AIDFI's Ram Pump Project Wins prestigious World Challenge 10 competition

London, 4 December 2010. This
Saturday, BBC World News
broadcasts the final programme
of the World Challenge 10
series, announcing The Only
Way is Up the Alternative
Indigenous Development
Foundation Inc. ’s (AIDFI) Ram
Pump Project as the winner.
Based in the Philippines the
initiative uses the power of a
river ’s flow to literally push
water uphill without any other
energy source.
The hydraulic ram pump has
been around for a couple of
centuries but has failed to date
to realise its potential. AIDFI is
determined to see it come into
its own and has devised a way
of using the pump which has
proved a boon for poor
villagers living in mountainous
regions. The ram pump can save
both hours of back breaking
work carrying water uphill and
cash where expensive water
pumps are replaced. AIDFI has
introduced the pump to over
170 villages and has plans to
spread the benefits far and wide
among poor communities.
Now in its sixth year, World
Challenge is more popular than
ever with more than 167,000
people around the world voting
online for their favourite finalist
– up 40,000 on last year’s votes.
This year 800 nominations were
received from over 70 countries
from which the final 12 projects
featured in World Challenge
2010 were selected. The final
programme airs on BBC World
News this weekend, showcasing
the presentation ceremony
hosted by the BBC ’s award-
winning presenter Zeinab
Badawi. The Only Way is Up
Project will receive a US$20,000
prize grant from Shell. Details
will also appear in Newsweek
magazine.
Two runner-up projects will
each be awarded US$10,000 by
Shell. The first runner-up is Pass
It On, a Peruvian initiative from
Sierra Productiva a federation of
small –scale subsistence farmers
teaching organic techniques to
dramatically improve production
from both livestock and crops.
Second runner-up is A Class
Apart, a project from Guatemala
with the aim of building a
school from recycled waste such
as car tyres and bottles.
Paul Gibbs, Head of
Programmes, BBC World News
says: “The World Challenge
competition is a deserved
favourite with BBC World News
viewers. The competition
continues to highlight these
fantastic projects and raise
awareness globally in the field
of sustainable development.”
Rhona Murphy, Publisher and
Managing Director, Newsweek
International says: “World
Challenge underlines
international support for
individuals and groups showing
an entrepreneurial approach to
environmental and community-
driven projects. We hope that
through World Challenge, more
people will be inspired to put
similar ideas into action. ”
Malcolm Brinded, Executive
Director of the Upstream
International Business, Shell
said: "Access to energy is critical
to driving development and
improving people's quality of
life. This year's winner of World
Challenge, a hydraulic pump
delivering water to remote
villages, could not be a clearer
demonstration of that. At Shell,
we are committed to using new
technology to deliver a lower
carbon energy future, and it's
exciting to see that same
ambition in action in the World
Challenge competition."
World Challenge is a global
competition rewarding grass
roots projects that give
something back to their
communities. It is run by BBC
World News, the BBC ’s
international news channel, and
Newsweek, the weekly global
current affairs magazine, in
association with Shell. This year ’s
series included a special
programme, World Challenge:
Down To Business, which saw
sustainable business advisor Leo
Johnson visit two previous
finalists to give them business
advice to help raise global
awareness of their projects.
Source: Sophie West

Share: