Well - I have been crazy busy since about September trying to prepare for a project site assessment in Western Africa. I am coordinating a team of about 30 engineering students for Engineers Without Borders to develop a sustainable water source for a community of about 10,000 in Enugu State, Nigeria. Six of us are planning to travel for a week at the end of March, as well another 5 or 6 for a couple weeks in May to determine various design parameters and options for a solution that will work for this specific community.
EWB is an interesting organization that attempts to implement sustainable humanitarian engineering solutions through non-sustainable means: flying kids accross the world to solve problems in a completely foreign environment. There are benefits: the students have access to funds the community can't even imagine and the fact that people from another country are willing to help out creates morale within the village to organize themselves to create the changes they wish to see.
Ultimately, I hope to study alternate methods for technology transfer to rural communities, but for now, I'm going to continue working on these projects for at least another year, until I graduate.
4 comments:
Maren - we're so proud of the work you're doing! You're going to save the world. At least someone is trying. Given the Bush administrations intentions of raping the planet for all the profit they can extract, we need a new generation of concientious citizens to stand up to the religious zealots who only see short-term gain and profit for their attempts to buy their way into 'heaven'!!!
Well, unfortunately a human world is a political world. I see it all too often affect my personal life. Unfortunately it is affecting all of Nigeria to the demise of the people in many ways right now. Our team is no longer able to travel in March because of sectarian violence breaking out in the region we plan to work.
There is violence spread all over the country because of the Danish cartoons (yielding conflicts between muslims and christians), the Obasanjo supporters trying to get him a 3rd term (illegal according to present constitution), and Oil kidnappings.
Summary here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1630089.stm
I think all you can do is try to be an empathetic person and just care for those around you and those far away if you can too. It's not going so well for me right now, however... I always seem to get myself into trouble!
Hey! A Somers travel blog isn't a bad idea!!!! Why doesn't someone start one up?
In my microcosm: the person who proposes an idea is considered the volunteer to carry it out!
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