Water Boffins Set to Improve Water Systems in Developing World

Five scholars that graduated from Master of Science degrees in water education are ready to take on projects in their home countries.  This is the first class to graduate from the Rotary sponsored scholarships at UNESCO-IHE, an international institute for infrastructural, hydraulic and environmental engineering.

In 2011, international service organization, Rotary, partnered up with UNESCO-IHE in order to create the world’s largest graduate water education facility, as a means to increase the ranks of trained professionals that can address the current global water and sanitation crisis.

“We’re proud of the Rotary and UNESCO-IHE partnership and especially proud of our first class of Rotary water scholars, who will now use their expertise to develop sustainable water and sanitation solutions in their home countries,” said Stephen Brown, Rotary’s foundation trustee in a statement.

These home countries include Argentina, Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Ghana.  During the program, scholars are trained to devise, plan and implement solutions in countries where communities lack access to clean water and safe sanitation. They are mentored by various Rotary members and clubs throughout their studies.

UNESCO-IHE’s dean, András Szöllösi-Nagy, added that he believes the scholars will play an important role in managing the world’s water systems in a sustainable way.  He went on to say, “I am confident that as these young professionals return home, they will continue to play a vital role in managing our water systems in a sustainable way for future generations. As alumni, they will remain part of the largest network of water professionals and become part of an extensive network of fellow Rotary scholarship recipients and Rotarians worldwide” he said.

The scholars have already begun embarking on various projects. For example, graduate Bernice Asamoah from Ghana said that she will develop a hygiene project that uses solar power to disinfect water for communal toilet facilities while graduate Kenechukwu Okoli from Nigeria explained that he will be visiting various schools in his country to teach children basic sanitation habits so that they can become change agents.

Another graduate, Temesgen Adamu, from Ethiopia added that in his home country, water quality is poor and that safe water and sanitation facilities are inaccessible by most, causing water based diseases to spread.  According to the World Health Organization, around 2.5 billion people worldwide don’t have access to improved sanitation and 783 million people lack access to clean drinking water.  The second class of graduates have already begun their studies in October 2013 and will graduate in 2015.

Source: CNBC Africa