Kansas Ag Connection - WSU Engineers Without Borders Supplies Uganda Computer Lab

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WSU Engineers Without Borders Supplies Uganda Computer Lab
Kansas Ag Connection - 05/20/2016

Wichita State University's Engineers Without Borders (EWB) chapter has adopted a new project in partnership with the Nebraska Professional EWB chapter and is working to provide a computer lab for the St. Kizito Primary School in Makenke, Uganda.

Though the chapters have been partners since August, the need for a computer lab was discovered over spring break when three students traveled with their professional mentor to assess the rain water harvesting project already in place in Uganda.

"They had a lot of problems with maintenance," says Seham Alyan, president of the WSU-EWB chapter. "If something broke and they didn't know how to fix it, they couldn't just look it up on the internet. It's a huge need they expressed, because the internet can teach you anything you need to know."

Zayna Alyan, the vice president of WSU-EWB, says the computers will be crucial to the development of the community. While the rainwater harvesting system is incredibly beneficial, it doesn't do a lot of good during a dry season.

The idea behind the computer lab is to provide the community members with a means of advancement, something they severely lack on the global scale. A lot of the cities in Uganda are utilized by foreign companies that see the opportunity for inexpensive labor, but the community members have little chance for advancement outside their own village.

Dominic Gonzalez, who will take over as EWB president in the fall semester, mentioned the many people who asked how they could go about attending school in the United States.

"They want to better themselves and they want to learn," he says. "They want to function in this highly technological society, and we decided this was something we want to work on."

Though the computer lab would be located at the primary school, the entire community would have access to it, providing a sort of internet cafe. This would allow the school to teach classes and hold workshops, teaching community members skills besides weaving baskets and hats.

"Education is something that you can't take away from someone," says Sehan. "That's what we're looking to offer above all things. Education feeds itself, and it just continues to grow."

The structure for the lab is already built in Makenke, but it's in need of a roof, desks, electrical wiring and computers for it to be fully functional. The chapter is working on the design for the desks and electricity and is fundraising to provide for the materials.

"We're trying to get the computers for the project donated," says Sehan. "We're creating material to engage large companies and solicit donations on behalf of our work."

The material is created by EWB's marketing branch, a result of the restructuring Sehan and Zayna implemented when they took over the chapter. They've also been spreading the word on social media using the hashtag #MegabytesforMakenke. The group encourages all majors to get involved with the organization, as it goes beyond the College of Engineering.

"The engineering only designs the structure we're working on," says Zayna. "It doesn't get the word out, it doesn't bring money in and it doesn't involve anyone. We're building a stage, but it's a collective work."

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