The different editions of the Veolia Foundation Student Solidarity Prize

The 2022 ceremony in video :

• "Eau Bénin (Water Benin)", from the "PC Coup de pouce" non-profit | ESPCI Paris
• "Tri-haut pour l'Everest (High Sorting for Everest)", from the "Tri-haut pour l'Everest" non-profit | ENSE3 in Grenoble
• “Kanndi Karr”, from the Sowers non-profit | ESCD 3A Rennes

The 2021 ceremony in video :

• The Cordilleras association for the project À l'Ombre des Glaciers Alpins in Grenoble, Zurich and Innsbruck | Ecole d'ingénieur AgroParisTech

• The association Hum’am for the Jendoub'Arts project, in the village of Jouaouda, Tunisia | Arts et Métiers ParisTech (Centre ENSAM de Paris)

• The association Impulso for the project "Agro-engineering program Impulso Ecuador", in Otavalo | Ecole d'ingénieur AgroParisTech | Public Prize 

• "Ficha", created by students from the Grenoble School of Management

• "Tizwit", created by students from Essec

• "Une bibliothèque pour Vo Koutime", created by students from University of Paris-Dauphine

• 1st Prize: “Les Recyclettes” from the student association RECUP’ at the Université de Bordeaux

• 2nd Prize: REV Action from the association RECUP’Eau Vietnam at Centrale Nantes

• 3rd Prize: Envol Vert from the association Perunidad at CentraleSupélec

• The Public’s Award rewards the association Sea Plastics at AgroParisTech

• The 1st Prize went to the "Campus Market" association at HEI Lille (France).
• The 2nd Prize went to the Soliguide project initiated by a student at ECE Paris. 
• The 3rd Prize goes to the project run by the association "Tarisznya Taborok (Knapsack Camps)" at Central European University (Hungary). 
• The Public’s Award* recognizes "TR Monde" the student association Ecole Nationale du Génie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement de Strasbourg (ENGEES). 

Find the winning associations 2017 :

Find all the 2017 winners on this page.

First prize

The first prize was presented to Smart Cycle : this student association from the Institut d’Administration des Entreprises in Aix-en-Provence (France) created an innovative web and mobile crowd recycling application in order to develop local solutions for recycling urban waste. The Smart Cycle solution uses geolocation to pinpoint objects that their owners want to give away or exchange. It then uses databases, community platforms and social networks to bring the various stakeholders together, thereby forming a collaborative community.

Second prize

The second prize goes to the organization Rural International Student Exchange from Tsinghua University (Beijing), for their domestic anti-arsenic filter project. This was in two villages in Shanxi Province, China, a rural area with high levels of arsenic in the water. This filter proved its effectiveness with a 92% rate of absorption of the concentration of arsenic in the water. The results of the experiment were published in the scientific journal Chemosphere.

Third prize

Finally two student associations working on development aid, won equal 3rd prize: Lumières d’Afrique from Centrale-Supélec and Solidarité Etudiants en Médecine (SOLem) from the Faculté Paris Descartes.

Lumières d’Afrique promotes access to electricity through the use of renewable energy. Working with a Cameroonian student association specializing in electrical engineering at the Institut Universitaire de la Côte (Douala, Cameroon), Lumières d’Afrique will improve the lighting and air conditioning in two orphanages in the south of the country (Akonolingua and Nkolandom), and in two dispensaries in the west of Cameroon (Bangang-Chefferie and Bandjoun).

SOLem in collaboration with Voisins Solidaires Togo (VST) will extend a public health center in the village of Segno, in southern Togo. It will make it possible to improve the care of pregnant women and access to biological analyzes for seven villages with a total of 20,000 people.

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 First prize

Awarded to the "Association des Enfants et Jeunes Travailleurs de Ouallam", set up in 2001 by university students in Niger.

The projet: Reach out to migrant children aged 6 to 17 left to their own devices in the street, direct them to support structures and propose prycho-social and educational activities: literacy classes, moving back into the school system, learning a trade, etc.

> Find out more

Second prize

Awarded to "Family First", a nonprofit founded by HEC Paris students that carried out social impact measurement missions across the world.

 The project: Measure the social impact of the "Enfants du Mékong" program that provides access to education for children living in very impoverished circumstances in Asia. "Family First" will interview 200 families whose children are supported by the program in Cambodia, together with other project stakeholders, identify avenues for improvement and train the NGO's managers to use impact measurement tools.

> Find out more

Third prize

Awarded to YA+K (Young Artists + Konnexion), a nonprofit set up by students from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture (Paris Malaquais and La Villette) and the Université Paris Panthéon Sorbonne.

The project: Transform a derelict urban space into a community garden in the heart of a disadvantaged neighborhood in Bagnolet.

> Find out more

Special COP21 award

Awarded to the Hydr'Open nonprofit created by ENSE3 – Grenoble INP engineering students.

The project : Build a small-scale hydraulic turbine (1 to 50 kWatt) for rural electrification, more particularly for isolated communities lacking easy access to electricity.

> Find out more

First prize

Topo sans frontières, student association of l'Ecole supérieure des Géomètres et Topographes (College of Surveyors)
First prize was awarded to Topo sans frontiers, the student association of l'Ecole supérieure des Géomètres et Topographes for a property security project in two communes of Burundi carried out by surveying and topography students. The students trained land managers and helped local officials to establish survey reference maps and land certificates to resolve conflicts.
> Learn more about this project
 

Second prize

ISTOM Student Environmental Expertise (ISEE), an association of the Ecole supérieure d'agro-développement (ISTOM) de Cergy
Second prize went to ISTOM Student Environmental Expertise (ISEE), an association of the Ecole supérieure d'agro-développement (ISTOM) de Cergy for its feasibility study of an operation to create a system for the production, processing and marketing of Gambia tea in the Kouilou region of Congo. The transformation of the lippia multifora plant into essential oil, powder and infusion will enable local economic development with low environmental impact and create jobs.
> Learn more about this project
 

Third prize

Mexisol, the association of the Ecole Polytech'Montpellier school, and Nana Xhimai, a student association for renewable energies from the Universidad technologica del Valle del Mesquital (Hidalgo, Mexico region)
Third prize was awarded to Mexisol, the association of the Ecole Polytech'Montpellier school, and Nana Xhimai, a student association for renewable energies from the Universidad technologica del Valle del Mesquital (Hidalgo, Mexico region). Building and installing of solar-powered facilities in the disadvantaged communities of Hidalgo province in Mexico.
> Learn more about this project
 

"Special Prize"

Hand in Hand Association of the Skema Business School
The "Special prize" was won by the Hand in Hand Association of the Skema Business School. Organizing educational activities and counseling disadvantaged youths, children of migrant workers, schooled in Suzhou, by students doing their school year in China.
> Learn more about this project

First prize

La Cravate Solidaire - Ecole des dirigeants et créateurs d'entreprise (EDC)
The nonprofit La Cravate Solidaire supplies apparel for the professional coaching and apparel for jobseekers, back-to-work employees, or disadvantaged students. The organization also offers image enhancement and helps job applicants draft their resumes and letters of motivations.
> Learn more about this project

The jury was deeply impressed by this project because it offers a concrete answer to the problematics of job counseling today.
 

Second prize

« Pôle humanitaire de l'INSA de Toulouse » - Institut national des sciences appliquées de Toulouse (INSA)
The INSA Toulouse students' association is building and installing hand-washing facilities in the health centers of remote villages in Senegal. They are also renovating some of these health centers and following up on the installations completed during previous missions.
> Learn more about this project

The jury decided to reward the organization for the durability of its approach and the capitalization of its actions undertaken since 2001.
 

Third prize

Inde Espoir - Association multi-écoles
Inde Espoir is enlisting the students of the École Polytechnique, Université Paris Diderot-Paris VII, the Paris Descartes Medical School, Université Panthéon Assas Paris II, Sciences Po Paris - Prépa Lycée Stanislas, the University of Exeter, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense and UTC Compiègne to build a boarding school in the town of Krishnadevipeta in India (Andhra Pradesh) to enable young girls from tribal groups to attend school.
> Learn more about this project

The jury decided to support this organization because it combines the skills of students from nine different schools and universities.
 

Jury's favorite

Finding it difficult to choose between many quality projects, the jury decided, again this year, to award an additional "jury's favorite".

L'ombre et la Plume - EDHEC
Helping prison inmates and ex-inmates of the Lille urban community to fight post-jail exclusion by returning to the job market.
> Learn more about this project

The jury was highly impressed by this project, because to grasp an issue to such complexity is often a daunting task, and because the students' actions in favor of the professional integration of former inmates are extremely rare.

First prize

The Students' Foundation for the City (Afev) of Poitiers
The Association of the Students' Foundation for the City (Afev) offers University of Poitiers students a low rent apartment in joint tenancy in exchange for their commitment to an outreach project in the vulnerable neighborhoods.
> Learn more about this project.

Second prize

Magisphère - Université Paris 1 (Panthéon-Sorbonne)
The Students' Association of post-graduates in International Relations and Action Abroad of the University of Paris I is building and equipping a school for children and a sewing shop for young illiterate women in southern India.
> Learn more about this project

Third prize

Solidago - Chimie Paris Tech, ESTP and Paris-Descartes Medical School
Solidago brings together students in public works, chemistry and medicine to build a drinking water supply system in several Madagascan villages, to track their smooth operation, and to guarantee that they last.
> Learn more about this project

Special Prize

Faced with the difficulty of picking one of the many quality projects, the jury again decided this year to award an additional Special Prize.

World Wom'ents - ESSEC
An association of business school students is training the women of Bobo-Dioulasso in company management and creation in Burkina Faso, alongside a locally established association.
> Learn more about this project

First prize

Ingénieurs du Monde - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Installation of solar panels in a Nepalese school and development of renewable energies in the schools of the area.
> Learn more about this project

Second prize

Istom Student Environmental Expertise (Isee)
Creation of tree nurseries to fight forest overexploitation and conserve the biodiversity with the population of the Limpopo National Park.
> Learn more about this project

Third prize

Captive 2000 - Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieur en Génie Electrique
Creation of a pocket electronic Braille dictionary with audio readout of the definitions.
> Learn more about this project.

Fourth prize

Paris Ouest Etudiants en Médecine et Solidarité (Poemes)
Rehabilitation of a village maternity hospital, prevention of sexually transmissible diseases and raising awareness in hygiene.
> Learn more about this project.

Jury's choice

Faced with a large number of quality projects, the jury also decided to award a "coup de coeur" (jury's choice) to the association "Students' European Network for Sustainable Development (SENSD)" from Euromed Management.

Students' European Network for Sustainable Development (SENSD)
Creation of an interactive web platform to connect the European student associations working for sustainable development.
> Learn more about this project.

First prize

Mission Potosi
Helping 22 women of the mining town of Potosi to create their micro-business, to develop their financial self-sufficiency and guarantee a stable income for the families.
> Learn more about this project.

Second prize

La FAGE
Setting up three outreach groceries on the university campuses of Strasbourg, Reims and Lille, to enable students in financial difficulty to secure a healthy and balanced diet.
> Learn more about this project.

Third prize

Un stage, et après ?
Creation of a network for providing a link between secondary and high school students of the sensitive districts of the Paris region, and companies, to broaden the availability of training courses and promote equal opportunity.
> Learn more about this project.

The Special Prize

A special prize was attributed to I.D.E.E.S Madagascar, ESME Sudria engineer university nonfrofit, for the continuity of its action towards the people living in villages of the South of Madagascar.

I.D.E.E.S Madagascar
Networking young professionals on waste management in the medium-sized towns of West Africa, by helping them exchange ideas to exploit their knowhow more fully.
> Learn more about this project.

In 2009, a « pilot » edition of the Student Solidarity Awards was organized in partnership with HEC Solidarity Campus. On May 14th, Henri Proglio, then CEO, rewarded three associations: Evasion Roumanie, Mission Quechua and Action pour le Bénin.

First prize

Evasion Roumanie aims to sustainably improve the living conditions of disadvantaged youths and families in Romania. It was distinguished for its project for aid to children and families in distress in Satu Mare (Northern Romania): holiday camp, hostel, rambling, etc. Evasion Roumanie works alongside several partners: the local association Stea (street youths) and Samtoul (sponsorship of deserving youths), the international social Samu and the National Federation of Firemen of France. Evasion Roumanie received 5 000 €.

Second prize

Mission Quechua , created in 2001, is the runner-up of the Student Solidarity Awards. It provides financial and technical aid to the poor and isolated Andean communities of Peru. In partnership with Groupe Développement, an association of women of Chambarra (microfinance) and the NGO San Javier del Peru, Mission Quechua promotes a dual project: fight against soil impoverishment and desertification on an area of 50 hectares, and generating new income. It received a grant of 3 500 €.

Third prize

Action pour le Bénin was in third place on the podium, earning a grant of 1 500 €. Since its launch in 2001, the association has promoted a wide range of educational projects to facilitate the local economic development of a region of Benin (school support, library). Alongside the local NGOs and associations, it has dubbed the project presented to the jury "education, why not me?". It consists in supporting six young teachers of Benin to pursue their advance studies and local projects in favor of education.