Sandra Weller: eWATER's award winning photographer!

Huge congratulations to Sandra Weller, an incredible photographer from Germany, who has just won the category 'Climate of change’ in the Earth Photo Awards 2022 . Sandra has worked with eWATERservices before in The Gambia, and indeed, her winning photo was one of those taken on her trip to The Gambia.?

We attended the award ceremony hosted at the Royal Geographic Society, London, with Sandra. She said of her award:

"I felt very honoured that my work got selected to win the Earth Photo Award category 'Climate of change'. I am happy that the story in my photo was recognised as a good example of how the green energy transition could be possible. Gaining access to energy would empower so many communities. By using solar energy it doesn't harm the planet too. It could be that simple.”Sandra had three of her photographs shortlisted for the award, all in the same category. When we asked Sandra about the series, she told us:

"My series is about the villagers of Nymanarr in The Gambia, who are getting access to electricity for the first time in their life. A local company was assigned to install a solar PV mini-grid plant. They distribute the green electricity and take care of the maintenance of the plant.?

"It transformed the life of the villagers rapidly. Mobile companies installed radio towers, new businesses opened, old businesses expanded and new job opportunities became available. Compared to conventional energy in The Gambia, this solar power is 100% reliable."

Finally,?we spent time talking to Sandra about eWATER. She had an amazing time with colleague Rob Hygate and Alieu Colley in The Gambia and spoke of her trip with such warmness and awe of the work eWATER is carrying out:

"To me, the solar mini-grid installation in Nyamanarr stood out as much as eWATER. Both are not based on donations or charity, but on reliable business models. What I have learnt is that the maintenance is a major problem. When solar systems in The Gambia broke, nobody took care of it. As a result many Gambians felt that green energy installations are not working in general. But lets face it- it can only be sustainable when it is profitable.?In the village Nymanarr Unique Energy is selling the green electricity to the villagers and taking care of the maintenance. eWATER has a very similar approach to solving another big issue - access to clean water. By using smart technology eWATER is selling clean drinking water to villagers, and then using that money to take care of the maintenance. eWATER is also using solar power. Another problem eWATER solved is that everyone is only paying for what they are using, which is clearly more fair. In my time there, I heard many Gambians complain about using a shared fountain where everyone has to pay the same amount, even if some are using more water than others, before eWATER came along.”

Congratulations to the award-winning Sandra Weller!?