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Claire Reid, the South African Youth Water Prize winner, was awarded the prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize last night (12/08/03) in a ceremony, which was held at Nybrokajen in Stockholm, Sweden. This was during the World Water Week celebrations.

Commenting on her achievements, Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Ronnie Kasrils, said he was thrilled with Claire's achievement. "When she won the SA Youth Water Prize in Rosebank last week I was very confident that her project would have an outstanding chance at the International Junior Water Prize Competition in Sweden. I want to congratulate Claire on her achievement and for hoisting the South African flag. This is a big step forward for the implementation of water conservation in order to ensure efficient and sustainable water supply in South Africa. Her project will ensure that we continue our challenges of ensuring 'more crop for the drops", Minister Kasrils said

Claire, a Grade 11 student at St Teresa Mercy School in Rosebank, Johannesburg, won a R37 000 scholarship and a crystal sculpture which was awarded by the Crown Princess Victoria on behalf of the Stockholm Water Foundation. She was accompanied by several senior departmental officials, among them Barbara Schreiner, Deputy Director-General Policy and Regulations and Nomxolisi Matyana, Deputy Director Water Use Efficiency.

A very excited Claire paid tribute to Minister Kasrils, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, her educators and parents, for giving her the opportunity to prove herself and the youth of South Africa.

The Stockholm Junior Water Prize is presented each year to a high school-age student whose research has conducted an outstanding water-related project focusing on topics of environmental, scientific, social or technological importance. The international honour is given to an individual or group who, like their 26 co-competitors, has been awarded the top prize among national competitions. The national country winners travel to Stockholm from as far a field as Israel, Australia, and the Ukraine. This year China, Cameroon and Russia join as first-time entrants in the competition, which has grown each year since being founded in 1995 as a Sweden-only contest.

The nominating committee, in its official motivation, awarded the prize to Claire "for an innovative, practical, easily applicable technique for planting and successfully germinating seeds in water-scarce areas to improve rural and peri-urban livelihoods."

In South Africa, water is a scarce resource. To help farmers to be more efficient in their use of water in growing crops, Claire developed a so-called "Water Wise Reel Gardening" system. This simple and effective seed-planting system cuts down water usage by as much as 80% by reducing water leakage into the soil. Among its many benefits, it keeps seeds moist, so that they can germinate, without wasting water.

The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) administers the competition on behalf of the Stockholm Water Foundation. The international competition is sponsored globally by ITT Industries. "The Stockholm Junior Water Prize has established itself as 'the world championship' on water research for youth," says SJWP Committee Chairman Dr Johan Rockström of the University of Zimbabwe. "This is a great achievement, but more importantly it is filling an enormous gap. There are simply far too few arenas for tribute of young excellence in managing our finite and precious natural resources, such as water."

"While the global water environment remains in peril, the future depends on our ability to manage this life-sustaining resource. Today's youth are indeed tomorrow's leaders and must be encouraged to pursue water-related careers or risk further erosion of our scarce supply," said Robert Ayers, President of ITT Industries' Fluid Technology. "The Stockholm Junior Water Prize helps meet that objective and is the reason ITT Industries has been the proud global sponsor for five years."

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is planning a warm welcome for Claire and the departmental officials when they return on Sunday morning.

Enquiries: Themba Khumalo on 082 802 3432

Issued by Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

13 August 2003