The World Challenge is back: In association with BBC World and Newsweek, Shell is again looking to reward projects that make a real difference to local communities. From recycling used computers for charities to using elephant dung for paper products, Shell scoured the globe and identified 12 projects that benefit local communities and the environment. You can help choose the winning project by voting on the World Challenge 2006 website  www.theworldchallenge.co.uk from October 7. The winner will receive a US$20,000 grant from Shell towards the project.
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Launched for the first time last year, the number of nominations in this year’s World Challenge almost doubled to 816. Entries came from 120 countries including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Greece, India and Uganda. An expert judging panel made your choice of a winner easier by whittling down the nominated projects to 12 from Bangladesh, Botswana, Ethiopia, Fiji, Laos, Madagascar/Mauritius, Rodrigues/Mauritius, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The projects range from safeguarding coral reefs to tackling water contamination in Bangladesh. "We greatly enjoyed deliberating between so many rich and diverse entries this year,” said Richard O’Brien, chairman of the World Challenge 2006 Judges panel. “We hope that Shell’s grants will help to bolster the winning projects and enable them to continue making a difference to their communities." The short listed projects will feature in six 30-minute programmes on BBC World and in a six-part series in Newsweek magazine. The winner of the first prize will be announced at an award ceremony in The Hague on December 6, 2006. Shell will also award the two runners up prizes of US$10,000 towards investing in their project. BBC World will air the ceremony on December 16 and 17. Last year, Coconets, a project from the Philippines, which develops eco-friendly nets to prevent soil erosion, proved to be the public’s favourite. This year, you can choose your winner again: Visit www.theworldchallenge.co.uk, learn about the nominees, vote for your favourite project and put it in the running for a US$20,000 grant from Shell.
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