Six students awarded for outstanding water conservation projects #rwanda #RwOT

The research initiative, supported by the Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) in collaboration with the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) Network, involved 18 students. Six of these students were distinguished for their exemplary work and received prizes.

Evariste Nsabimana, Deputy Director General of RWB, highlighted the significance of the students' research in enhancing water resource conservation efforts across Rwanda.

"At the Rwanda Water Resources Board, our daily mission is to conserve the natural water resources of our country. Utilizing the information, we gather from various rivers is crucial to our conservation work." He said.

Dr. Sam Kanyamibwa, CEO of ARCOS Network, emphasized the competition's goal of advancing students' knowledge in environmental conservation.

"These competitions are designed for young students, aiming to support their knowledge, particularly in conserving our water resources, because water is essential,' he remarked.

One of the recipients of the awards, Marie Claudine Umutoniwase from the University of Rwanda, received one million Rwandan Francs for her project on River Pfunda, which feeds into River Sebeya in Rubavu District.

Her project developed a technology to predict future floods.

"When I saw the announcement, I thought of creating a device to help predict future floods. By feeding upcoming rainfall data into the program I developed, we can anticipate and prevent floods,' she explained.

Emmanuel Singirankabo, also a student at the University of Rwanda, secured second place and was rewarded with Rwf800,000.

He shared his project's focus: "My project addressed the issues of erosion and landslides on River Mbirurume due to deforestation. It aims to repair these damages."

The research initiative organized by the Rwanda Water Resources Board attracted over 76 participants, with 18 completing the research and six getting awarded for their exceptional contributions.