Micaela Itatí from Argentina – first Humans of SJWP portrait!

EDWARD: Who is ordinary Micaela? What’s a normal day and what do you like to do?

MICAELA: I go to school every morning and after school, I usually go to Taekwando or my sewing course, to learn how to sew and I go to drama lessons. I really like that.

EDWARD: How did you learn about the Stockholm Junior Water Prize?

MICAELA: I did not even know I was selected (for the national Final in Buenos Aires). My teacher told me that it was Emillliano and I he picked (the teacher choose to send in Micaela’s and Emilliano’s project to the national jury which was then selected as one of three projects competing in the national final in Buenos Aires).
But it was really a surprise because it’s more than 30 students in my class and so that he chose me and Emillano, It was really suprising.

EDWARD: So I’m sure that from starting to develop your project to coming all the way to Stockholm there has been many challenges and scary moments you had to get through. What there a particularly challenging moment?
MICAELA: The first challenge was just to be in Buenos Aires. It was… Everything everything was so new! That was the first challenge.

EDWARD: During your project I’m sure you had a mentor or a teacher. Why do you think it’s really important to have a mentor or teacher to help you?

MICAELA: In our project there were three teachers involved and it is really important to have them because they are the ones who bare the knowledge. So if we are doing something wront, they come and correct us, they can guide us. It’s very important.

EDWARD: There has been many challenges getting here, but then what has been a great moment? Or a best moment?
To come here and see the other finalists, other young people from different cultures in a very international environment, we really like that. And to realize that we have something in common. We are here for the same thing. We have the same intrest. That’s amazing.
The only thing we regret a little bit is the language barrier. We wish we spoke English better which we don’t, because we think we could get the most out of our experience if our English was better, we could share more with the other students.

So, How do you think the Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition has impacted you?
MICAELA: I’m going to start crying, but it’s really has impacted me a lot. My dad passed away some years ago and his dream was to fly a plane and I just accomplished his dream. I flew on a plane.
EDWARD:  Imagine a scenario where you could telepathically communicate with the every single person in the world under 35.

What would you want to say to them?
MICAELA: I would tell them to be goal oriented in your lives to study a lot, to study hard and that they should become something in life

EDWARD: Thank you so much for talking to me and being so open and sharing with me a little bit of your story.
MICAELA: Thank you for listening to us and wanting to get to know us.

Humans of SJWP
Interviewer: Edward Veem
Interviewe: Micaela Itatí

Photographer: Lila Roumeliotou
Country: Argentina
Team: Micaela Itatí and Emilliano Aquino