Their noble goal is to build a better world, one project at a time.
For the tiny Guatemalan village of Las Tablitas, the NDSU chapter of Engineers Without Borders is clearly achieving that objective. Six chapter members will travel to the community during spring break in a continuing effort to improve conditions for its people.
In 2012, the NDSU group built a water system for the villagers. Last year, chapter members went back to build a new three-room schoolhouse for the community’s children. Now, the group will return to Las Tablitas March 14-23 to extend their water project, bringing clean water to an additional 12 families, a total of 60 people.
“We’ll add about 4,500 feet of buried pipe, a gravity filter to clean the water and nine taps,” explained Chris Larson, the chapter’s president from Maple Grove, Minn. “We hope to give them easy and reliable access to water. Some of them now have to go 40 feet to get water; others have to trek 200 feet up a mountainside. We’re hoping to remedy that.”
The 330 residents of Las Tablitas live on the side of a large hill, deep in Guatemala’s rain forest. Most of them live in roughly made homes with thatched roofs. Located about 120 kilometers east of Guatemala City, a four-wheel drive vehicle is needed for the last stretch up the mountain.
On previous trips, the students labored in difficult, muddy conditions. That is likely to be true this time, too.
“Last year, we were in the mostly dry schoolyard, but now we will be out in the jungle more, so I expect it will be wet,” said Rachel Freed, a civil engineering major from Maple Grove, Minn., who is making her second trip. “I’m excited to work closely with the villagers; we’ll be with the families and out in the community more this time.”
For her, the project will provide a vital service.
“Water is a key factor in life. We take it for granted here; all we need to do is turn on a tap,” Freed said, noting the students also will build a fence around the village’s water source to keep animals out. “But, these villagers don’t have that, and they need clean water that they can use daily.”
The trip will be the third in the chapter’s five-year commitment to the people of Las Tablitas. “I think we’ve made a difference,” Larson said. “Each year, they recognize us and they are always excited to see us.”
Engineers Without Borders is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that supports development projects around the world. At the same time, participants have experiences that transform their global perspective and strengthen their leadership skills.
Other NDSU students who will participate in the Guatemala trip are senior Paige Mortenson from Kennedy, Minn.; sophomore Matthew Franklin from Moorhead, Minn.; senior Kevin Kruger from Rice, Minn; and senior Ryan Frolek from Lidgerwood, N.D.
The NDSU group will be accompanied by mentors Josh Schroeder and Joel Paulsen, who both work for Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson Inc.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.