Western Cape pupil participates in Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition

Sixteen-year-old learner, Unam Halam, says it was an amazing experience participating in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition in Sweden and she is confident that she will improve her invention “The drop saver” to help South Africa save water.

Halam together with her co-learner Faith Classen from Heatherlands High School in George in the Western Cape secured their participation in this year’s World Water Week competition after winning the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Youth Water Prize competition in May this year for their invention.

This year, 36 countries were represented at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition, with Canada winning.

“The Drop Saver” is a device that can be attached to a tap which will prevent water leaks, and thereby help save water in communities.

In May, they won the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Youth Water Prize competition, which secured them a spot in this year’s Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition.

However, Classen” could not make it to Stockholm due to personal reasons.

Despite their invention not taking home the coveted trophy, Halam, says she’s learnt a lot from the competition and she’s confident that she’ll now be able to take their invention to the next level.

“It was an amazing experience, one that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life and even though I didn’t get first prize, I met amazing people and I got to come to this amazing city. And the girl that won from Canada,  well deserved and she was actually my roommate and I met amazing people. It was a great experience. I’m so thankful to be here. And I met people who I am in contact with so that I can further my invention. So it’s made me connect with people on a broader platform and I am going to push for the drop saver to be seen by more schools and communities.”

She urged all young South Africans to believe in their ideas and work hard to accomplish their dreams.

“Well, I would say to them step out of our comfort zone and never say never and if you think yours is stupid, just believe in your idea and just go for it. You’ll never know where you’ll end up, maybe in Stockholm, Sweden. And even if you don’t succeed the first time, just keep on going over and over again. You’ll never know when your breakthrough is going to come.”

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu says he is extremely proud of both Halam and Classen and has wished them well in improving their invention, as he believes it will one day be used across South Africa.

Mchunu says, “All we want for our children is to open up the world for them and then they decide what to do with it. And this is a world class platform for her to have experience and participate with other young children in an event of this nature. So it’s a congratulation to her and we are saying the world is in your hands.”