This week,
students from Ghana and the Netherlands
reconvene at Stockholm World Water Week to share the results of their efforts
to bring safe water to people in need.
The
award-winning students, who met during the 2010 international Stockholm Junior
Water Prize, realized the complementary nature of their original submissions,
and embarked on a year-long collaboration to solve critical water needs. With
the support of Water For People, ITT Corp. and Black & Veatch, the teams
worked to construct a water system in rural Ghana, and explored the use of
ozone in disinfecting water at the source.
“Some of
the brightest young minds from around the world convene in Stockholm to share their ideas for solving
the global water crisis, and it is inspiring to watch the Stockholm Junior
Water Prize finalists apply their research in the field to create sustainable
and positive change,” says Michael Fields, director of corporate philanthropy
at ITT. “ITT is proud to return to Stockholm
alongside these students as they share their results with the water community.”
The young
scientists, including Raymond Bentum, Theophilus Asiedu Sagoe, Archimedes Bruno
Andries and David Mclean of Ghana, and Evelien van Zwol, Lianne Siemensma and
Wouter van der Wal of the Netherlands, spent the last year working on their
projects as part of a long-distance collaboration, and met in Ghana to
fine-tune their solutions and expand their understanding of local water needs.
As part of this work, the Ghanaian team partnered with the community of Open to
educate residents on safe water and sanitation practices and to design and
construct a water filtration system using local materials. The Netherlands
team spent the year networking with ozone experts to create a water pump that
uses mechanical energy to spark the creation of ozone for water disinfection,
and tested their prototype with the same Ghanaian community.
“The teams
never relented in their efforts to turn their ideas into actions. They worked
diligently to develop their plans, and overcame challenges and setbacks to
ultimately improve and then implement their projects,” says Jim Clark, senior
vice president for Black & Veatch’s global water business.
With the
support and encouragement of the Stockholm International Water Institute
(SIWI), Water For People, ITT and Black & Veatch will continue their
support for a team of national finalists for the 2011 Stockholm Junior Water
Prize.
“We look
forward to continuing our work with these young people, who are passionate
about water and sanitation issues,” says Water For People’s CEO Ned Breslin.
“They bring a new motivation and innovation to the sector that contributes to
the true sustainability of our work by invoking the next generation to feel
confident that they can solve problems and contribute to better the livelihoods
of millions worldwide.”