Global Youth Leadership Summit: Advancing the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs)
The 17 SDGs and 169 targets are part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN General Assembly Summit. SDG 6.1 aims to achieve “universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water” while SDG 7 calls for “affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy.” According to the NITI Aayog 2018 water report, nearly 600 million people in India face high-to-extreme water stress with 70% of its surface water being contaminated. It is estimated that by 2030 the water demand could be twice the existing supply. As a UN youth speaker and a high school STEM enthusiast, my project on ‘Solar-Powered Water Purifier’ is an initiative to support the above two issues. I aim to promote STEM education in schools and support the 2030 UN SDGs and in 2023 had the golden opportunity to present my initiative at The United Nations in New York.
NGOs like ‘Manav Mandir Mission Trust’, which serves underserved children, suffer heavily from access to clean water and frequent power cuts, making it challenging for children to study comfortably. I saw young Ananya's hopes of pursuing knowledge overshadowed by the disheartening reality of brownish water swirling in her water bottle. Furthermore, even though water sustainability is included in the coursework, students remain unaware that such issues can be tackled through innovation in science and technology. I felt the need to address their issues and instil skills in my underprivileged peers to work towards a more sustainable future.
My prototype is currently used by 35+ migrant workers at a factory construction site in Uttar Pradesh. Two subsequent installations at NGO schools in Sarai Kale Khan and Majnu-ka-Tilla, Delhi support 100+ students and staff. In addition, by conducting sessions in science and sustainability, global water scarcity and explaining the importance of UN SDGs to the students, has ignited their interest in STEM subjects and their applications.
At the United Nations, I interacted with top influencers, corporate heads, UN officials and the UN India Ambassador. With their support and encouragement, I intend to expand my project in rural India. Their expert guidance will help me further fine-tune my campaign and device for improved efficiency and outreach. Since 75% of India’s electricity is still derived from coal, harnessing solar energy to our advantage supports the reduction in global dependence on fossil fuels, addresses climate change and helps to develop sustainable and equitable communities.
