World Challenge 2011 contest now on
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Vidyajyothi Dr Wijaya Godakumbura receiving his award
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World Challenge is a prestigious global competition organized by BBC,
Newsweek and Shell. Inaugurated six years ago, it is held annually and
the past winners were one each from Peru and Pakistan and two each from
Sri Lanka and Philippines, the two from Sri Lanka are the paper making
firm 'Maximus' that makes paper from banana bark and elephant dung in
2006, and Vidyajyothi Dr Wijaya Godakumbura for his 'Safe Bottle Lamp
Project' in 2009 aimed at preventing bottle lamp burns.
Now is the time for other entrepreneurs from Sri Lanka to have a go
at this prestigious award that gets wide international publicity. The
winner will also get US$ 20,000 and the runner-up US$ 10,000 each, to be
used for project activities.
The competition "is aimed at finding projects or small businesses
from around the world that have shown enterprise and innovation at a
grassroots level".
The organizers want to hear about the social entrepreneurs who are
making a difference without costing the earth. The award categories are:
community welfare and enterprise, health, education, water and
environment.
Normally, the organizers get around 1,000 entries. Unlike other
awards, there is a two tier selection process; firstly, a jury would
select the 12 best projects on merit and BBC would telecast films on
them. Later, the global public is asked to vote for the project of their
choice through e mails.
Thus, the winning project has to clear two hurdles, i.e., satisfy the
jury as well as have mass appeal.
Details of the competition are given in the website
www.rolexawards.com and theworldchallenge.co.uk. Dr Godakumbura is
willing to help those who are doing quality projects to apply for these
awards, and his website is www.safebottlelamp.org.
Perhaps it is time that a Sri Lankan won a third World Challenge
Award and make it three out of seven! The entries would close on June
19, 2011 and self nominations are allowed. |
