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Given its accomplishments, you’d think Engineers Without Borders would have been born on a laptop, or at worst a binder. Instead, it came into being on a napkin – as two University of Waterloo graduates scrawled their dreams of bringing engineers together to fight poverty.
Or perhaps it’s apropos that an organization that builds self-sustaining communities would spring from a tabletop.
Either way, seven scrappy years of hard work have blossomed into Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Canada, an organization with over 27 000 members working on human development projects around the world.
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Architects of Hope
A non-profit organization, EWB Canada’s mission is “to promote human development through access to technology”, with a focus on rural energy, agriculture and sanitation.
When EWB volunteers travel to other nations, they work with locals to produce multi-functional tools that take advantage of local materials and can be reproduced without the engineer’s presence. They do not impose first-world technologies or North American ideology, but use partnership, information sharing and mutual respect to help communities.
 Ramy Nassar – Waterloo Professional Chapter President |
“[We aren’t] going to build a well, but rather figure out why the people aren’t building the well,” emphasizes Waterloo Professional Chapter President, Ramy Nassar.
While not all volunteers travel overseas, those that do are asked to make a commitment-EWB placements are not “development tourism” projects; junior fellowships have a four-month minimum and long-term placements start at 13 months.
“It is a life-changing experience when you spend 13 months overseas and live in a village on $1 a day,” said Nicolas Kruchten, an EWB volunteer. A treadle pump engineered from bolts, rubber and planks helps increase yields in drought-prone Zambia |
EWB Canada does not typically initiate its own projects, but rather partners with organizations who have a need for its volunteers and expertise.
Recent partnerships include one with UK based organization Wateraid, another with a non-profit group in Zambia, and a third with the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
EWB Canada has also partnered with the Canadian Council for International Cooperation in an effort to bring the engineer’s perspective to the Make Poverty History campaign.
How software engineers can make a difference
Going overseas is not feasible for many professionals, but engineers from all disciplines can still contribute.
Nicolas Kruchten – Director of Technology, EWB Canada |
Software engineers have given EWB tools that help it mobilize both online and off. myEWB includes discussion boards, an event manager tool, and a member database among other tools.
“Although a lot of the technology used [overseas] is low tech, EWB needs software engineers. [It] may not be a sexy way of working, like on a laptop in the middle of Africa, but it is a way to apply the skills that they have,” says Kruchten.
EWB Canada’s Scala Program involves all facets of engineering. Scala works to improve employment opportunities for underprivileged youth in the Philippines by establishing Computer Livelihood Training Centres.
Driving change
What the two founding engineers felt when they started their hand-drawn dream still holds true for the organization today: It is not enough to want change – it is necessary to go out and make it happen.
“For EWB to drive change, to see a world free from extreme poverty, we must be impact-focused, be global citizens, be people, be rigorous, be independent, BE change.” |
In the end, that lonely serviette has served humanity well.
If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at EWB Canada, please contact the head office at:
E: info@ewb.ca
P: 1.866.481.3696
W: www.ewb.ca
For city-based chapters, please visit the following websites:
Toronto Professional Chapter
University of Toronto Student Chapter
Waterloo Professional Chapter email: waterloo@ewb.ca
University of Waterloo Student Chapter
Ottawa Professional Chapter
Carlton Student Chapter
Montreal Professional Chapter
McGill University Student Chapter