We are delighted to announce that Sand Dams Worldwide (formerly Excellent Development) was a winner at the 2021 Charity Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector.

Sand Dams Worldwide won in the International Aid and Development category for our sand dam projects in Africa, supporting dryland communities to access clean water for life.

Charity Awards judge Paul Streets described Sand Dams Worldwide’s work as:

“Unsexy, literally down-to-earth, grassroots stuff, which to me is the bread and butter of really good development programmes. Development isn’t glamorous, it’s long term, you have to stick at it.

“It’s cheap and effective, uses local people and local technology, and it can be rolled out. And it plays very much to the huge issues around the margins of Africa where desertification and climate change are playing out badly on very marginalised communities.”

The Charity Awards is the sector’s most highly-regarded excellence recognition scheme. All 27 shortlisted charities this year were judged by an independent panel of sector leaders as having demonstrated best practice in leadership and management, from which other organisations can learn. 

All winners were announced at a live-streamed online awards ceremony on 10th June, hosted by political commentator, writer and comedian Ayesha Hazarika.

Matthew Nolan, chief executive of Civil Society Media, which organises the Charity Awards, said:

 “For 21 years the Charity Awards have been recognising and celebrating the fantastic work that large and small charities do up and down the UK every day of the week. “After putting the awards programme on ice last year while we waited to see how the pandemic played out, we felt the time was right again to recognise charities and celebrate their great work. Sand Dams Worldwide (formerly Excellent Development) is an outstanding example of the ambition and effectiveness of charities, and thoroughly deserves this award.”

Andy Pitt, head of charities at Rathbones in London, overall partner of the Charity Awards, added:

“The past year has brought huge challenges for the charity sector, but it has also highlighted the importance of its contribution, without which people around the world would be significantly weakened. We are delighted to support these awards and to honour the brilliant work of UK charities large and small.”

Please donate what you can to help vulnerable dryland communities access clean water for life with sand dams