Overview

Engineers Without Borders Purdue University Chapter (EWB Purdue) has partnered with the community of Rubona and our other partners since the end of December 2021. As of today, the community lacks access to clean water. The goal of our partnership is to collaborate on a project that aims to design and implement a water distribution system to improve safe access to cleaner water sustainably over the long term. Our team currently believes this will include source catchment/protection, gravitational distribution pipelines, storage tanks, river crossing, and communal tap stands.

 

Partners

 

Integrated Development Action (IDA) Rwanda

As our Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), IDA-Rwanda is our primary in-country contact that helps coordinate all aspects of the project in Rwanda. Their mission is to promote the development of living standards of poor and most vulnerable people in rural Rwanda, and their vision is to build an environment that eliminates social injustice and inequality. IDA Rwanda has experience working on a variety of projects throughout the country in areas including health, education, human rights promotion and advocacy, agriculture and food security, water, hygiene and sanitation, and environmental protection and nature conservation. Learn more about IDA-Rwanda on their website.

 

Chase a Better Tomorrow

With our NGO partner, we also work with Chase a Better Tomorrow, an organization based in the community of Rubona. This organization was founded by educated women from the Rubona community with the purpose to develop their community through education of children from poor families, as well as socio-economic empowerment for marginalized and vulnerable women and girls who lack education and formal employment. Learn more about Chase a Better Tomorrow on their Facebook.

 

Progress

 

December 2021 – Project Adoption

Engineers Without Borders Purdue forms a partnership with the community of Rubona and adopts a water supply project.

 

May 2022 – Assessment Trip

6 members of our team, our Responsible Engineer In Charge, and one of our Advisors visited Rubona in May 2022. During this trip, the team interacted with the community and gathered technical data. The travel team took measurements of the spring source, conducted water quality tests, interviewed the community members, surveyed potential piping routes, and met the local government officials. The team also strengthened the relationship with IDA-Rwanda, our NGO partner, and established new relationships. 

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October 2022 – IDA Visit

We had the opportunity for the leader of our NGO and a fellow Rwandan engineer to come visit Purdue for two weeks in October. The experience was very beneficial for both parties involved. We were able to gain a lot of valuable information relevant to the project and the NGO leader grew closer to the team. 

 

May 2023 – Implementation Trip

A team of 6 students and two mentors traveled to begin construction on phase 1 of the project. While in Rwanda, work began on the head tank and spring catchment. Along with this, they were able to strengthen relations with the members of the community and IDA Rwanda as well as collect information necessary for the rest of the system to be designed. 

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Current Status:

This summer, the team will be preparing the documentation necessary to move on to the next phases of the project.