Women dominate utility awards

WOMEN were at the fore at the recently concluded African Utility Week, managing to snap up some of the most prestigious awards on offer.

The increasingly important contribution of women in sectors such as the power and water industries was reflected in the fact that three of the major awards were won by women.

More than 750 top-level power and water professionals attended the fourth edition of the African Utility Week awards gala dinner, which honoured pioneering utilities, projects and people in the energy and water industry.

Helen Tarnoy, co-founder of engineering company Aldwych International Ltd of the UK, won the lifetime achievement award, with her company having been involved in some of the most successful independent power projects on the African continent.

Charlotte Aubin-Kalaidjian, founding partner of GreenWish Partners operating out of France, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, won the outstanding contribution award for power.

Kalaidjian said: “We all have a duty to respond to Africa’s pressing energy deficit. I am grateful for your trust, especially as a woman entrepreneur.”

Fatima Oyiza Ademoh, founder and chief executive officer of Ajima Youth Empowerment Foundation in Nigeria, won the young energy leader award. “For all the young people out there, let’s keep being the agents for change in our communities,” said Ademoh. Rose Kaggwa, director of Business and Scientific Services of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation in Uganda, won the outstanding woman of the year in power/water category.