Martha Gebeyeu, former graduate of the Department of Chemistry of Addis Ababa University, receives prestigious international water prize from Oklahoma University.

OU Interim Vice President Jane Irungu, left, presents the hand-blown glass trophy in the shape of a water droplet with a world map overlaid to Martha Gebeyehu, the 2019 International Water Prize winner. The World Health Organization estimates 800 million people do not have access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation.

An Ethiopian woman who helps coordinate government workers and private, self-help groups to promote clean water and sanitation formally received the 2019 University of Oklahoma International Water Prize at a banquet Tuesday evening.

Martha Gebeyehu received the $25,000 cash prize and hand-blown glass trophy shaped like a water droplet at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at the end of the OU WaTER Center’s two-day conference.

Martha, who was chosen the winner by five jurors in 2018, said significant portion of the Ethiopian population much does not have access to adequate safe drinking water basic sanitation.

Currently Martha is the Training Center Manager at the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church. She has trained more than a million people in proper water and sanitation, according to OU Interim Vice President Jane Irungu, who introduced and embraced Martha as a fellow East African woman.

“Water is life,” Irungu said. “Thank you, Martha for everything you have done.”

Martha said the key is involving those persons who will benefit from better water and sanitation. “We need to truly listen,” she said. “They are the experts of their own domain.”

The two-day conference attracted more than 120 participants from 20 countries. A panel discussion, led by OU Provost Kyle Harper, capped the evening’s banquet.

Panelists responded to questions by OU Provost Kyle Harper. The wide-ranging discussions focused on water quality and the need for governments and private industry to engage in research and new technology. “It seems to be one of the most difficult problems for countries with resources to solve and the countries that don’t have resources have an even harder time,” said panelist and professor emeritus John Cherry.

OU WaTER Center Director David Sabatini said most Americans are fortunate to have access to clean water and sanitation. “We have a responsibility to help those less fortunate,” he said. “What a great opportunity we have to pay it forward.”

The prize was first awarded in 2009. Jurors come together every other year and each nominates a candidate. Those jurors then meet and narrow the choice to one of the nominees.

Randy Kolar, Professor and chair of the Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental science of OU, said the prize was patterned after the university’s Neustadt prize in literature. “We wanted to have an opportunity to recognize people who are doing great work but don’t always get recognized for it,” Kolar said.

Previous winners include Stephen P. Luby, Ben Fawcett, Ado Oko-Williams, Peter Lochery and Eric Stowe.

The evening took on an Ethiopian theme early as a children’s choir from an Oklahoma City Ethiopian church performed for banquet guests and signing of MoU with the Addis Ababa University where Martha received her first degree in Applied Chemistry.