‘World Challenge’ email voting to close soon

‘World Chall-enge’ is a global contest conducted by BBC TV, Newsweek and Shell. During its six-year existence, Sri Lanka has been able to win the top prize not once, but twice.

In 2006, it was ‘Maximus,’ a firm making paper out of elephant dung, that won this prestigious award. ‘The Safe Bottle Lamp Project’ that has been involved in bottle lamp burn prevention for 19 years was the winner in 2009.

A jury first selects 12 finalists; the organisers then give wide publicity to them in Newsweek and BBC TV, and the winner is chosen by the public. Anybody with an email account is eligible to vote online. Voting is open until 12 midnight on Friday 11 November.

During the past six weeks BBC TV telecast films on the 12 finalists.

Their website still carries a 60-second video clip on each of the 12 finalists, along with voting instructions that are very simple. The award ceremony would be telecast on BBC TV, and Newsweek would carry the photographs.

All the 12 projects benefit the ordinary people and are based on innovative ideas. Most of them are from developing countries like Kenya, India, Nepal, Mongolia, Uganda, etc.

Even though there is no Sri Lankan project among them this year, it would be inspiring to spend 15 minutes to learn about those fantastic projects and voting would be an encouragement to the contestants and the organisers who go to great lengths to make it a success. Their website is www.theworldchallenge.co.uk.