Over a six month period a cooperation of Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences and WE4Food trained online (due to Covid) 749 people in solar-powered irrigation systems – with Aïchatou Lawani from INETS Benin achieving the second-best result.
Only one male colleague did better, and if you look closely, it’s no wonder: Oscar Godonou is an energy engineer as well as a technical manager at INETS Benin and achieved the best result. As a sales manager, Aïchatou Lawani doesn’t necessarily have to be tech-savvy. But she is, and she enjoys it: “I wanted to learn new skills, new technical knowledge, especially in sustainable water management, planning and maintenance, and I enjoyed it.”
The online training had four focus areas: Sustainable Water Management, Solar Pumping Basics, Planning and Implementation, and Operations and Maintenance. Of the 749 participants, only 322 ended up qualifying for the final exam with the required score, including 66 women. Winner Oscar Godonou will be able to apply the knowledge he has learned about planning and the basics of solar pumping directly in his professional field.
