For the next two weeks, I will be based in La Paz, Bolivia working with the NGO Engineers in Action (EIA) to prepare for our working trip to Quincucirca.
Engineers in Action works as a "middle-man", building engineering partnerships between engineering organizations around the world wishing to help local communities help themselves. For large national groups such as Engineers Without Borders which I am affiliated with vis-a-vie our UC Davis campus EWB chapter, having an in-country partner is invaluable. Currently, EIA is partnering with 10 EWB-USA chapters (including EWB at UC Davis), dozens of US, Canadian and Bolivian Rotary Clubs, and many others.
What kind of communities does EIA have partnerships with?
EIA makes sure that projects are have been appropriately vetted so as to reflect the priorities of the local communities, not what might be priorities for those organizations and entities building the projects. This is an attempt to build complex, but sustainable partnerships. In order for a community to receive EIA assistance, either a community approaches EIA after hearing of other projects or EIA actively searches for communities where the need is greatest.
In 2009, the Executive Director of EIA met with the Bolivian President Evo Morales. President Morales requested that EIA work in the 35 poorest municipalities. In these municipalities, the income for 98% of residents is less than $2/day. In these areas, there is little (if any) access to clean water, sanitation, or electricity.
Currently, EIA has projects or has assisted with completed projects such as water wells, latrines, bridges, roads, water distribution, well reparations,and microhydropower. In the future we may see an even greater diversity of projects.
What am I specifically doing at EIA?
For the first part of this adventure, I will work to get the EWB-UC Davis trip ready to travel to Quincucirca. This will include working with the staff at EIA getting materials together, printing and preparing engineering documents...and even fixing the lights on the car we will be using. I am also attempting to help EIA with their other projects in any way I can, even if it includes tasks such as bookkeeping or clerical work...just doing what I can.
What are our collective goals while in Quincucirca?
1) To fill data and information gaps present due to the recent change in water source: Obtain field data, measurements, and photodocumentation of water source, ravines, and storage tanks.
2) To come to a formal agreement with the Town Council and the community: We hope to reach an agreement with local leaders about a prudent and reasonable timeline for the project. Note a significant part of this trip will be reaching a formal agreement with community and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
3) To form a positive relationship with EIA: We hope to forge positive relationships with our partner organization, EIA, to ensure future assistance with monitoring and evaluation of the water supply project.
4) To discuss alternative projects in Quincucirca and obtain relevant data and information for these projects.
We are well underway!
Kevin Dumler, UC Davis undergraduate, Engineering
What kind of communities does EIA have partnerships with?
Currently, EIA has projects or has assisted with completed projects such as water wells, latrines, bridges, roads, water distribution, well reparations,and microhydropower. In the future we may see an even greater diversity of projects.
For the first part of this adventure, I will work to get the EWB-UC Davis trip ready to travel to Quincucirca. This will include working with the staff at EIA getting materials together, printing and preparing engineering documents...and even fixing the lights on the car we will be using. I am also attempting to help EIA with their other projects in any way I can, even if it includes tasks such as bookkeeping or clerical work...just doing what I can.
What are our collective goals while in Quincucirca?
1) To fill data and information gaps present due to the recent change in water source: Obtain field data, measurements, and photodocumentation of water source, ravines, and storage tanks.
2) To come to a formal agreement with the Town Council and the community: We hope to reach an agreement with local leaders about a prudent and reasonable timeline for the project. Note a significant part of this trip will be reaching a formal agreement with community and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
3) To form a positive relationship with EIA: We hope to forge positive relationships with our partner organization, EIA, to ensure future assistance with monitoring and evaluation of the water supply project.
4) To discuss alternative projects in Quincucirca and obtain relevant data and information for these projects.
We are well underway!
Kevin Dumler, UC Davis undergraduate, Engineering
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