Project
All EWB-USA project proposals follow a “bottom-up” development approach in which the proposals come directly from members of the local community. To maximize the likelihood of success, projects strive to meet several criteria:
Community Involvement: Each project is driven by the needs and constraints of the community that will make use of it. We look to solve an existing problem; we do not design a solution and then search for a problem it can solve.
Long-Term Commitment: The EWB-USA chapter partners with the community for at least five years. We are involved in all phases of the project, from initial planning, to implementation, to operation and maintenance, to education and training. We continue to monitor the program after implementation to ensure it is successful.
Engineering: Each EWB-USA projects is related to engineering in some way. Our focus is on providing engineering expertise to solve existing infrastructure problems.
Sustainability: We seek to deliver solutions that will be sustainable by the community for many years. The community must have the necessary financial, technical, and administrative resources to maintain the facility by themselves over the long term.
We currently have five active projects both internationally and here at home! We have four projects in Tanzania. In Mkutani, we have a Phase 3 Water Supply Project getting ready to construct a water distribution system, a Girl’s Latrines Project and Multipurpose School Classroom Project. In Chamhawi, we have a Phase 1 Water Supply Project and are preparing to remotely monitor the drilling of a borehole for the community. We have also recently established a partnership with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to enhance the irrigation system of their farm.
If you’d like to get involved with a project, you should start by emailing our Membership Coordinator here. They will help you get started and help determine which project is the best fit for you. We also ask new members to fill our our new member survey, which you can find here.