilize open software and open publishing, allowing individuals, groups and organizations to express their views, anonymously if desired.

4. FreeFlo may not be used to sell any products, including books, and is only open to not-for-profit organizations and collaborative groups of water activists.

5. FreeFlo recognizes that a prerequisite for participation in the decision-making process is the contribution of an individuals’ labor to the group.

6. FreeFlo is committed to our respective communities both collaboratively and as individuals, and will promote consensus decision-making and the sharing of resources including knowledge, skills and equipment.

7. FreeFlo shall not discriminate upon race, gender, age, class or sexual orientation. Recognizing the vast cultural traditions within the network, we are committed to building diversity within our localities.

Criteria for Membership: