The IWMI community is deeply saddened at the untimely passing of our colleague Andreas Ulrich. First and foremost, we wish to express our condolences to his loving family in these difficult times.
Andreas joined what was then IWMI’s Resource Recovery and Reuse team in May 2018, as an expert from the German Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM).
With his background in agricultural sciences and 30 years of experience in the field of water and sanitation in Indonesia, India, Morocco, Tunisia, among many other countries, Andreas was a vastly experienced researcher and practitioner contributing to the design and study of locally feasible and technically sound faecal sludge management systems in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. These are critical issues to address in order to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 for clean water and sanitation, and IWMI’s vision for a water secure world.
Andreas was a popular and highly-respected member of staff, based at IWMI’s headquarters in Sri Lanka. He was always keen to share his knowledge and experience, a mentor to a team of young colleagues who was, at the same time, eager to listen and to learn from others. His legacy and contributions to IWMI will be cherished by his colleagues.
Andreas loved Sri Lanka and his placement at IWMI, and he will be remembered by his friends and co-workers in Colombo for his cheerful demeanour, his daily lunchtime table tennis matches and the enjoyment he provided by playing Santa Claus at the annual Christmas party.
Prior to joining IWMI in 2018, Andreas worked as a consultant expert for the German development agency (GIZ) and for ten years was Executive Director of the well-known Bremen Overseas Development Association, BORDA, Germany, working on innovative decentralized water and sanitation services for the urban poor.
Andreas will be missed by all who knew him.