Climate change has had devastating impacts globally. Zimbabwe has not been spared from these impacts with the Elnino induced drought causing water scarcity in the country. The wet skills foundation visited Zimbabwe for the first wet skills training program which was held in Bulawayo from the 13th to the 26th of September. The wet skills major objective is to Foster Youth-Driven Resilience Solutions for Hydroclimatic Challenges.
The wet skills challenge was conducted for a fortnight and all the time was dedicated to water innovation. The Wet skills Foundation, in collaboration with the Bulawayo City Council and the esteemed National University of Science and Technology (NUST), were the brains behind the inaugural Wet skills Challenge in Zimbabwe. From the 13th to the 26th of September 2024, pressing challenges amplified by climate change and human activities, including droughts, floods, and water quality degradation were addressed.
Wet skills Challenges are a unique blend of hands-on learning, networking, and knowledge exchange. Participants not only developed creative solutions to sustainable agriculture, climate-smart solutions, water reuse, catchment management initiatives, improved water resource management, and entrepreneurship aligned with water resilience and sustainability in Zimbabwe and beyond, but also gained practical skills that will be invaluable in their future careers.
With 22 participants in this event – from Zimbabwe, Ghana and the Netherlands – working in interdisciplinary teams, wet skills addressed cases on water scarcity, water quality, and innovative water management strategies in the context of climate change. The wet skills program created a platform for young people to develop expertise in international cooperation, problem-solving, cross-cultural understanding, and interdisciplinary teamwork. They also got the opportunity to learn and deepen their understanding of the Zimbabwean water sector, gaining insights into key stakeholders, organizations, contemporary issues, and existing business opportunities. Upon program completion, the participants received certificates of participation, officially joining the ranks of over 1350 Wet skills Alumni.
Green Hut Trust, was among the organizations that submitted a case to wet skills for the young professionals to work on. The case was submitted under the urban futures project which is focused at building resilient urban food systems that is being funded by Hivos. The case’s main focus was coming up with innovative ways to improve the climate resilience of food systems in Bulawayo through supporting climate smart agri-food systems, wastewater reuse for irrigation and capacity building for young farmers.
The participants presented their innovations in front of the jury with best innovation winning the first prize. All the team’s solutions showcased the creativity amongst young people and proved that young people are indeed the drivers of change and are the backbone of our futures.
