The Smiles Mean the Most!

Going to the village of Otho Abwao with EWB was an experience I will never forget. That's a good thing!

As a senior I felt that it was a little late for me to join the EWB group, and I wasn't sure where to direct my efforts into the organization. I had heard a great deal about the implementation trip, but since I had not done much with the group yet, I wasn't sure that this was the right opportunity for me to start my involvement. With much hesitation, I decided to give it a shot, and spoke to Andy, the President of EWB-UCIN, about joining the other students on the implementation trip. That was the best decision I had made all year! It is NEVER too late to get involved. I spent the next four months ironing out the last details of the design and preparing myself for a trip that I knew would have a tremendous impact on my life to come.
I have always enjoyed participating in service work and helping others - the biggest reward being those beautiful smiling faces - however, actually designing the project that is to be implemented, creates a very different feeling. A much more rewarding feeling.

It was my first trip to Africa, and my first trip to any developing nation, and while I had an idea of what to expect; there were, as you can imagine, still many things that took me by surprise. Nothing can prepare you for the sights of the vast lands in Kenya: The baboons sitting in the road, the acres of tea plantations, the rundown shops lining the roads, the locals riding by with 5 Jerry cans on their bicycles, the poverty. Going to Africa and seeing these things first hand has created a feeling in me, that I hope I can never forget. It has encouraged me to continue in doing these kinds of projects, and contribute all I can to help the nations that need it most. Every little bit helps.

The most touching memory I have of Otho Abwao, was on the last full day we spent in the village. Almost all we could do had been done, and while we knew we would not be able to see the final product of all our hard work we also knew that Dan would stay until the job got done. A few of the students and villagers were digging one of the last trenches. A trench which had to be dug in very compact soil, because it was at one of the "roads" in the village. People came and went, to watch and to help, children included. One boy in particular (probably about 13 years of age) was working very hard to help dig. As we were both digging - and sweating - he stopped and looked over at me. I could tell he was trying to say something while catching his breath. He looked as exhausted as I felt and I though he might have hurt himself (or be ready to fall over at any moment). Instead - he mustered out the words... "Could I please have a pen?" - The smile that appeared on his face when I gave him that pen, will forever stick in my head.

A Lesson I Never Found in a Classroom

What a way to kick off a college career. Six months after my terrifying first big time college class, I found myself standing in Kenya with a group of advanced engineering students and their professor. If you had told me six months ago that I would be going through with this, it would have appeared quite the daunting pressure situation. It retrospect, though, it was exactly the converse: this implementation trip was one of the most educational and revealing experiences I've ever had the privilege of taking on.
On a relatively superficial level, I certainly deepened my engineering education during our stay in Kenya. I saw a complete design that previously existed only on paper and computer screens come into reality as networks of HDPE and GI pipe were constructed. I learned the calculations and considerations behind the design and how the system worked. I witnessed a bit of impromptu engineering as the group adapted the roof structure to fit the tanks (the original design for the roof was overlooked by the contractors who built the tanks). Finally, I learned to interface with suppliers, contractors, and clients in order to complete a project that is satisfactory to every party involved. Doubtless, all these facets are vital to my career development and education if I am ever to become a succesful and effective engineer, and I look forward to future EWB experiences to shape me into a more complete engineer.

I think the even more valuable insight, however, comes on a deeper, perhaps philosophical, platform. This was my first international experience (I don't count a trip to Niagara Falls as international), and my first experience as a minority. I've never been able to witness first-hand how people outside our borders live their lives. What struck home hardest for me (sorry to repeat the words of other posts) was the attitudes and demeanors of the members of the Otho Abwao community. Scroll through the pictures of the residents; there really is not a single sad or dejected face in the group. These people are perfectly happy and content with the lives they lead, difficult as they are by our standards. Is this simply because they have never experienced a more lavish lifestyle in a more developed country? Perhaps. But I think it is better explained by the culture of the area, summed up by a quote from Ghandi: "Live simply, so others can simply live." As our American culture advises us to continually search for that better life, where the grass is greener on the other side of the hill, there is a clear lesson to be learned from these people. The knowledge that they are content and satisfied with the lives they lead did somewhat ease my shock of how difficult their lives are compared to mine, but it does not change the morality of the situation. The world has an ethical obligation to extend a hand to this and other developing nations to help them to the level of technology, health care, sanitation, etc. the rest of the world enjoys today. Indeed, the world cannot afford to leave these peoples behind: it would miss out on too many valuable cultures and brilliant minds (the water technicians we trained were asking much more intelligent questions than I ever came up with). This is a very tricky and complicated issue to take hold of, as I saw on this trip. Most attempts only scratch the surface of the issue by providing money, labor, and supplies, but don't even consider offering education or adapting the projects to fit into the culture of the area. I look forward to continue working in EWB to bring comprehensive solutions to these problems. After all, that is what engineers do: solve problems.

Water Education

I could blog about so many things. I had the opportunity to spend six months in Tanzania, just miles away from the area of our Otho Abwao project, yet every day of this trip was new, exciting, and of course challenging. I could blog about insects alone. Like the inchworm in my salad, which I had to befriend in order to mentally finish my meal, or the cockroach that ran across my pillow while I slept (I’m convinced it was able to fly), or the termite which I ate out of my own free will. . . even if I did have to pick off the legs and head to convince myself to taste it. I could do an entire blog about transportation. Or the feeling of sharing such an intense culture experience with someone that was quite unfamiliar with the place and that I hardly knew. Or the feeling of returning home to remember that home is a place where I feel quite foreign and where the things that I’m passionate about and have grown so fond of can be understood by so few. But I think, for the sake of sharing the project, I will blog about the Adult Education program we conducted.

It was the morning that the main group left. The atmosphere quite changes when the visitors dwindle from 9 to 2 (just Mike and me) and the big van is seen exiting on the “main” road. We first conducted an education program for the children. The primary school was split up into groups of two so that we first did graded 4-7, and then did grades 1-3. It was focused around bacteria, with some pictures I found on the internet, and keeping those bacteria out of your body. We had a picture of sand under a microscope to present the concept of seeing things that are really small. And we struggled with the fact that bacteria, translated to local language, is the same word as dirt. I was a bit concerned about our success, but based on the questions that were asked, the students definitely understood the concepts. We kept it short, to maximize attention, and had time left over to wander around the community and simply be observant before the Adult Education program. We looked at eroded places and paths, we compared different bricks and rocks in the fancy abandoned house next to our tanks, we looked at the plants, and we untangled a goat from his rope.

When it was nearly time for the Adult Program, we reviewed the material and posted our big notebook to a tree, as the format was going to be group discussion. The best English speaker in town had gone to the city, and her cook name Judy, who was the next hope as a translator, began bringing out chairs. I offered to help, and she hesitated, but did not say no, so I followed her to the school to collect benches. But it became apparent, for reasons I can’t know for sure, that it was definitely not acceptable for me to help carry the benches. So after the first batch, I re-reviewed my notes and prepared myself. Both Mike and I sat down and greeted people as they arrived, which I think really helped the atmosphere of the workshop. As nearly only women were showing up, I asked Judy if it was intended for women only, and if so, was it alright if Mike was around. She said it would absolutely be alright, and would not bother the women. Not to mention a few men didn’t get the memo, and hung around anyway.

Nearly an hour after the meeting was scheduled to start, the rate of people arriving dwindled, and we decided it would be a good time to start. As well, the woman had returned from the city and was able to translate for us. We had two main points, 1) keep the clean water clean, and 2) make sure the clean water is the only water that you and your family drink. The community was encouraged to brainstorm on how to make sure each of those happened. For the first point, everyone contributed great ideas, and I followed up with the few that were left out. They agreed that each change was easy enough to make, and they recognized the value it had for the family. On the second point, about all that could be brainstormed was to carry a water bottle. This got quite a bit of laughs, of which, I could not quite understand or get translation. I wondered if it was the fact that only the mzungu, or westerner, does carries a water bottle or if its really ridiculous to think that they can’t go a few hours without water, or if they have some preconceived notion about their immune system that causes them to laugh. Yet with no explanation for the chuckles, I had to continue on and ensure that the solution was acceptable. We then allowed for questions and received endless thanks. One woman, who mentioned that she had the tap in her yard, brought a dried gourd to give to us, and told us we could drink porridge with it. She seemed more thrilled with the opportunity to come up and thank us, than to actually give us something, which I was grateful for because I knew I couldn’t say no to the gift. It felt as though they didn’t want the workshop to be over, because after all the thank yous had been done, no one moved. All I could do was wish that I spoke the language better.

At the End, Coming Full Circle

Imagine. Imagine growing up in a small community. No paved roads, no sidewalks. No TV, no email, no internet. No newspaper on your doorstep, no shelf of books at home. No carpet, no tile, no linoleum on the floor. No refrigerator, no lightbulbs, no electricity. No flushing toilet, no running water. No running water.

Many of us read what's above and think that we can handle it. It's just like camping! But think about it again, this isn't camping for a weekend or a week, this is your home, for everyday. This is how people in Otho Abwao live. But the best part? Look at the photo below, do those kids look sad?

That's what hit me the most when the EWB-UCIN team of eight plus one professor went to Kenya to implement our water distribution project. The smiling kids were everywhere. They were happy to scamper and play and watch as we built something they had never seen, a tap with water running out of it.

Other members below and above have expounded on some of the grittier details. About how we got there, the delay of materials, Dan needing to stay longer, the power of a thank you. While I don't want to make my post a repeat, the same thoughts and feelings apply with a personal twist.

Being there and helping make something that all of us take for granted is amazing. It truly is hard to describe. I feel that you need to speak to me in person about it so you can see my facial expressions. From gathering water in a muddy pond with water lapping at cow and goat poop on the side to clean groundwater pouring from a tap. That is a leap, that is impressive.

Completing this implementation trip at the end of my senior year, I feel that I've come full circle. When I joined EWB as a freshman, soon after it was founded, I knew this is what I wanted to do. No other organization could touch the real engineering design influenced by health and culture. You simply can not get that anywhere else at UC. On the trip I think Jordan put it best when he said that all of his other engineering work didn't matter. Yes, we've all learned important concepts and educational tools to be able to complete this part of the project, but this is the first time any of us has made a real impact on real lives. This is real engineering. The full circle part? That's me at an EWB meeting telling younger members what EWB is and now what EWB has done. To see freshmen get excited about EWB in the same way I did, and then want to run with it. That's how the circle is completed, only to come around again.

The real meaning of 'value engineering'

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what's this image worth to you? For the students of the Engineers Without Borders chapter at the University of Cincinnati, this picture represents years of commitment and thousands of dollars of investment. School children in a rural village in Western Kenya watching water pour from a distribution kiosk. This is the first time these children have seen water from a tap. The first time they've had water available at their school - in any form other than buckets of dirty water collected from ponds on their morning commute. What's this worth?

Its worth the time and effort of a dedicated team of students. It worth financial input from generous family, friends, church members, the University, and others. Its worth strained relationships and self sacrifice. Every day, more than 10,000 children around the world die from a lack of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. More than two billion people - that's one in every three humans on the planet - live in conditions where they haven't witnessed a scene like this.



As shown in this series of pictures, the system designed and constructed by the students utilizes a solar array to generate electric power for a pump which delivers clean ground water to concrete storage tanks constructed uphill of the community. Clean water from the tanks is redistributed down the hill to five kiosks strategically located throughout the village. Old women no longer need to struggle with a foot pump. Young girls don't need to carry forty pounds of water on their heads in jerry cans. Attendance of girls at school should increase. Mothers should be more hydrated and better able to nurse newborns. Sanitation and personal hygiene should improve as water is more readily available for hand washing and proper preparation of food.

The lives of more than 500 people have been positively impacted by this project. And the motivation for greater accomplishment comes from this success.

Personally, I'm as proud as can be of the work of the EWB team at UC. Sure, as reflected in the students' accounts of the project details can always be improved. Engineering in a developing country never goes exactly according to plan (i.e., never forget that long sections of black HDPE pipe experience significant thermal elongation and contraction in the equitorial sun - translation: cut and fit piping early in the morning!) But this dedicated group of students - those who traveled to Kenya and those who worked tirelessly at home to make this trip a success - have achieved a major goal. As a teacher, what more can one wish for one's students?