UniWater Education Limited

via http://www.thewaterchannel.tv/media-gallery/4595-exploring-water-leadership-development

When Tony Cowen and Terry Dash of the PFRA discovered that their technical library was to be dismantled, they thankfully thought of UniWater.  Several boxes of texts and PFRA published documents (in paper form and on USB cards) have been donated for use in African geology departments hosting the UniWater program.  Many thanks!

A huge thank you is extended to PPI Solutions who made UniWater their chosen charity this year at their annual education event for financial planners.  This year’s event was held at the Delta Hotel in Kananaskis Country in the Canadian Rockies.  Each year PPI selects a charity to which all registration fees are donated.  This event raised more than $20,000 for UniWater.  Every penny is appreciated!

Many thanks go out to Y. Gan of GeoTomo Software in Malasyia who have donated two software keys to UniWater for their Professional Resistivity Imaging tool.  That’s fantastic! We will be able to produce many terrific practicals and lectures using this.

UniWater aknowledges the contribution made by Imperial Oil Foundation on behalf of their employee, Jessica Dillabough.  Jessica is a member of the Board of Directors and brings her experience in the area of sustainable energy development to our organization. The grant of $1,000 is greatly appreciated.

When asked for a quote for some field equipment, Frank Magdich of Oak Environmental in Calgary, Canada responded by offering to donate a piece of equipment.  When asked what we could use, I suggested a water level meter that could be used in Africa.  I explained that even though a ‘plonker’ (an inverted cup on the end of a rope) would most likely be the instrument used in developing countries, having a scientifically-based accurate instrument to demonstrate proper techniques and equipment to budding hydrogeologists in the MSc programs would be a great added-value bonus.  Frank not only donated the water level meter, but a case load of nitrile gloves!  Thanks very much Oak!

As the pilot project of our MSc program comes to fruition with the beginning of MSc programs in Tanzania and Nigeria, UniWater is thinking ahead to the scaling up of this project to an endpoint of when it is fully sustainable.  This endpoint would be where African universities offer an applied MSc/PG Diploma program in line with the UniWater program and mentor other new universities who are just beginning to offer the program.

Currently we are looking to explore opportunities with individuals or corporations/NGOs who would lend expertise in getting us to that endpoint.  The potential for this program to make a large impact on how water is developed in the future, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa is huge, given what we currently know about how education in the water sector is delivered.  If you are interested in joining this venture, please contact us.

In advance of Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania getting final approval to offer the MSc program in Hydrogeology and Water Resources Management, UniWater is conducting a fundraising blitz to secure at least five scholarships for students to attend their first year.  Tuition rates are $1,300/year/student.  This is only a stop-gap measure due to the short time line between when their applications will be accepted and the start of classes (a few short weeks instead of several months that they usually have to apply for traditional scholarships).  Without a guarantee of these scholarships, the university may decide not to offer the program this year.  The university expects to get approval by the end of August from the Tanzanian Commission of Universities.

All donations are tax deductible and can be made using the donation button at the right, or a cheque can be mailed in to our office.

Bilfinger Water Technologies of New Brighton, Minnesota has donated 81 copies of the text Groundwater and Wells, enough for every student in our pilot program in Africa to have their very own copy! This book was written by Fletcher Driscoll of Johnson Well Screens in 1986 and it has been considered a ‘must have’ by any practicing hydrogeologist. It is incredibly useful for those working in remote areas. Also, included in the back of each book is a plasticized Field Guide – a tool used for logging borehole information. Thank you Bilfinger for this very generous donation!