Engineers have played a significant role in creating the global challenges humanity faces today. We are supporting the development of new engineering solutions that will provide a more just future for everyone and our planet. Examples of that work include, but are not limited to:
Working in partnership with Cambodian NGO, Banteay Srei, to develop assistive technology to support women farmers to access livelihoods through agriculture.
In Cambodia, nearly 80% of people live rurally and many operate small farms to feed their families and generate income. These agricultural holdings are often run, and worked, by women who face unique challenges in the field. Engineers Without Borders Australia’s team of engineers are working with Cambodian women farmers to change that through AgriTools, a new project by EWB Australia. When AgriTools was launched in the Siem Reap province in 2023, the team had a specific mission: to design agricultural tools, in collaboration with the women who use them, to suit their needs, make their work easier and increase their independence. A new tool named the Handi-Plough tool, born from months of community consultation and prototype testing, is now helping facilitate independent, safer and faster soil preparation among women farmers in Siem Reap. Learn more.
Engineers Without Borders Canada’s Engineering Brighter Tomorrows (EBT) is a solar energy project that embodies this vision by addressing energy poverty in Zambia and Malawi to help bridge energy access gaps in schools and health centres. 75% of the world still living without electricity are in Africa. Access to electricity plays a critical role in reducing inequalities and promoting long-term human development, especially in the areas of healthcare and education.
In Zambia and Malawi, roughly 25% of rural schools are electrified compared to 75-80% in urban areas. On the healthcare front, 50,000+ rural healthcare facilities within SSA lack electricity, and 70% of medical equipment fails on a regular basis, often due to unreliable power. Through EBT, EWB Canada is working with EWB Zambia to install essential reliable solar energy solutions in the region to meet the critical needs of rural health facilities and schools, and ensuring that local partners, including government ministries, are equipped to provide ongoing technical support.
Ensuring a steady, cost-effective electricity supply through a project that ensures collaboration, localisation and sustainable governance is core to the planning, will mean long-term success and scalability, greater social equity, and community empowerment. Specifically, the project enhances local capacities through training, job creation, and access to technology, fostering economic resilience. It promotes the benefits of renewable energy that extend beyond immediate electricity needs, contributing to long-term development and improved quality of life for underserved communities. Learn more.
In 2023, Engineers Without Borders East Africa (EWB-EA) had an opportunity to implement a project funded by the World Bank to enhance climate resilience in 22 Ugandan municipalities and 11 refugee-hosting districts. The USMID-AF project initiative focused on rainwater harvesting to combat flooding and drought, aligning with Uganda’s national priorities and the SDGs. The Key outcomes include updating building codes, training 218 officials in climate resilience, and integrating these efforts into EWB-EA’s Nexus Approach for sustainable development. Learn more.
Engineers Without Borders Israel has collaborated with Keriko Secondary School and Kenyan research institutes to implement a food and water security project in Nakuru County. With our Kenyan and Israeli partners, we have begun food security research and invested in appropriate technology to meet the needs of the community and support locally-led adoption. We aim to continue research and expand the project to other areas facing similar challenges. Learn more.