Looking at solving water challenges through innovative ideas to develop practical solutions was the highlight of the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge which took place in Cape Town from 7 March 2025 to 20 March 2025.
The International Wetskills 2025 Challenge is an exhilarating two-week pressure ‘Think-Tank’ designed for students and young water professionals, offering a unique platform for authentic learning and international networking.
Representing the Durban University of Technology (DUT) along with her team was the dynamic Doctor of Philosophy student, Nikita Singh. She was also the only participant from KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), representing her region in this global platform.
She is a student in the field of Chemical Engineering in the Green Engineering Research Group (GERG) at DUT, supervised by Professor Manimagalay Chetty and Prof Sudesh Rathilal. Her research focuses on wastewater treatment and biofuel production.
The academic lecturer, mentor advisor, and former Writing Centre tutor, is extremely passionate about research, teaching, and student development. She has presented at local and international conferences and published multiple high-impact journal articles. She is among South Africa’s GradStar Top 100 university students in 2022 (Master’s in Engineering) and 2019 (Bachelor of Technology), excelling in leadership, academics, and personal influence. Beyond work, she thoroughly enjoys time with her family, friends, Saint Bernard Major, and her Koi fish.
Singh shared that just a day before departing for the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge, she had to say a difficult goodbye to her grandmother, who lost her battle with cancer. Leaving home under such circumstances was not easy, but the opportunity to participate in the challenge was one she deeply valued.
“Winning first place at the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge was an incredible achievement and a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovative thinking of my team. Being selected as a participant was initially overwhelming, given the prestige and scale of the competition. However, collaborating with a diverse group of professionals to tackle real-world water challenges was an enriching experience that strengthened both our engineering expertise and problem-solving skills,” she said.
Singh further elaborated that this victory fills her with pride and a deep sense of accomplishment, as it validates her ability to develop realistic, impactful solutions for the water sector.
“It also reinforces the importance of out-of-the-box thinking and shared vision, which were key to our success. Beyond the competition, this recognition will open new doors for future opportunities and drive our passion to create meaningful change in Southern Africa and beyond. Personally, this experience has boosted my confidence, broadened my career horizons, and deepened my commitment to sustainable development,” added Singh.
“Winning this title has further motivated me to push the boundaries of research and innovation, ensuring that my work continues to have a lasting impact in the field of water and environmental engineering,” she said ecstatically.
Amongst the many congratulatory remarks on Singh’s win was Dr Innocentia Mkhize, Deputy HOD of Chemical Engineering, “Congratulations on this incredible achievement! I am so proud of you and your team for winning your case at the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge. The focus on affordable water and dignified sanitation for rural communities-especially through the water-energy-food nexus is both timely and impactful. This is an inspiring accomplishment.”
Singh indicated that the topic for the International Wetskills 2025 focused on developing affordable access to water and dignified sanitation for rural communities across Southern Africa.
“While this topic was not directly aligned with my PhD research, the core principles of waste valorisation, wastewater treatment, resource recovery, and sustainable system design were highly applicable. I particularly enjoyed this challenge as it allowed me to apply my knowledge of waste-to-energy principles in a new and impactful way,” she shared.
Singh explained that for her teammates, although the project aligned with some of their backgrounds or professions in resource management, environmental sciences, and engineering technology – the challenge still pushed everyone out of their comfort zones to better heights.
“Our interdisciplinary approach was a key strength, as it enabled us to tackle the problem from multiple perspectives, ensuring that our solution was not only technically sound but also socially and culturally viable. This collaboration reinforced the value of integrating diverse expertise to develop holistic, sustainable solutions for pressing water challenges,” she said.
For Singh, she elaborated that the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge was an incredible milestone, marking the 75th Wetskills event globally and the 10th hosted in South Africa.
“This prestigious competition brought together 20 talented participants from the Netherlands, Ghana, and South Africa, all from diverse academic backgrounds and professional fields. Being surrounded by such a diverse and highly skilled group of young professionals pushed me to think beyond my expertise and embrace a holistic approach to problem-solving,” she added.
Relaying further on the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge, Singh emphasised that the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge was an intense and immersive experience designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving, pairing participants into teams to develop innovative and practical solutions to real-world water challenges.
“The programme included ice-breaking exercises, team building, brainstorming sessions (brain hurricanes), field trips, training workshops, mentoring sessions, and final presentations, culminating in an awards ceremony, conferences, and a gala dinner,” she said.
Singh conveyed that the competition concluded with a high-pressure two-minute pitch of their innovative solution, supported by a poster and a research paper, which they had presented to a panel of industry experts, policymakers, and fellow participants.
“Our winning pitch focused on a collaborative strategy to engage government and NGOs in the installation of Urine-Diverting Dry Toilets (UDDTs) for rural communities. We proposed to partner companies to utilise the community waste resources for methane and fertiliser production, in exchange for borehole water, solar-powered kiosks, fertilizer, seeds, and agricultural training,” echoed Singh.
She commented that their solution was carefully designed to be cost-effective, viable, and sustainable, effectively balancing the water-energy-food nexus. “This experience highlighted the power of collaboration and creative problem-solving, making our victory even more rewarding,” she beamed.
In terms of the prize, Singh explained that the initial prize for her before even setting foot at the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge, was being selected as a fully funded participant.
“The prize of winning for me was the connections made, the global recognition, networking offers and job opportunities that we received after winning. However, we received many goodie bags with fancy items from the various sponsors. Furthermore, the biggest prize is the doors that this win opens for us in the future, with companies willing to fund and implement our idea throughout Southern Africa and beyond,” added Singh.
The key highlights of this conference for her team and herself were the remarkable effort, supervision and dedication that Wetskills invested in ensuring a transformative experience for all participants.
“A standout moment was the unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with internationally renowned experts, government ministers, deputy director-generals (DDGs), and industry leaders; all of whom were eager to network, mentor, and support our professional growth. Being in a room filled with such influential and visionary minds was an inspiring and empowering experience, creating an atmosphere of endless possibilities,” she emphasised.
Going forward, Singh is eager to build on the momentum of the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge achievement by collaborating with her team and case owner in the WetsNext programme, where their proposed solution will be implemented at a pilot scale before broader expansion. “This initiative presents an invaluable opportunity to translate our innovative concept into a practical, real-world application, reinforcing the impact of our work. I also aim to broaden my career horizons by pursuing postdoctoral research opportunities, industry collaborations, and leadership roles within the environmental engineering sector,” highlighted Singh.
She expressed that her ultimate goal is to contribute to groundbreaking advancements in sustainable engineering, ensuring that her research drives meaningful, long-term solutions with both local and global impact.
Her sound advice to students is to step out of their comfort zones and seize opportunities such as challenges, workshops, and conferences that foster both personal and professional growth.
“Take the initiative, embrace new challenges, and actively seek opportunities that set you apart. Invest in yourself, make your mark, and strive to be unique, because true growth begins when we dare to try,” concluded Singh.
Pictured: DUT’s Nikita Singh and her winning team at the International Wetskills 2025 Challenge.
Waheeda Peters
