Engineers without Borders - building a better world for others

Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA) is an international nonprofit organization and, like Slipstream, is trying to advance initiatives that produce enduring economic and environmental benefits for all. Their mission is to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs. Slipstream’s Kevin Frost, project manager, has been involved in EWB for 12 years. This is his story.

“I first joined Engineers Without Borders as a college student back in 2006. Our group focused on designing and building bridge projects for communities in Guatemala. I led an AutoCAD group and even traveled on a survey trip. But, what really stayed with me was a story one of my classmates told after traveling to Guatemala to review a completed bridge. A young woman in this Guatemalan community was able to have her baby in a hospital because the bridge allowed her to travel safely. Before we built the bridge, she would have had to have her baby at home, because the rains made it impossible to access the road to the main city. The woman thanked the student personally for providing the new bridge that allowed her to get to the hospital safely. That’s why I’m still in EWB today. We have the capability to provide so much to those in need and completing these projects can really make a difference. 

I had a similar experience traveling with UW students to review their recently completed water project for a community called Azucenas. The people were delighted to all have running water in their homes, and they thanked us for something we take for granted. 

 I currently work with the EWB Madison Area Professional Chapter that also includes four student programs. The chapter’s focus is to help mentor the students with their programs. The four programs at EWB-University of Wisconsin each do work in separate areas including Guatemala, Uganda, Ecuador, and Puerto Rico. Between the four programs, the students have built well water systems, gravity water systems, pedestrian bridges and now are designing a Solar PV energy project in Puerto Rico.”

Need more info or interested in joining a chapter? Visit the EWB website.