Water is scarce, wasted, and taken for granted. It is also a vital source of life and dignity. Mendy Shozi, President of the South Africa Youth Parliament for Water and project manager at Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association, is in her words “water obsessed.”

“WASH or SHAW is important globally but specifically important in the South African context where access to sanitation is still not 100%. Sanitation is layered as there are sewered and non-sewered systems, and hygiene plays a significant role in keeping people healthy. WASH specifically talks to social needs – be it economic or gender – and it is really a fascinating sector but also an important one,” states Mendy.

The South Africa Youth Parliament for Water

The World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW) is a branch of the International Secretariat for Water (ISW) that acts as a network for young water professionals who seek to implement sustainable and practical solutions to global water problems. Water is a global issue but context-dependent and thus there are many regional chapters of the Youth Parliament for Water that contribute to global knowledge with regional-specific inquiries and solutions.

In 2021 Mendy heard about the WYPW and decided she wanted to join the local chapter, “I went to inquire about our local chapter but found that not only did we not have one but there were no chapters in Southern Africa either. I took this as a challenge for myself and started the South Africa chapter, getting the paperwork in order in January 2022 and we were formalised in March 2022 at the WYPW 5^th General Assembly,” says Mendy.

Noting the growing chapters among African countries there is now a general African Youth Parliament for Water to synergise the knowledge between various African countries.

Mendy says, “The platform is important as it allows young water leaders to make decisions that directly impact them regarding climate change and other water concerns.”

As president of the South African chapter, Mendy was tasked to help guide the decisions and projects that the chapter engaged with, “It’s a democratic organisation so my role was to guide, not decide,” adds Mendy who is now leaving the chapter. “I am now past the ‘youth’ age and this chapter must be focused on the youth. It is still important to me, but I must now leave it in the hands of the next leaders,” adds Mendy.

Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day

Mendy’s 2024 highlight is serving as an adviser for the Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day, organised by the Global Center on Adaptation. Reflecting on the event, she emphasises the importance of involving young people in climate change discussions, noting their high levels of awareness and ability to disseminate knowledge. “Hearing diverse perspectives from schoolchildren, teachers, and parents highlights the complexity of climate change and the unique insights each group brings,” she says.

Mendy also challenges the misconception that older generations, particularly those practising traditional beliefs, lack awareness of climate change. Drawing from her upbringing in KwaZulu-Natal, she explains that Indigenous knowledge, deeply rooted in environmental observation, recognises the impacts of climate change in profound ways.

She advocates for bridging Indigenous historical perspectives with the technical understanding of climate change embraced by younger generations. “Combining these approaches creates a more holistic response to climate challenges,” she remarks.

Youth Climate Adaptation Action Day, observed globally on 12 October, showcases young leaders engaging in climate decision-making and raising awareness. Mendy highlights the critical role of involving young people early to influence behaviours and drive momentum in addressing climate change.

“Simply showing people the problem and offering potential solutions makes a difference,” Mendy notes, emphasising the power of education, career guidance, and modern tools such as social media to inspire action. She calls for collaboration across disciplines, including science and the humanities, to ensure a sustainable future.

The Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association (BORDA)

Mendy also works for the Bremen Overseas Research & Development Association (BORDA) as a project manager in the South African office. BORDA is a German NGO operating in over 25 countries that aims to “enhance living conditions and preserve the environment by expanding climate resilient water services, promoting liveable city planning, and improving communal planning processes and sanitary supply structures across different city scales, all while emphasising the importance of development cooperation at the municipality level.”

“BORDA works in 3 years cycles, and I came on board in 2023 and worked under the main goal of sustainable cities. We must ensure our work is fit for purpose in the South African context, and we must meet goals and deadlines within the project. Specifically, we had to work towards capacitating the sector by working with municipalities, experts, and the private sector. The project involves training people in these spaces to ensure they can implement sustainable approaches to cities. This involves getting the right research, ensuring that research is legible, and turning that research into goals with training material.

Mendy’s second project, funded by P4G, is a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at accelerating early-stage enterprises driving net-zero transitions in food, water, and energy systems. In partnership with Kaloola, a sanitation company providing non-sewered solutions to underserved areas, the project supports the commercialisation of their toilet. To meet P4G’s requirement to collaborate with an NGO, Kaloola partnered with BORDA, chosen for their reliability and experience as grant managers.

“We manage the grant and also contribute to research,” Mendy explains. Collaborating with UKZN, the team explores cost-effective methods for handling faecal waste, addressing a critical sanitation challenge.”

Durban is also the sister city of Breman, so there is additional funding to aid the eThekwini Municipality in “school infrastructure and sanitation projects, career engagements and mentoring.”

Mendy concludes by saying, “WASH, water, and infrastructure is a passion-driven sector and to be involved with these projects is truly fulfilling.”