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April 2006 Views
Organizing MTU-EWB's Bolivia project
By Brandon Braithwaite
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| Editor's Note: Last November Brandon
Braithwaite, a graduate student in Michigan Tech's Peace Corps Masters
International program, participated in a project to build a sewage treatment system and bathroom facilities for a
school in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with the Michigan Tech Chapter of
Engineers Without Borders (EWB), an organization dedicated to construction
and environmental projects in the developing world. Here are his thoughts
about how he became involved in the organization and fundraising for the
project (He served as EWB event organizer) as well as participating in the
actual Bolivia experience. This is one of a series of articles by and
about MTU Peace Corps Volunteers.*
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HOUGHTON -- I had never been to South America before and was compelled to help in this project for a number of
reasons. First of all, I really thought I could personally help with this project -- that it fell within the scope of my competence
and within my budget. Secondly, I was a student member of EWB at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, as was
Ryu Suzuki, another member of our Bolivia group. We really wanted to help EWB-MTU get off its
feet. Lastly, we didn't have a lot of funds raised at the time, so we needed people to assume a level of risk in
order for this project to happen. I was willing to take that risk.
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| Community members of all ages join MTU students and
professors in excavating the foundation for the bathroom, or toilet
house, towards the end of their first day of construction, Nov. 21,
2005, for the Buen
Samaritano (Good Samaritan) School in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. (Photo © 2005 Brandon
Braithwaite.) |
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Planning for this project was very involved and sort of backwards. Normally we'd like to have a large project team
and be able to earn a spot on the traveling team via sweat equity. We didn't have a large project team in this
case, only a handful of individuals who were willing to put in the time to plan. Soon a supporting cast was built
around the Bolivia Group; and we were not only organizing a trip, but also organizing a chapter.
After stepping off the plane, I was very excited to see how organized and excited our Bolivian counterparts were.
It was very easy to get locals gathered to make a list of materials, a construction
schedule and estimated costs before we started construction. Our co-workers were organized, dependent, and honest, and were willing to work long
hours to meet our demanding construction schedule. Most shocking was their plea to build a
four-toilet bathroom building along with our projected septic tank and drainfield. They were confident we could work together and
accomplish more than we had planned -- and we ultimately did.
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| On Saturday, Nov. 26, 2005, local residents join EWB volunteers
and their co-workers in construction of the bathroom (toilet house) for the Buen
Samaritano (Good Samaritan) School in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. (Photo © 2005 Brandon
Braithwaite.) |
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Of course, we had plenty design changes and construction issues, but these were met with patient explanations and
usually a quick laugh highlighting our communication gaps to seal the deal. All in all, the total
group's sense of humor was the glue that kept everything together as we found smiles and laughter to be universal.
The lessons we learned in Bolivia were invaluable as preparation for the
Peace Corps. It was an amazing example of how an organized and motivated
community gathered resources
to improve living standards.
Those who returned from Bolivia returned with a new sense of the world and a new sense of self, and would be eager
to explain further any questions that may arise.
I will be traveling to Panama for my Peace Corps assignment this August. Two other EWB members, Ryu
Suzuki and Jessica Mehl, are also assigned to Panama. We are all very excited
about going to Panama. They have a strong engineering relationship there.
MTU-EWB has also set up an engineering advisory committee for Peace Corps volunteers in Panama. Hopefully this relationship can
continue for years to come.
Some of our graduating members are looking forward to working with EWB professional chapters in their respective
professions.
For a day-by-day photo account of the 10-day Bolivia project, see the Bolivia
Blog on the MTU-EWB Web site.
Views expressed by our guest columnists are not necessarily the views of Keweenaw Now.
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