Sponsored by the University of Oklahoma Water Technologies for Emerging Regions Center, the International Water Prize is one of the first and largest prizes dedicated solely to the field of water supply and sanitation in remote areas of emerging regions. The award honors an individual that has made significant contributions in these areas, particularly communities in rural or remote regions.
“Eric represents a new generation of social entrepreneurs – someone who is focused on long-term sustainability and does not depend on charitable handouts,” said Jim Chamberlain, co-director for education and outreach at the OU WaTER Center. “He has already made a significant impact on the world and is inspiring students to discover new forms of entrepreneurship.”
After graduate school, where he focused on international studies, Stowe traveled regularly to Asia to install water filtration equipment in orphanages. Frustrated his efforts weren’t making a larger, more sustainable impact, he changed his model to allow local people to control and maintain their water sources and distribution. Stowe took his new model and formed Splash, which today provides clean water to more than 375,000 children in schools, shelters, orphanages and hospitals in eight countries. As reported by the organization, Splash has brought safe drinking water to every orphanage in China and is projected to supply water to a million children daily in the next few years.
“As an organization, Splash is dedicated to putting itself out of business,” Stowe said. “We actively seek partnerships with local governments, businesses and communities so that we become a bridge to long term water solution, rather than the solution itself.”
The Water Prize winner is selected through a nomination process. David Sabatini, director of the OU WaTER Center, said, “Based on Eric’s pioneering work and the inspiration he provides to countless college students, faculty and global citizens to follow his example, we are proud to add him to our distinguished group of OU International Water Prize winners.”
Stowe will formally receive the OU International Water Prize and give the plenary lecture at the fifth Biennial OU International WaTER Conference scheduled for Sept. 18-20, 2017. The conference includes local and international speakers, breakout sessions and poster and paper sessions in the fields of social entrepreneurship, behavior change, water technologies, climate change and hydro-philanthropy in the developing world. For more information about the conference, visit WaTER.ou.edu.
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