Most of us are familiar with the organization, Doctors Without Borders. Did you know that there is a similar organization for engineers called Engineers Without Borders? Founded in Boulder, Colorado in 2002 by a professor of civil engineering, the organization focuses on lifting impoverished communities out of mere survival mode, toward long-lasting sustainability. Nationally there are now over 15,000 members working through nearly 300 chapters.
I learned about the organization through an article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune by Shannon Prather (Feb. 17, 2018). The Minnesota chapter touts 50-100 active volunteers at any given time. Last fall they focused on building a 17,000 gallon masonry water storage tank in Milla Tres, Honduras. It was the first stage in a project that also involves building a separate sedimentation tank and laying miles of pipeline to connect to the community. The people in this small town along the Caribbean coast lacked access to safely managed drinking water, as do more than 2 billion people around the world (per the World Health Organization and the U.N.)
An engineer with Engineers Without Borders works with communities well in advance to fully understand their needs as they relate to their life practices. About 90% of the effort is planning and engineering done before any physical work is commenced. Once the project is kicked off, the communities are asked to cover 10% of the cost, often providing local labor.
Total cost of the Milla Tres project is estimated to be about $100,000, much of it covered by charities and other charitable private companies. The engineers give of their time at no cost, and typically pay for their own travel expenses.
Thank you, Engineers Without Borders members for your Love Lived Large in bringing sustainable water solutions to needy communities such as Milla Tres, Honduras.