Aggies Go Global

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) was named the 2021 Registered Student Organization of the Year by Texas A&M University and the EWB-USA Premier Chapter for its work on infrastructure improvement projects in Rwanda and the Dominican Republic.

Aggies made strides toward their long-term goal of designing and implementing 500 latrines in rural Matyazo, Rwanda, to help eliminate sanitation-related diseases. Members finalized latrine and handwashing designs through sketches and prototyping workshops and completed a virtual implementation training with local community members in late 2021.

For the Dominican Republic community of Villa Verde, students used Google Earth, online research and frequent virtual community meetings to design a road drainage system that diverts water. This will eliminate pools that cause structural damage and breed malaria-carrying mosquitos.

“Communities in third-world countries often receive solutions to their problems without adequate training for how to implement or maintain the solution long term,” said Ruby Ross ’22, EWB president. “We take a different approach, working alongside the community in three phases to assess the problem, implement the solution and monitor the project. We believe in equipping communities with sustainable solutions that truly meet their needs.”

Learn how you can contribute to EWB’s endowment by contacting Patrick Wilson ’10, director of development, at the bottom of this page. 

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