Jacob Kwasi Amengor is a young water professional, who hails from Volta Region of Ghana. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Water and Sanitation from the University of Cape Coast in 2014, and currently, he is pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Calgary, Canada. Jacob is a RECIRCULATE Ambassador with Lancaster University Environment Centre - UK, and a member of the International Water Association, Winner of IWA Young Leadership Award 2018, and a Programmes Committee Member of the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2021. Jacob is the immediate-past Curator of the Global Shapers Ho Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum.
Jacob has been working with the Ghana Water Company Limited since 2014, as an Assistant Water Quality Assurance Officer, where he is responsible for the water quality operations at the Kpeve Headworks in the Volta Region. In 2015, Jacob brought a group of young people together to start the Water Satellite Programme with the objective of sensitizing people on best practices in water and sanitation. As a result of his continuous passion in the Water Sector, he was selected as a Young Water Fellow by the Young Water Solutions and he has been equipped with both technical skills and funding to help accelerate access to clean water and sanitation in rural communities with an entrepreneurial approach. This led him to start a social enterprise, iWASH Africa, with focus on construction of solar water system and micro-flush toilets in rural areas.
Jacob loves to write articles on environmental sustainability with a special focus on WASH and Climate issues. He has undertaken several international speaking engagements including;
1. Panelist during a UNESCO-IHP session on Youth-led research and innovations at Africa Water Week 2018, Lebriville - Gabon.
2. Innovator during AfriAlliance Innovation Bridge Event, an UNESCO-IHE coordinated event at Africa Water Association Congress 2020, Kampala-Uganda.
3. Keynote Speaker during the International Young Water Professionals Conference 2019, Toronto – Canada. https://iwa-youngwaterprofessionals.org/keynote-speakers/
4. Keynote Speaker during the Young Water Professionals Pre-Conference at the Africa Water Water Association Congress 2020, Kampala – Uganda.
5. Lead Rapporteur on Sustainable Development Goals and Innovation during the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition 2019, Colombo – Sri Lanka. https://iwa-network.org/the-colombo-experience-a-young-water-professionals-insight/
Jacob has also been instrumental in forming the International Water Association's Young Water Professional Chapter in Ghana and voluntarily serves as its Vice-Chair. He loves to mentor, inspire and motivate young people to find solutions to challenges existing in the water sector because he believes that the successful realization of the Sustainable Development Goals depends on the abilities of young people.