Companies equipped with modern technology, such as with the capability to purify water, can control and shape what is understood as the truth about water in rural villages in the global South. Through this, rural villages are made dependent on private companies related to water supply, Yewondwossen Tesfaye states in his doctoral dissertation “Neoliberalism in everyday governmentality: The conduct of rural drinking water and rainwater practices”.

Unequal access to drinking water in different geographical contexts is embedded in political, racialized, classed, and gendered hierarchies. Technologies and innovations aimed at solving drinking water problems only tend to gloss over the bigger issues.

A group of students, who presented a solution to how the indigenous community Wayuu in South America could secure access to safe water for hand washing and hygiene, have won the science competition organised by the HUMLOG Institute at Hanken School of Economics.

In collaboration with Novia University of Applied Sciences and Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK), Hanken is currently calling for expressions of interest in developing hydrogen infrastructure in the Ostrobothnia region, as part of the H2 Ecosystem Roadmap. The project, funded by the EU's regional development funds, has been approved by the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia.