The Humanitarian Water and Food Award

Nominees will be judged according to the following criteria:

Innovativeness: Definition of problem/Solution

What is the idea behind the project?  What problem is it trying to solve?  What solutions have they proposed?  Are the problem statement or rationale and solution proposed new/innovative?  Are they effective?  Can they be described as ‘brilliant’?

Sustainability: Will the solution last? How is it governed/managed?

Will the proposed system for solving the problem last; or does it depend on infusion of technical, financial or human resources from donors or outside partners?  If the project is in a developing country, to what extent is it managed in an accountable, transparent and democratic manner?  Will the people affected by the problem be able to manage the solution by themselves in future? Is the community well represented in the management committee or structure that are administrating the project?

Local ownership/Empowerment: Who owns the problem and the solution?

Did the people affected identify the need for the project or did external forces impose the idea?  Do the people themselves manage the project; do they think the problem and solution are realistic and reflect their real needs?

Replicability: Could it be transferred elsewhere?

We need solutions that can be tried or transferred elsewhere so that people/countries learn from one another.  A problem or solution that is of interest to only one country or locality is not very interesting on the international scene.

Actual or potential impact: How many people benefit from the solution?

The number of individuals or communities that benefit from a project is an important aspect of its usefulness.