For nearly a decade, a student group has been training engineers and helping small communities around the world.
Engineers Without Borders UNM is a local chapter of EWB-USA, its parent organization, and aims to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs and equip leaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
“Our mission is two parts and focuses on two groups, one being the communities we work with,” said Santiago Trujillo, chapter president of EWB-UNM. “We build a better world by implementing a professional engineering process to assess a community’s needs, design, implement and assess a sustainable product through engineering practices that provide communities with the aid to meet their basic human needs.”
The second part of this mission applies to both the community members and members within the student chapter, Trujillo said.
“Our projects provide community members with the opportunity to develop additional skills in leadership and innovation when they are not hindered by contaminated water and the health results associated with consuming and using contaminated water,” Trujillo said. “As for our members, EWB-UNM provides students and other members with the opportunity to lead and participate in a professional process as required by EWB Headquarters and in leadership roles within EWB-UNM.”
EWB-UNM was first chartered in 2008 and since then has been involved with a variety of projects, such as a solar project that was being done in Ramah, NM that was the main focus of the group until 2010, said former president and current member of EWB UNM, Tybur Casuse.
The current project the group is working on was brought to their attention when a member of the Tsimane Life and Health History Project at UNM asked EWB-UNM if they would be interested in helping some of the Tsimane Villages in rural Bolivia, Casuse said.
Some members have been a part of the organization for one week and others have been active for up to ten years. One member started with the organization as a student when it was first charted, and after graduation continued to be involved and supported the organization, Casuse said.
“Some of our newest members joined us at our last general meeting,” he said.
EWB-UNM looks for students and members who have any desire to help others and a craving to learn, Trujillo said.
“EWB-UNM provides students with opportunities to learn life skills that are desired by employers and the general population that will be with them for life,” Trujillo said. “Therefore, not only do we at EWB-UNM wish to empower and support the communities and individuals we are serving with the project, but also our students and members.”
Involvement from the community is also important, as donations help to support efforts to help meet the needs of the community and developing future leaders within the organization, Trujillo said.
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All of the student chapter’s funds come from fundraising and larger donations. Being a 501c3 non-profit, UNM-EWB is completely supported by the work their members do and especially by those who support their organization with donations and participation in fundraising events, Trujillo said.
The challenges that members have faced are meeting deadlines, planning for the reporting process, fundraising and getting the word out about the organization. But these challenges are fairly common and have been around for at least the last few years, Trujillo said.
“There was a large exodus of leadership about four years ago that makes it hard to speak much about what the organization was like before then, because there was no passing of information to future groups,” he said.
Fortunately, this has not been a challenge the group has faced as much recently, due to reorganization and members who have tremendous work ethic and drive to support the project and the chapter, Trujillo said.
“Some successes we have are that we have a strong core membership and clear communication among the community,” Trujillo said, “The current leadership and its members are invested in continuing the project and the group. I see that as one of the greatest successes a student-led group can achieve.”
Anyone interested in EWB-UNM’s mission and vision or developing their own skills is welcome to email Trujillo at presidentewbunm@gmail.com, he said.
“We’d love to have you and look forward to working with you,” Trujillo said.
Nichole Harwood is a reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Nolidoli1.
