Water for Rwanda:Humanitarian Aid Project

October 13, 2013EWB West Coast Regional Conference

Torin BowmanNisha ShethJesse UngerKatie Riley

• University of California, San Diego Student Chapter

• Project Location: – Bungwe, Rwanda– 3km from the Ugandan border

• Program Adoption: – October 2012

• Applied Need: – Water Supply and Transport • Bungwe

Project

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Historical

• Bureaucratic• Gov’t is relatively progressive• Holds women and men to

equivalent political representation

• Does not recognize ethnic groups

Political

• Colonized by Germany (1800s) and Belgium (1900s)

• Genocide (1994) • Uncharted population growth

– Growth depends on infrastructure and sanitation developments

– Assume +2.7% minimum – Very young population

Rwanda: Politics and History

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Economy• Small farming community

– Subsistence farming– No irrigation system during dry

season• Local commerce• Average incomes:

$22-$65/month

Society• Primary and secondary public

schools • Health clinic (run by church)• Catholic Church influence• Peace Corps volunteer in village• Limited domestic usage due to

water shortage

Bungwe: Economy and Society

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• Goals:– Community: To gain ideas and knowledge for infrastructure

development– EWB-UCSD: To create a system that can be easily maintained with the

community’s fiscal and societal capacities

• Affected Population:– Direct: 2,000 – 4,000 people– Indirect: 6,000 – 9,000 people

• Geographic Area: 6 km radius (includes Bungwe, Banda, Tumba)

Proposed Project Scope

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• Understand the Need– How will the water be used?

• Domestic usage and drinking water

– How much water do they need?– Why are current solutions insufficient?– Have they identified potential solutions?

Getting Started

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• Clarify the application– Review application in detail with the NGO and

Community Point of Contact (PoC)• If application is in English, non-English-speaking PoC has

probably not reviewed the application

Getting Started

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– Suggest involving nearby universities

– Who will be involved in every stage of the program?

• Go over the application with the PoC before arrival– What resources are available to them?– What are their personal skills and weaknesses?– Do they belong to any non-profits or NGOs?

• If yes, how is that organization structured? USA chapter?• Does that organization fund projects?

– Will the PoC be involved for the entire project duration?

• How does the community perceive them and how do they perceive the community?

• Be aware of local customs and events– Contact may be difficult to communicate with at certain times

Community Points of Contact

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• Current Situation:– 2 hydraulic pumps– Minimal rainwater collection– Fees to use water system– Porters hired to transport water

• Community Suggestions:– Pulley system– Hydraulic pump (most viable and

sustainable)– Resources: labor, local materials,

local engineers, limited finances

Community Proposed Solutions

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• Ensure professional mentor is flexible and ready to travel– Mentor must be easily accessible and responsive– Prepared to travel 3-4 weeks

• For student chapters: make sure that your professional mentor is qualified– Understand your mentor’s strengths and weaknesses– Find qualified mentors at: ewb-mentors.org/MCD

Professional Mentor Selection

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Travel Preparations11

• Fundraising– Grants– Water for Rwanda 5K

• Master Cultural Report– Wide range of cultural,

social, and historical topics pertinent to Rwanda

Pre-Assessment Preparations

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• Gender-balanced• Aim for communication in local languages

Even if English is an official language, it may not be widely spoken

• Optimal number of travelers- How many travelers can the community comfortably support?- How many seats are there in a typical car found in the country (Jeeps can

usually fit 5)?- Translator? Driver? Equipment?

• Travel alternate

Composing the Travel Team

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• Learn Ki language phrases– Greetings and basic vocabulary

• Know EWB-HQ and chapter-specific goals– EWB as an organization– Your chapter and project– Facts about your state and the USA

• Print out EVERYTHING– Applications, emails, contact information, EWB-HQ

checklists, informational pamphlets, maps…

Be Prepared

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On-Site Assessment15

• Is the community accessible year-round?

• Is public transportation feasible and safe?

Trip Details

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• Review accommodation terms and conditions with NGO and PoC beforehand

• Be aware of cultural norms/taboo topics (ethnicity/genocide)

• Understand how to best interact with locals

• Refer to Master Report pertaining to cultural and social issues

Cultural and Social Awareness

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• How major institutions in the area interact – How do the locals actually perceive the

government? – How religious is the community? – How do the major religious institutions interact

with the community?

Sense the Unspoken

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• Community may be jaded from past non-profit interaction

• Speaking a familiar language helps!• French• Swahili• Kinyarwanda

• How is the community is structured and who are the key decision makers?

Gaining Community Trust

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• Presentation for the community explaining EWB's role, focusing on community goals, listening to their opinions- Avoid weird or unfamiliar practices during

outreach and presentations

• May be invited to religious events or celebrations – bring appropriate clothes

Presentation and Communication

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Technical Assessment

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• Inspected current system• Investigated local materials• Interviewed community leaders

– Religious and government officials, school teachers, health officials, successful locals

• Gathered health and weather data• Water testing

Rainwater Harvesting

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• Addresses original need of community• Low-cost implementation and maintenance– Local materials

• Sustainable water source• Easily reproducible• Scalable

• Be aware of additional/alternate projects that should be focused on or take precedent- Boarding school- Recreational areas- Road improvements

Alternate Needs

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• Many resources on EWB-USA website to guide technical design and evaluation– http://my.ewb-usa.org/project-res

ources/technical-resources

Technical Resources

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Next Steps: Design & Implementation

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• Rainwater harvesting design– Collection tank and gutters– Filters– Local materials

• Playgrounds– Partnership with Lions Clubs in

Rwanda and USA• School dormitories– Investigate as possible future

project

Photo from University of Minnesota EWB – Uganda Rural Fund

Thank you!26

Young KimAnthony Mahinda

Kasha NzabanteruraBonaventure Augustine

HeadmasterPeace Corps

EWB-USAThe Community of Bungwe