Engineers Without Borders: Making global change one project at a time
Utah State’s chapter of Engineers Without Borders is a humanitarian club that works with various communities around the world to help them meet their basic needs.
EWB assists communities in building necessary facilities, like schools and medical centers. The organization also works to solve water access issues.
“Our main goals are to provide these communities we work with, with sustainable solutions to problems they may have,” vice president Jessica Anaya said.
EWB is currently working on two international projects in Peru and Uganda, countries that submitted applications for aid through EWB USA.
The Peru team, led by USU student Gabby Gowen, is helping a community in need of alpaca shelters to protect baby alpacas from the harsh climate in the area.
“It’s really cool to be doing something that goes beyond yourself,” Gowen said.
The Uganda team, led by Katie Bishop, is currently working to build rainwater storage systems for communities in Uganda so they can have access to clean, drinkable water during the dry seasons.
Anaya said it’s important for the assisted communities to “have the main say” in the project.
“We want it to be a community-driven project,” Anaya said. “We want them to be able to sustain the project long after we are gone.”
When starting a new project, EWB takes an initial assessment trip to the location to see what the needs are. Members then come back to Logan to design a solution.
Once a plan is completed, members go on an implementation trip to put their ideas into practice.
Along with their international work, EWB volunteers for domestic projects as well.
This year, a domestic team headed by Justin Blaylock will be going to Arizona to assess a boy scout camp that needs an updated water system before expanding.
The team will design a water system and potentially a sewer system as well. The boy scout leaders will reach out to contractors to implement the master plan.
Blaylock said giving back to communities is “making the most of your degree.”
“One of the best things you can do when you go into a professional practice is to give back,” Blaylock said. “You have this skill set, and are licensed to do certain things that not everybody can do. It’s just a good way of giving back to people who don’t have the abilities that you do.”
Since the pandemic, EWB has not traveled internationally. They are finally preparing to travel to Peru and Uganda within the next year.
The club averages 20 members and is trying to recruit students across all majors. Club meetings are held on Tuesdays in room 108 of the engineering building on USU’s Logan campus. EWB is volunteer-based, and students decide how much they can contribute.
“One of my favorite parts about EWB is you don’t have to be an engineering major to make a difference,” Bishop said. “We’ve got room for so many majors to help us out and make that difference.”
EWB relies heavily on donations for international projects and travel. Donations can be made through usu.edu/advancement. For more information, go to ewb-usa.org/.