Raymond Jost (1943-2016) dedicated a large part of his life to access to water for all, especially for the most fragile populations and today victims of climate change.

His actions were carried out by innovative, surprising and striking means of awareness-raising. He created, among other things, a Citizens’ House in the context of each World Water Forum since that of The Hague in 2000, the World Youth Parliament for Water, the Blue Passport, the ‘Drop of hope’ – a hot air balloon that rose above the UNESCO buildings in Paris, Professor Hippopotamus, the sage whose boat criss-crosses the Congo River and welcomes people to share his vision of the balanced and sustainable management of water resources.

Raymond developed his actions through two associations he created, one in Canada, the International Secretariat for Water (ISW), the other in Strasbourg, Solidarité Eau Europe (SWE). These associations have made it possible to develop practical actions on the ground, notably in Bulgaria, Peru, Moldova, the Congo Basin and Uzbekistan.

Raymond was a colorful “character”, a comedian, a joker, and sometimes of disbelieving bad faith, overflowing with humanity and mischievousness. And when he left us in March 2016, his friends, his accomplices could only come to the obvious conclusion that Raymond was still there, elsewhere … but with us.

It’s from this twofold observation that the idea of this project was born to present in the form of a comic book, the achievements of Raymond Jost and to take advantage of it to make him live under the pencil of the Congolese designer Jason Kibiswa, new comical and meaningful adventures with his friend Prosper Hippopotamus.

The objective of this comic is to pay tribute to Raymond Jost but also to continue his action to raise awareness on water, key to development and “shared prosperity” by all.

Discover here the pencil sketches of the first 4 boards of the comics.

If you wish to participate to the development of this book by sending testimony and / or  making a contribution to its financing, please contact Solidarity Water Europe (info@see-swe.org) or refer to the following bank details:

 

Testimony of Arnaud Courtecuisse, Conseiller Résident, Ministère délégué chargé de l’eau – Rabat – Maroc

(In french only)