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‘WeCareSolar’winsZayedSustainabilityPrizeinHealthCategory
Off-grid,portablematernityandmedicaldevice–“SolarSuitcase”–iswinninghealthsolutionatUAE’spioneeringglobalsustainabilityaward
AbuDhabi,UAE,15thJanuary2019:WeCareSolar,theUS-basedproviderofefficientsolarenergysystems tohealth facilities inoff-grid regions,haswon the2019ZayedSustainabilityPrize (HealthCategory), for its portablematernity andmedical “Solar Suitcase”. The announcementwasmadetodayatthePrize’sannualawardsceremony,ontheofficialopeningdayofAbuDhabiSustainabilityWeek.Establishedin2008,theZayedSustainabilityPrize(previouslyknownastheZayedFutureEnergyPrize)istheUAE’spioneeringglobalsustainabilityaward,whichrecognisesandawardsorganisationsandhigh schools for innovative, impactful and inspirational solutions in five categories: Health Food,Energy,WaterandGlobalHighSchools.ThePrizeisinspiredbyandinhonourofthesustainabilityandhumanitarianlegacyoftheUAE’sfoundingfather,thelateSheikhZayedbinSultanAlNahyan.PresentedbyHisHighnessSheikhMohammedbinZayedAlNahyan,CrownPrinceofAbuDhabiandDeputySupremeCommanderoftheUAEArmedForces,representativesfromWeCareSolaracceptedthe award before an audience of esteemed international dignitaries and thousands of guests inattendance.With childmortality andwomen’s healthbeing two significant issues in developing countries, thewinningsolutioninthisyear’sZayedSustainabilityPrize(HealthCategory)wasWeCareSolar’s“SolarSuitcase”.Currentlybeingusedin3,325medicalfacilities,in27Africancountries,thesedeviceshavealreadybeenusedintoassistmedicalprofessionalsinover1.8milliondeliveries.TheobstetricSolarSuitcasehasmadean impacton thehealthandsafetyoutcomesofmillionsofwomenandchildrenandthiscanbefromsomethingassimpleasadevicethatoffers:medicalqualitylighting,fetalmonitors,solarpanelstochargeanLFPbatteryformobilephonesandsmalldevices,mountinghardware,andheadlampswithrechargeablebatteries.Asthe2019winner,WeCareSolarhascommittedtousethewinningPrizefundtodeepenitspresenceinEastAfricaandtowardstheestablishmentofaregionalcentrefortheorganisation.
LauraStachel,ExecutiveDirectorandCo-FounderofWeCareSolar,said:“WearedeeplyhonouredtohavebeenselectedfortheZayedSustainabilityPrizeandtobepartofacommunitythatispromotingsustainable solutions for healthier, more equitable, and more productive societies. Winning thisprestigiouscompetitionishelpingushighlighttheimportanceofreliableelectricityformaternalandchildhealthcare.Globally,303,000mothersandmorethanamillionnewbornsdiefromcomplicationsofpregnancyandchildbirth,oftenindarkenedhealthcentreswheremidwivesanddoctorsstruggletoprovidecare.Nowomanshoulddiegivinglife.”
“Wearegrateful to theZayedSustainabilityPrize for sharingourvision that solarandsustainableenergytechnologiesprovidesafe,reliable,andaffordablesolutionstotheglobalchallengeofmaternalandnewbornmortality.Welookforwardtoworkinginpartnershipwiththiscommunitytobringclean,sustainableenergytosafemotherhoodprogrammesaroundtheworld.”
Dr.LamyaFawwaz,DirectoroftheZayedSustainabilityPrize,said:“TherealwinnersofthisPrizearethewomen and childrenwhose liveswill be saved by themedical support they receive from thisinnovativeand sustainablehealthcare solution. Thenumberofpreventabledeaths towomenandchildrenduetocircumstancesassimpleasalackoflightisatragedy.WeapplaudandcommendWeCareSolar for itsefforts inaddressingthese issuesandhopethePrizewinandfundscanhelptheorganisationcontinuetodeliverhigh-qualitycaretoagrowingnumberofwomen,aroundtheworld.”
In2018,theZayedSustainabilityPrizehadastrategicrefocusandevolveditsmandatetosupportawider range of sustainability solutions, alongside energy. The evolution into additional categoriesmeans,forthefirsttimeinthePrize’shistory,the2019awardswillbepresentedinrecognitionofsustainabilitysolutionsinofHealth,Food,Energy,Water,andGlobalHighSchools.ThisalignsthePrizemorecloselywiththeUNSustainableDevelopmentGoals(SDGs)andtheUAEgovernment’sNationalAgenda2021.WinnersofeachcategoryreceiveUS$600,000inprizefundstoenhanceanddeveloptheirexistingsolution. In the Global High Schools category, six schools from six world regions receive up toUS$100,000each,tocreateorenhanceaschoolorlocalcommunityproject.To date, the Prize, including all its previous winners and categories, has directly and indirectlyimpactedthelivesofover318millionpeople.Formoreinformationgotowww.ZayedSustainabilityPrize.com.
###AbouttheZayedSustainabilityPrizeEstablishedbytheUAEleadershipin2008astheZayedFutureEnergyPrize,theZayedSustainabilityPrizeisaglobalawardinspiredbythesustainabilityvisionandlegacyoftheUAE’sfoundingfather,SheikhZayedbinSultanAlNahyan.Culminatinginanannualawardsceremony,heldeachyearduringAbuDhabiSustainabilityWeek,theZayedSustainabilityPrizeinvitesinnovatorsfromaroundtheworldtobepartofagrowingpioneeringcommunity, committed to developing impactful sustainability initiatives and accelerating thedevelopment of solutions that serve people across the world – for today and for the futuregenerationstocome.TheZayedSustainabilityPrizecategoriesareHealth,Food,Energy,WaterandGlobalHighSchools.For more information, please visit www.ZayedSustainabilityPrize.com or visit our social mediaplatformson:Twitter,Facebook,Instagram,YouTube.
ADSWOneof theworld’s largest sustainabilitygatherings,AbuDhabiSustainabilityWeek isdedicated tofurtheringourunderstandingof themajor social,economicandenvironmental trendsshaping theworld’ssustainabledevelopmentnowandinthefuture,andtoempoweringtheglobalcommunitytorealiseviableandeffectivestrategiestomitigateclimatechange.TakingplacefromJanuary13-20,2018,AbuDhabiSustainabilityWeekwelcomestensofthousandsofattendees;fromheadsofstate,governmentministers and international tradedelegations, to local communities, aswell as youngpeoplepassionatelyengagedinenergyandsustainabilityissues.Learnmoreat:www.adsw.ae,[email protected],pleasecontact:MerwatHusseinAccountManagerHill+KnowltonOffice: +971(0)24472805Mobile:+971(0)561754217merwat.hussein@hkstrategies.comAndrewChupeauSr.Executive,CommunicationsZayedSustainabilityPrizeDirect: +971(0)26536086Mobile:+971(0)[email protected]
