SIGEF Projects Winners Testimonials: EauNergie
SIGEF 2014 highlighted 24 projects that are being brought to life with the help of Horyou, and two received special recognition. The following testimonial is from Mehdi Hadj-Abed, founder of EauNergie, a water sanitation company and winner of the Organizer’s Award. This was a well-deserved win, as EauNergie provides renewable-energy solutions to water distribution around the world. He related his SIGEF experience and what he’s been up to since.
THE PROJECT
“The EaumOb is a water pump integrally designed with classical components used for kitchen and bathrooms. It means we can provide the material locally, reduce cost and resolve the water problems by creating new activities with this solution. Many things have happened since my competition win at SIGEF. Winning 2,500 CHF was great, but we didn’t change the world with that! Money was never a motivation for me. Our success came from various opportunities we encountered at SIGEF 2014.”
THE ENCOUNTERS
“During SIGEF, we met organizations such as Amman Imman (ammanimman.org), founded by Ariane Alzhara Kirtley, and we have worked together in Niger. We also met Bathermy Tsafack from the Water and Sanitation for Africa (WSA) organization. We are working on creating a training center in Burundi for EaumOb, dedicated to locals. During SIGEF, we got the opportunity to speak with Savoie Mont Blanc University, which is working on water projects with UNESCO. The discussion involved the creation of a water think tank between Switzerland, France and Monaco. I mentioned SIGEF in a recent article in Nice Matin, and following that, I was contacted for a short video documentary for FRANCE 3.”
‘FLYING WITH SIGEF’
“By coming to SIGEF and winning the award, it was like I’d won wings and now I’m flying! Today I am in discussion with the consulate general of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur as an expert in water sanitation supply. I am also discussing with a big company the distribution of EaumOb in the Indian Ocean territories. I’ve been invited to schools to educate kids on how to build an EaumOb. These units will be sent to Haiti and Burkina Faso. I feel like all the great things that have happened to me in the recent months are because of the SIGEF award. It confirmed that my project was a good one.”