Four entries of the eight entries are from East Africa, three from Southern Africa, and one from West Africa.
East Africa:
- Water Sanitation Hygiene Management Information System (Washmis) - Kenya
- Sudan Youth Parliament for Water – Sudan
- Uhakika wa Maji! Citizen action, accountability, monitoring, and advocacy for water and climate security in Africa – Tanzania
- Achieving Healthy African Great Lakes through a Highly Collaborative Freshwater Scientific Network – African Center for Aquatic Research and Education, USA
Southern Africa:
- Engineering Support for Enhanced Ecological Infrastructure critical for Sustainable Adaptation Solutions for Water in Africa - Zutary Water Resources Group, South Africa
- Lower Share River Basin Flood Risk Management - Zutary Water Resources Group, South Africa
- Zambia pilot programme for programme resilience – Zambia
West Africa:
- Clean, solar-powered water supply unlocks health, gender equality and economic prosperity in vulnerable Nigerian communities - Wateraid, UK
In total, there are 78 semi-finalists who will move to the next stage in the Awards selection process.
GWPSA Executive Secretary and GWP Global Head of Climate Change, Mr. Alex Simalabwi congratulated the achievement.
“We would like to congratulate the contestants who have made it to the semi-finalist stage. We wish them the best in the next phase of the jury process”, said Simalabwi. “It goes without saying that we are endowed with change makers, whose decisions have shaped the context of water and climate change interventions”.
He further acknowledged all 26 participants from the region whose change journeys made it through the first jury round. The initial shortlisting process revealed 26 eligible entries from the SADC region, with almost half from South Africa.
A second stage jury of thought leaders will convene in October to consider additional input to the submissions and determine the list of finalists, with winners to be announced in early 2021.
“The Awards are not an end in themselves, but also a way to bring people together to collaborate around common challenges”, said Mr Peter Repinski, GWPO Interim Executive Secretary. “The change submissions provide a platform for regions to effectively strengthen the network and create additional visibility for the regions.
Mr. Peter Repinski, GWPO Interim Executive Secretary
He added that the Change journeys will add insights to the IWRM Toolbox and contribute towards the creation of different communities of ChangeMakers who can interact and learn from each other.
By identifying individuals and organizations who have successfully initiated and sustained changes in water decision making to strengthen climate resilience, the Awards explore – through a “water lens” - those frontier issues, technologies, and emerging social trends that can shape a long-term path towards sustainability beyond 2030.