| Portugal and Dubai (Maria Conceicao) |
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European Union Women Inventors & Innovators Network PRESS RELEASE 18 June 2007 PHOTOS AVAILABLE. Email peter. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view itPortuguese air stewardess Maria Conceicao wins European Women Innovators award for starting up and running the Dhaka project for children and families living in the slums of Bangladesh. Portuguese air stewardess Maria Conceicao has won an award as an ‘Exceptionally creative and innovative woman’ in the 2007 European Union Women Inventors & Innovators Awards, held in Berlin. Maria has plenty of opportunities to see people living in less privileged conditions, as a result of her work as cabin crew member for Emirates Airline, based in Dubai. She was motivated to do something positive to help alleviate poverty and deprivation and started the Dhaka project two years ago, for children and families living in the slums of Bangladesh. This huge not-for-profit initiative raises funds via the internet and supplies vital resources and skills training. A total of thirty five women inventors and innovators presented their entries to the judging panel at the Kempinski Hotel Bristol in Berlin, Germany, on 14 June 2007. Diane Morris, Vice-President of the International Alliance for Women, chaired the panel of nine judges and announced the results at an awards dinner on the evening of Saturday 16 June. The overall prize for ‘best woman inventor & innovator’ went to Aino Heikkinen from Finland, for her patented TEXCEM process for recycling waste synthetic rag and combining it with microcement. The judges were impressed not only by her inventiveness in coming up with the technology, but also the innovative way she has developed novel uses for the material, such as providing immediate and economically sound habitats for people in developing countries or who are affected by natural disasters. In addition to Maria’s award as the most exceptionally creative and innovative woman in the contest, there were five other category awards which went to: Category: Science & Technology Liz Williams from Wales (UK) for her range of Linkz DNA personal and business security alarms. Liz’s invention has previously won prizes in the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) awards. Category: Mother and child Schoolteacher Elaine Stephen from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland (UK) for her invention the Walkodile ® , which keeps 3-7 year-old children linked to each other – and to accompanying adults – when they are on educational walks outside school premises. Category: Healthcare Innovation Thuridur Gudmundsdottir, from Iceland, for her new healing treatment, Green Balm, using Iceland wild yarrow for the treatment of burn wounds. Category: Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Brigitte François, from France but now living in England, for setting up the first video call centre in Europe providing remote video interpreting services for deaf sign language users. Category: Design Celia Gates a British product designer, based in the UK, for her Doctor Cook range of cookware, which has a unique handle design that makes the items easier to pick up and manoeuvre. This is of particular benefit to the elderly or those with weak or injured hands or wrists According to Bola Olabisi, the event’s creator and organiser, the entries represented a varied selection of exceptionally creative, inventive, innovative women from a diversity of sectors and backgrounds, throughout Europe. “We were delighted to have such a variety of entries in this, our first year of running the European awards,” said Bola Olabisi. “In fact, the standard of entries was so high that we decided to give each finalist a ‘special recognition’ award.” - ends - For more information, see www.euwiin.com, or contact: Peter Prowse Maria Conceicao Press release distributed by Cision, providers of global media communications management solutions and sponsors of EUWIIN: |
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