Training workshop for young professionals from Southern Africa

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From 29 to 31 May, IGRAC co-organised a training workshop for young professionals from the Member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The workshop was organised together with the SADC-Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) and the Institute for Groundwater Studies (IGS) from the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein.

In total 20 young professionals working in groundwater, mostly for government, took part in the training workshop. The workshop is part of the training component of the project Capacity Building in Groundwater Data Collection and Management in the SADC Member States (SADC GWdataCoM)

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SADC-GWdataCoM project
SADC-GWdataCoM project

On day one the young professionals presented the preliminary findings of an assignment they have been working on under the project to compile overviews of the status of groundwater data management in their own countries. The afternoon was a lecture in the basics on Groundwater. Day 2 focussed on groundwater data collection and included making home-made groundwater dip meters and field exercises using boreholes at the IGS experimental site. Day 3 focussed on tools and methods for interpretation of data.

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Training workshop for young professionals from Southern Africa
Training workshop for young professionals from Southern Africa

Additionally the workshop provided young professionals the opportunity to build their own internationals network of groundwater professionals. Together these professionals will be leading future efforts for sustainable groundwater use in the SADC-region.

The SADC GWdataCoM project continues with developing a comprehensive overview and gap-analysis on groundwater data management in the region, by implementing a pilot, continued engagement of the young professionals and further trainig in the future.