WISA • Y WP
END OF A YOUNG WATER PROFESSIONALS ERA A global pandemic, countless lockdowns and various mandates have made it extremely difficult for most to conduct business and activities as easily as before, including the small group of passionate young professionals who volunteer within the WISA Young Water Professionals (YWP) network.
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hen the new YWP leaders for the 2020-2022 cycle were elected in the beginning of 2020, nobody foresaw the impact Covid-19 would have on their two-year term. However, despite the struggles and adversity, this group still managed to accomplish their mandate of empowering young water professionals as part of WISA, shifting their traditionally in-person event to various online platforms with minimal disruption. Here are the stories of four leaders about their experiences in YWP. They will begin to step down from their positions within the coming months to make way for a new generation of leaders.
Niel Louw – YWP Gauteng Provincial Lead Having been part of the YWP Gauteng provincial chapter for since 2016, I have often felt that the organisation has now become an integral part of me and my identity. The camaraderie and passion
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MAR /APR 2022
Niel Louw – YWP Gauteng Provincial Lead
Amanda Mngeni – YWP Eastern Cape Provincial Lead
for the water sector within YWP for me was unparalleled compared to anything I could find in the workplace or elsewhere, which is why I relished the opportunity to take up the role of Gauteng provincial lead in 2020. Even during the height of a global pandemic, I am extremely proud of my team, the national organising committee as well as all the provincial chapters – but especially my own Gauteng chapter for the various events, workshops and publications we produced over the last two years, all with the goal of promoting and enhancing the impact of young professionals within the South African water sector. I am equally filled with joy to see the incredible young people who have joined YWP in the last two years. Their passion, drive, and commitment are commendable and inspiring, which is why – now that my term as lead is over and I am no longer considered young anymore – I am confident in leaving YWP in the hands a new generation of YWPs who I know will carry this organisation to even greater heights.
Anya Eilers – YWP Western Cape Provincial Lead
Ashton Mpofu – YWP National Lead
