Intro to the NWA Chapter of Engineers Without Borders

What is EWB?

Engineers Without Borders is an organization that puts engineering skills to use- to help disadvantaged communities. EWB focuses especially on sanitation and clean drinking water. There is something for everyone to do to help.



We have the power.



In EWB, there are professional chapters and student chapters. We’re the only student chapter in Arkansas and there is one professional chapter starting in Little Rock. There are many groups in Oklahoma, which is a great networking opportunity.



Who does EWB need?

We need everybody.



Our projects will include well building, so we need people that know how to use water and how to bring it up.



The projects and trips take money, so we also need people to generate fund-raising ideas.



“We can always use medical, nursing and biology students. But the majority of the work is fundraising and labor. We need people ready to do designs,” said Ben Mart, Engineers Without Borders project leader.



In this organization, “we lose so many people with the word ‘engineer,’ but we can use anybody.”



Trips-



November Regional EWB meeting, a weekend trip to SMU

The Northwest Arkansas chapter of EWB began in 2006 under the wings of a student, Julianna Jones. Now that she has graduated, she’s involved in another chapter within the same region and will attend this particular meeting.



“The regional meeting at SMU in Dallas is the easiest, most convenient trip we can make,” said Thomas Soerens, professor of civil engineering and general supervisor of the student chapter. “The past year and a half, the student chapter has been having meetings. We paid our $400 EWB student fee a year ago and sent a student team to the national EWB meeting this past spring.”



“We’ve had $500 donated to us, which should cover everyone for the regional meeting expense to SMU in November, depending on how many want to come,” Marts said.



The Belize Project—in two parts



1st Belize Trip in December or January

The initial trip to Belize is to secure a pump from the water tower to local bathrooms and do some plumbing. This will last five or six days during the winter break.



The local water tower was built by the European Union, but they left without securing a pump, even though all the electrical parts are hooked up.



“It’s real common for the government to put up the well, then the town doesn’t have money to keep it running,” Marts said. “School bathrooms and showers are ten feet from the water tower, but are unusable because there is no pump bringing the water from the tower to the restrooms.”



On this trip, “there is no lack of tasks for this expedition. It will be a matter of choosing tasks.”



2nd Belize Trip during Spring Break

EWB commitments are to the church of the town, who will pay for the electricity for the pump put in place and the school, (but) members are still unsure who owns the rights to the tower.



EWB members must contact the village elder for permission before digging and placing PVC pipe.

This trip will include about two days of looking at (assessing) the projects; three days of work and one day of relaxation.

The trip costs $1500 per person and will cover a plane ticket that costs between $600 and $700 (after a large-group discount); $150 for travel insurance and the rest goes largely to supplies because food and lodging are low-cost.



General:

“I went to the International Conference in Denver and a trip to Belize during a summer class project. It lit the fire, we have contacts…it’s a snowball-effect,” Marts said.



Marts experienced culture shock as he realized difference in dress code, valued items and lifestyles.

“The dress code in Belize is different. Girls wear skirts half way up the thigh, even when playing soccer,” he said. “People in Belize hang all important (objects) on their wall. Usually the most expensive things in the house are pots and pans.”



In Belize, a typical house will have a hammock in the corner, a bed along the wall, a clothesline across the room, pots and pans on the wall in one corner and a fireplace.



EWB officers mentioned more benefits of a trip to Belize, in addition to helping disadvantaged communities.



“Belize has the second largest reef. On these trips, during the break you can swim, snorkel…feed birds while on a boat and see the Mayan ruins,” Marts said. “It is $1500 per person, which includes transportation, food and shelter. This does not include air conditioning.”