Supplying food and clean water: How Zayed Sustainability Prize winners are improving lives

Eleven winners announced at Cop28 will share prize fund of $5.9 million

President Sheikh Mohamed with Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stand for the national anthem during the Zayed Sustainability Prize for Climate Action, during COP28. All pictures, UAE Presidential Court unless stated.

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed, Chairman of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs at the Presidential Court during the national anthem during the Zayed Sustainability Prize for Climate Action.

The Zayed Sustainability Prize for Climate Action was held at Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City Dubai during Cop28.

President Sheikh Mohamed presents the Zayed Sustainability Prize to a winner

President Sheikh Mohamed and several high-level guests attended Expo City Dubai to see 11 winners announced across six categories.

President Sheikh Mohamed presents the Zayed Sustainability Prize to Victor Sanchez Gutierrez, the winner of the Zayed Sustainability Global High Schools - The Americas category.

In the energy category, the winner was Ignite Power from Rwanda, which specialises in delivering solar-powered pay-as-you-go solutions to electrify last-mile communities.

Cop28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology delivers the welcome speech during the Zayed Sustainability Prize ceremony.

Over the past 15 years, the prize has been a powerful force for positive change, transforming the lives of more than 378 million people across 151 countries.

The annual prize was launched in 2008, named in honour of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, recognises and rewards people, organisations and high schools that have demonstrated exceptional efforts in promoting sustainability across various sectors.

President Sheikh Mohamed presents an award to Caroline Slootweg from Kelp Blue.

President Sheikh Mohamed handed out prizes to 11 winners. Judges for the award were elected in September by a panel.

The prize this year had a Climate Change category – introduced this year in celebration of the UAE's Year of Sustainability and Cop28

The Global High School winners were Colegio De Alto Rendimiento La Libertad (Peru), Gwani Ibrahim Dan Hajja Academy (Nigeria), International School (Morocco), Northfleet Technology College (UK), Kort Education Complex (Pakistan) and Beijing No 35 High School (China).

President Sheikh Mohamed greets a participant during the Zayed Sustainability Prize for Climate Action.

The awards ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza coincided with the UAE's hosting of the Cop28 climate conference and was attended by global leaders.

The winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, stand for a photograph during a ceremony, at Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City Dubai.

President Sheikh Mohamed handed out the prizes to the winners.

President Sheikh Mohamed speaks with Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia during the Zayed Sustainability Prize.

Eleven winners announced across six categories will share a total prize fund of $3.6 million.

President Sheikh Mohamed and Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia at Al Wasl Plaza, at Expo City Dubai.

Expo City Dubai during the Zayed Sustainability Prize.

President Sheikh Mohamed hugs a winner of the award.

President Sheikh Mohamed smiles for a photograph with a winner.

A ceremony took place to mark the Zayed Sustainability Prize for Climate Action.

President Sheikh Mohamed shakes hands with prize winner, Victor Sanchez Gutierrez.

President Sheikh Mohamed and Cop28 President and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Al Jaber stand for a photograph with the Zayed Sustainability Prize winners during Cop28 at Expo City Dubai.

President Sheikh Mohamed and several high-level guests attended Expo City Dubai to see 11 winners announced across six categories.

Ahmed Sourani from Gaza Urban & Peri-Urban Agricultural Platform winner of Zayed Sustainability Food category. Launched in 2013, the non-profit organisation helps small-scale, female urban producers in Gaza to achieve food security in their communities by bringing together those involved in developing the Palestinian agricultural sector.

Angela Homsi from Ignite Power, the winner of Zayed Sustainability Energy Category award after the presentation ceremony at the Expo City Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Caroline Slootweg from Kelp Blue winner of Zayed Sustainability Climate Action category award. Kelp Blue contributes to the restoration of natural ocean wilderness and the mitigation of excess CO2 by establishing large-scale kelp forests in deep waters. Pawan Singh / The National

Angela Homsi from Ignite Power winner of Zayed Sustainability Energy Category. Ignite Power specialises in delivering solar-powered pay-as-you-go solutions to electrify last-mile communities. Pawan Singh / The National

Zayed Sustainability prize winners after the presentation ceremony. Pawan Singh / The National

From left, Victor Sanchez Gutierrez and Xiomara Calderon Avila from Colegio De Alto Rendimiento De La Libertad, the winner of Zayed Sustainability Global High Schools The Americas category. Pawan Singh / The National

From helping people in war-torn Gaza gain access to food to restoring ocean wilderness, every winner and nominee in this year's Zayed Sustainability Prize tells a story of improving the lives of others.

Eleven winners, across six categories, will share an increased prize fund of $5.9 million – boosted this week from $3.6 million. They were announced in Dubai at an awards ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City, on Friday.

Their creative solutions have transformed lives and helped drive economic, environmental change in their areas.

Each winner in the health, food, water, energy and climate action categories will receive $1 million, while each of the six Global High Schools winners will get $150,000 to support their projects.

The prize will have a major impact on the project to enhance urban farming and support Palestinian women with small and micro-enterprises

Ahmed Sourani,
Gaza Urban and Peri-urban Agricultural Platform

Gaza Urban and Peri-urban Agricultural Platform, which won the food category, has helped more than 7,000 people to have access to local produce in the Gaza Strip and boosted the income of 200 female farmers.

Palestinian Ahmed Sourani, 57, founder and coordinator of the platform, said while it was a proud moment to win the award, his thoughts were still with those in Gaza.

“I am thrilled after winning the prize. It was a great moment and the prize will help to develop our work. But I cannot wait to return back to my family in south Gaza,” Mr Sourani told The National.

He crossed the Rafah border to Egypt and flew via Cairo to Dubai for the awards ceremony where his food platform was announced as the winner, ahead of projects in Kenya and Guatemala.

Ahmed Sourani from Gaza Urban and Peri-urban Agricultural Platform which has helped more than 7,000 people have access to local produce. Pawan Singh / The National

Launched in 2013, the non-profit organisation helps small-scale, female urban producers in Gaza by bringing together those involved in developing the Palestinian agricultural sector.

The platform has supported the production of 18 tons of local agricultural products.

“Female farmers’ products played a key role during the recent crisis in Gaza Strip as [they] helped to provide food to evacuated families who were hosted by other families in the south,” Mr Sourani said.

“Every house in Gaza became a refugee place that hosts five to eight families.”

He said the limited space in Gaza creates a big challenge for farmers.

“The prize will have a major impact on the project to enhance urban farming and support Palestinian women with small and micro-enterprises which will help our community for a better future,” Mr Sourani said.

“Palestinian people are looking for peace but not any peace. We want a real peace that respects the rights of our Palestinian people.”

Restoring ocean biodiversity

Caroline Slootweg of Kelp Blue, from Namibia, which contributes to the mitigation of excess CO2 by establishing kelp forests in deep waters. Pawan Singh / The National

Kelp Blue from Namibia, winner in the climate change category, contributes to the restoration of natural ocean wilderness and the mitigation of excess CO2 by establishing large-scale kelp forests in deep waters.

“We were elated when we heard the results. It is spectacular and an honour to win the prize. Recognition is very important to us,” Caroline Slootweg, co-founder of Kelp Blue, told The National.

“The smaller companies who are trying their best need more spotlights to inspire others.”

The project, which has operations in Namibia, New Zealand and the US, cultivates the kelp forests in deep waters to restore ocean biodiversity and use the harvested kelp in farming and pharmaceutical applications.

The kelp helps to sequester 100,000 tons of CO2 annually and enhances ocean biodiversity and fish stocks.

Clean water for 35,000

Victor Sanchez Gutierrez and Xiomara Calderon Avila from Colegio De Alto Rendimiento De La Libertad in Peru, which won in the Global High Schools category. Pawan Singh / The National

Victor Sanchez Gutierrez, 16, a pupil from Colegio De Alto Rendimiento La Libertad high school in Peru, received the award in the high school category for a project that improves irrigation in a local water channel called La Mochica through phytoremediation – a process that uses plants to clean water.

La Mochica stems from the Moche River in Northern Peru. Plants were transplanted to the banks of the canal to absorb the mineral and organic contaminants.

“The project is water improvement in a channel built 3,000 years ago,” Victor told The National.

“It was constructed by an old culture called Cupisnique. Despite challenges, we managed to demonstrate how to solve problems in our community.”

Through the work of around 300 pupils, more than 35,000 Laredo residents will benefit from clean surface water.

“I feel emotional and overwhelmed because the project is showing results and the impact can be seen around the world,” Victor added.