Engineers Without Borders Team at MST Plan Their Return to Bolivia and Eduador

The Engineers Wihout Borders team at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla will be going back to both Bolivia and Ecuador for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, a previous group of students visited with the Atahuallani community in Bolivia and conducted a preliminary assessment of its situation. Students then worked remotely with Bolivian engineers to develop and implement a gravity-fed water system for the community to use. This provided the community with a safer, more readily available source of water.

The group’s next goal is to develop a latrine system, hoping to help with wastewater and potentially lower disease in the community. Eight students will be a part of the trip, as well as two team advisers.

Meanwhile, in Ecuador, S&T students will look to implement another gravity-fed pipeline for a community in Agua Fria. The goal is to give the community easier access to clean water from a local river, which will benefit local health and hygeine practices. S&T previously visited Ecuador in 2018, developing systems to collect rainwater for residents to use.

S&T students pay for the trips out of their own pockets, but crowdfunding pages are currently live to contribute to the effort. To add your support, visit crowdfunding.mst.edu.