Lewam Teklu is a Hydraulics Engineer who works primarily in water supply using renewable energy and other energy sources. She has knowledge and experience designing and installing solar-powered submersible pumps, executing pump testing, preparing tender documents and project bills of quantities, and conducting research.

Lewam got her bachelor’s degree in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Haramaya University. She then went on to pursue her second degree in Hydraulics Engineering.  When she first began her career, she was interested in initiatives involving clean water supply and hydropower. She describes how her interest in energy grew after she got a chance to work for a private company called Alphasol Modular Energy plc, which focuses on solar energy systems. She says that the experience stirred her interest in energy and water supply management with solar-powered pumps.

Lewam has also worked on various water supply and energy projects, including a project that replaced six existing hand-dug boreholes with six solar-powered submersible pumps, six storage tankers and twelve water points. She is particularly proud of her involvement in a pilot project that focused onshe participated in involving water treatment of a borehole with high amountsamount of fluoride content. Five kebeles with a population of 5,000 people used this water for drinking as there were no alternative choices. The entire setup was powered by solar energy.

In the future, she plans on doing research on movable solar-powered pumps for irrigation application and aims to pursue her Ph.D. study.