SOIL at Expo 2020 Dubai
In 2019, SOIL was honored to be awarded the Innovation Impact Grant by Expo Live, an innovation and partnership grant program launched by Expo 2020 Dubai, in support of sustainable social business solutions worldwide. The “Global Innovator” grants were awarded to solutions working in 76 countries around the globe and the awardees are now having the opportunity to participate in the Live Programming happening at the Expo in Dubai from October 2021 to March 2022.
The event was originally scheduled to kick off last year, but was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a much anticipated year-long wait, SOIL had the opportunity to participate in this incredible global summit during Urban and Rural Development Week, which took place last week. SOIL’s Executive Director, Dr. Sasha Kramer and Board Member, Daniel Tillias, represented SOIL at the Expo and were able to participate in numerous sessions, including: Making the Case for Sustainable Biowaste Management, Inclusive Cities: Last Mile Delivery for Urban Slums, and Slums and Safety: Building Blocks for Gender Responsive and Safer Informal Settlements to share more about SOIL’s work and providing access to sanitation services in a rapidly urbanizing world.
In addition to receiving a Global Innovators grant, SOIL was also chosen to be featured in the Expo’s Global Best Practice Programme, Untold Stories. The Global Best Practice Programme is a dedicated exhibition at the Expo that highlights tangible solutions that can be adapted, replicated or scaled for enhanced global impact. SOIL is deeply honored to have our work highlighted to this global community of innovators, practitioners, and people in positions of power and global leaders that have an incredible opportunity and responsibility to lift up solutions that support global.
“Our Global Innovators remind us that creating a radically better future requires collective action, determination and relentless optimism. We are proud of what we have achieved as a programme, firmly believing that social entrepreneurship is a powerful instrument for positive change – a valuable investment that yields social, economic and environmental return. - Yousuf Caires, Senior Vice President, Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai
We are grateful to Expo Live for recognizing not only our organization, but all of the other organizations doing groundbreaking work to help create sustainable futures around the world. Lastly, we are incredibly proud of our team for setting a global example for how to scale up access to dignified ecological sanitation services in Haiti, even in the most vulnerable areas.