Youth water delegation heads for New York

  • 13 February 2023
  • 2 minute read
  • Words Natasha WIseman
Young water professionals head for the Big Apple

Fourteen young water professionals (YWPs) are on their way to New York after being selected to take part in the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, taking place in the US city on 22-24 March 2023.

They have been selected for the joint IWA-Grundfos Youth Action for SDG6 Fellowship, and together with the International Water Association (IWA) and Danish pump manufacturer Grundfos, will play a key role advocating for a water-wise world and youth empowerment. The organisers received hundreds applications from around the world and the initiative supports action on UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) - clean water and sanitation for all.

“I hope to shed light on the significant and impactful achievements of civil society, indigenous people, youth and women's organisations."

Hadi Toure Guindo, water treatment engineer from Mali

It is also aligned with IWA's vision to promote and create an inclusive and diverse water sector, and the selection process ensured balanced geographical representation and gender diversity. The young professionals will take part in a special programme of activities and actively participate in the conference.

Hadi Toure Guindo, a water treatment engineer from Mali is one of the fourteen delegates. She said, “As a practitioner, researcher and advocate for water, I aspire to break silos in solving water challenges by promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration and knowledge-sharing. By actively participating in the UN 2023 water conference, I hope to shed light on the significant and impactful achievements of civil society, indigenous people, youth and women's organisations."

Charles Shachinda, who is originally from Zambia and now works as international technical officer at British Water, will also be making the journey to NYC. He said, "The unequivocal role that young people play as future leaders in combating global WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene] poverty and the looming climate crisis can no longer be ignored.

"I will be participating in the UN 2023 Water conference in New York with the expectation that the global water community will open its heart enough to pragmatically accord the youth their deserved place within the water action agenda framework to help bolster efforts towards achieving SDG6."

The other selected YWPs are:

  • Chelsea Hayward, Australia
  • Farokh laqa Kakar, Canada
  • Ines Breda, Denmark
  • Jacob Amengor, Ghana
  • Marina Batalini de Macedo, Brazil
  • Muhammad Anique Azam, Pakistan
  • Pabel Cervantes, Mexico
  • Persis Ramírez, Dominican Republic
  • Sudipti Arora, India
  • Yang Villa, Philippines
As part of Grundfos’ wider support for YWP action on the SDGs, the group also includes two delegates from within the organisation:
  • Krithika Iyer Shivakumar, India
  • Krisztian Mark Balla, Denmark