The award recognizes institutions in Bolivia, Brazil and Mexico for its innovative and effective solutions
Municipal institutions and NGOs in Bolivia, Brazil and Mexico won the BID-FEMSA Foundation annual Awards, granted to outstanding experiences in the management of water, sanitation and solid waste in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The BID-FEMSA Awards ceremony was held on Tuesday September 18 during the III Latin American Community Water Management, in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador.
The BID-FEMSA Awards recognize successful experiences that contribute to sustainable economic development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Since 2009, a technical committee of specialists from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in coordination with FEMSA Foundation, meets to select projects with measurable results in three categories: water, sanitation and solid waste.
Prize winners and honorable mentions in each category receive scholarships for training in the Water Center for Latin America and the Caribbean (CAALCA), created through a partnership between the IDB, FEMSA Foundation and the Institute of Technology Monterrey, in addition to the Silver Drop created by Mexican artist Gerardo Azcúnaga.
This year the Water category was awarded to the General Water Board of Comitan, Chiapas, Mexico for its expertise in managing a multiple system of drinking water. In this project, 15 communities agreed and created a Board to manage water service, assisted by 15 local Boards, benefiting more than 3000 residents.
In the Sanitation category, the eco-sanitation project in the Municipality of Cuchumuela, Cochabamba, Bolivia, implemented by the organization Water for People was recognized. This initiative supports an eco-friendly association that uses human waste as fertilizer for edible mushroom production with high commercial value.
The category Solid Waste was awarded to the Centro Mineiro de Referencia em Resíduos (CMRR) of Minas Gerais, Brazil, for the promotion of integrated solid waste management and support to municipalities in the implementation of selective collection programs. The purpose of this pioneering initiative is to promote coordination between the different sectors of society to transform waste into job opportunities, income and preservation of natural resources.
About the IDB
The IDB provides financial products and technical resources to assist countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to reduce poverty and inequality in a sustainable manner. As a leading source of multilateral financing, the IDB seeks to create opportunities for cooperation in the region.
About FEMSA Foundation
FEMSA Foundation is a social investment vehicle that supports both the conservation and sustainable use of water to improve the quality of life in the community, both through education, science and technology.