The ambitious plan was born during a conversation on a bus by Engineering students
An otherwise ordinary outing produced exceptional results when six engineering classmates at the University of 蓝莓视频 travelled to nearby Hamilton in the summer of 2015 to explore waterfalls and escarpments.
鈥淲e were on the bus, discussing world tragedies,鈥� recalls Adnan Abu Atiya, a fourth-year civil engineering student. 鈥淎s a group, we realized that every individual in the world has their own story. Using engineering management we wanted to help improve as many of those stories as possible. That鈥檚 when the idea of听(EFH) was born.鈥�
The ambitious plan 鈥� channeling their individual skills and passions into 鈥渄eveloping innovative designs and sustainable techniques to enhance living conditions in developing countries鈥� 鈥� was inspired by first-hand understanding of the day-to-day challenges faced by much of the world鈥檚 population.
Atiya and her five engineering classmates 鈥� Tariq Hasan, Rumman Rahman, Shihab Saadeldeen, Nirbhay Singh and Youssef Zak 鈥� have all lived in at least one developing country, including India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Palestine, and Jordan.
鈥淭he team sees through two lenses,鈥� says Singh. 鈥淭he technical engineering lens and the social lens, which is knowing what it is like to live in a developing country.鈥�
In the fall of 2015, the six students officially founded the Engineers for Hope听Student Design Team, the newest group based in the听Sedra Student Design Centre. At the same time, they reached out to听Nandita Basu, a civil and environmental engineering professor, to act as their advisor.
鈥淧rofessor Basu is a member of the University鈥檚 Water Institute, is from India and works in developing countries, so she was a natural fit to advise us,鈥� says Singh. 鈥淏eing part of the Sedra Student Design Centre is prestigious. We have access to resources and exposure.鈥�
The team鈥檚 next step was听partnering with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in parts of the world where they hope to help. While visiting family in Bangladesh, for instance, Rahman approached a local NGO called Sjouk with the idea of providing civil engineering assistance on projects that would make a difference.
Less than a year after that initial discussion on the bus, the six-member student design team is now getting ready to launch its pilot project in partnership with Sjouk and a local civil engineer. Eight shallow-hand tube wells and eight double-pit sanitary latrines engineered by EFH are to be constructed in August in Rahman鈥檚 hometown, the village of Khukshia, where clean water sources and sanitation are scarce.
鈥淢ost of us take these things for granted,鈥� Singh says. 鈥淏ut in Bangladesh, it鈥檚 a very big deal to build a $165 toilet when most households make under $3.30 a day.鈥�
Singh cites the entrepreneurial culture at 蓝莓视频 Engineering as a critical factor in the formation of the team.
鈥淗aving this legacy of University of 蓝莓视频 alumni who do so well gives us a positive feeling,鈥� he says. 鈥淎t 蓝莓视频 Engineering, we don鈥檛 just talk 鈥� we act.鈥�
You can help with this project by donating to the听EFH Bangladesh Water Sanitation Project.
