2004 FINALISTS

• Delana Louw
• Prof. Jenny Day
• Naphanswayo Sarah Mbhele
• Busi Ngobeni
• Emily Masha, Eva Masha, Lucy Masha, Thabita Masha (Water for Food Movement)
• Marina Kruger
• Doreen Februarie
• Maria Wildschutt
• Claire Reid
• Nomxolisi Matyana
• Dr Eustina Musvoto
• MMC Mirriam Dooms

Widely viewed as a leader within her field, Professor Jenny Day has devoted her life to water research and conservation. She has contributed to numerous scientific publications, received invitations to foreign universities and research centres, and overseen more than fifteen major projects concerned with the water field. In 1984 Jenny co-founded the Freshwater Research Unit at the University of Cape Town. Her book Vanishing Waters, which she co-authored with Bryan Davies, has become the standard textbook for freshwater ecology courses at tertiary institutions in South Africa

Reel Gardening, the simple and effective invention for which Claire Reid was nominated, uses five times less water when gardening. Her creation has helped uplift rural and informal communities by making it easier for people to grow their own vegetables and save water, whilst also protecting the environment. Claire's project was awarded a gold medal at the National Expo Finals in 2002. In 2003 she won the SA Youth Water Award and went on to win the highly prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize, beating contestants from 26 other countries. She was also invited to address 16 000 delegates at a recent International Water Conference in Los Angeles.

The principles of equality and human dignity are paramount to Miriam Doom's outlook on life. She takes this ethos to work with her, and is determined to provide every citizen of Tshwane with, at the least, a basic supply of water and adequate sanitation. She has been serving on the local Water and Sanitation portfolio and is a Member of the Mayoral Committee of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Here Miriam has implemented numerous successful projects and leads by example, tirelessly working to bring about a positive change to the lives of her immediate community.

By offering education to anybody under the age of 40, Maria Wildschutt has taken it upon herself to provide the people in her poverty-stricken Northern Cape community with an opportunity to build themselves better lives. Originally a primary school teacher, she was elected by her community to take over the building responsibilities of a school and household sanitation project that was in danger of being dropped. Her lack of experience in water-related matters did not stop her from pursuing her newfound passion. The Moribund Household Sanitation Project is now one of the many projects that Maria has successfully introduced to her community.

Nomxolisi's career in the water sector started in 1988 in the Department of Public Works. She later transferred to the Eastern Cape Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in 1996. Her work has addressed issues from HIV/Aids awareness to capacity building and training. She is currently the National Programme Leader of the 2020 Vision for Water Education Programme, within which she co-ordinates the annual Baswa Le Meetse (Youth and Water) arts competition. Through her drive and determination, the South African Youth Water Prize Competition is one of the most successful environmental competitions for learners, having also achieved international accolades at the Stockholm Junior Water Prize Awards. Nomxolisi is an inspiration to all public servants.

Delana Louw has tirelessly worked to ensure that South Africa's water resources are sustainable and compliant with environmental standards. Working on all fronts she has been instrumental in ensuring that scientists and water managers achieve common goals. Her main focus has been managing and developing ecological Reserve determination processes, contributing huge amounts of effort and expertise to this project. A committed team player, Delana's leadership skills have seen her achieve very impressive results across a wide variety of projects.