The NC State Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-NCSU) seeks to empower communities and equip leaders internationally and locally to meet their needs through sustainable engineering projects, all while developing students into cross-cultural servant-leaders. EWB-NCSU is a student-run chapter of the broader national non-profit Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA), a 501c3 non-profit. EWB-NCSU consists of three international project teams, a local project team, and a fundraising team. The students engaged with EWB-NCSU gain hands-on experience working on global, multiphase projects, which allows them to develop valuable skills in the design of sustainable products, project logistics, grant writing, and budgeting. Students also have the opportunity to develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and cultural competency.
The Sierra Leone Renewable Energy team is working with the Goshen Academy in Rokel, Sierra Leone to provide the school with reliable electricity to power lights, computers, and other appliances. This project impacts the 115 students, 8 teachers, and 2 cooks at the school, as well as the community of Rokel. The Sierra Leone Water Project is geared towards providing the Browndel School in Freetown, Sierra Leone with a safe and accessible source of water. This project impacts the 200 students and 20 staff members that comprise the K-12 school’s population by producing a sustainable solution to the school’s current issues with their hand-dug well, which has been running dry for the past decade.
The Guatemala Water team has positively affected the lives of over 300 people in rural Guatemala by installing seventy rainwater harvesting systems in the community of Caserio Panhux; there is a system for each household and two for the local school, which also acts as a community center. As the team closes this project, they are working to educate the community’s water committee on the treatment and maintenance methods required to make the systems long-lasting. The North Carolina Projects (NCP) team is partnered with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle Farm. Since 2021, the team has built 6 A-frame hydroponic systems for Inter-Faith’s unused greenhouse, with the goal of providing a source of produce that contributes to food stability in communities in need around Wake County. By implementing these hydroponic systems, NCP has been able to increase the density of available food for Inter-Faith’s farm while providing a solution that is low-maintenance, energy efficient, and durable.
EWB-NCSU has requested KIETS support for three years FY 2024-2027 towards the implementation phases of the SLRE and SLW projects, as well as current project closings and new project endeavors for GWS and NCP. KIETS support leverages funding from NC State student government, the Engineer Your Experience Fund, Summit Engineering, Stantec, Fluor Corporation, and CDM Smith. KIETS Associate Director Raj Narayan serves as a member of the EWB-NCSU advisory board.