Umgungundlovu District shines as winners of KwaZulu-Natal South African Youth Water Prize competition
Nonduduzo Mkhize, Siphokuhle Mbhele and Nolwazi Sithole of uMgungundlovu District were declared KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) winners of the South African Youth Water Prize (SAYWP) on their innovative modified bio-sand filter system project during the provincial competition finals held on Friday, 15 April 2016 in Durban.
The Grade 11 learners from Mehlokazulu High School at Embali in Pietermaritzburg were competing against other learners from other districts within KZN. As provincial winners, they will represent KZN during the national SAYWP later this year where they will compete against the eight other provinces.
The national winners will then represent South Africa at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP) in Stockholm, Sweden in August. In Stockholm they will compete against learners from 30 other countries at the event which is organised annually to celebrate World WaterWeek in Sweden.
UMgungundlovu District did well by also taking the second place during this year’s competition. Sindiswa Dlamini, Thandeka Dlamini and Samkelisiwe Zuma, all in Grade 11 at Mazwendoda High School presented a water conservation project. In the third position was a Grade 10 learner from uThukela District, Thajna Sewparsad from Ladysmith High School who carried out a water conservation project on acid mine drainage.
SAYWP is part of the 2020 Vision programme within the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) that seeks to promote science and technology learning among high school learners from grades 9 to 11. It aims to encourage and empower youth to participate actively in integrated and community based water resource management. The competition also motivates youth to pursue water and sanitation management careers.
Through the SAYWP, youths get the opportunity to interact with their peers, share knowledge and experiences related to water and the environment. Through the competition, learners identify problems related to water in their schools or communities, do research and recommend solutions to those problems. It also has the awareness and invention categories.
Various prizes that the top three winners get include bursaries from DWS for careers in the water sector, tickets to Stockholm in Sweden, subsistence allowances during the trip, cash prizes and computers or laptops.
For more information contact:
Mbali Mahaye
Cell: 082 601 5674
