The partnership between Engineers Without Borders at the University of Minnesota and Uganda Rural Fund has worked on various engineering projects in rural Uganda over 10 years. Projects focused on improving community health, empowerment, and knowledge transfer through sustainable engineering solutions. Projects included rainwater harvesting systems, boreholes, composting toilets, and handwashing stations to improve access to clean water and sanitation. The partnership followed a cycle of community assessment, collaborative design, implementation, and monitoring to develop locally appropriate and sustainable solutions. These projects have resulted in improved health, education, economic opportunities, and self-sufficiency for communities in southern Uganda.

1. Sustainable engineering projects to improve community health,
development, and empowerment in rural Uganda
A ten year partnership between Engineers without Borders- University of Minnesota and Uganda
Rural Fund in southern Uganda has focused on community health, empowerment, and
knowledge transfer using innovative engineering solutions. Our objective to develop
partnerships that transcend borders in order to implement community-driven, sustainable
engineering projects was accomplished using a cycle of assessment, design, implementation,
and monitoring. Community assessments by EWB-UMN engineers involved community surveys
and conversations about the current state of the community and community goals as well as the
identification of potential barriers and facilitators of success for the project. The design phase
involved collaboration between EWB-UMN and the community to ensure a rigorous engineering
design that fit community needs and that the community was invested in the outcome.
Operation and maintenance plans were developed in partnership with the communities to
ensure that the projects would be sustainable, long-lasting, and impactful. Finally, community
impact assessment and system monitoring was done each year to assess the intended and
unintended impact of the project. Projects were implemented at Hope Integrated Academy and
the communities of Bugonzi and Kalisizo. At Hope Integrated Academy, a local school aiming to
empower disadvantaged children, AIDS orphans, women, and marginalized communities in the
region, projects have involved: multiple types of rainwater harvesting systems, borehole and
solar-powered pump, dry-composting toilets, and handwashing stations. In the nearby
community of Bugonzi, a large scale rainwater harvesting system implemented at the primary
school provides water for the entire community, where previously, the water source was a
surface pond 3 km from the community. Additionally, small scale, household rainwater
harvesting systems were developed by EWB-UMN using local materials for a low cost. In Kalisizo,
a community coffee seedling nursery was expanded through a partnership between EWB-UMN
and the local Kalisizo Community Development Program, which resulted in certification by the
Uganda Coffee Development Authority. Additionally, rainwater harvesting was implemented for
the community to decrease time required to collect water and increase access to school for
children. The projects implemented through the partnership between EWB-UMN and the local
communities have resulted in improved water access, community health, school attendance,
community economic development, and knowledge transfer of sustainable practices. The cycle
of assessment, design, implementation, and monitoring has resulted in a sustainable and
successful partnership between EWB-UMN, Uganda Rural Fund, and communities in Southern
Uganda.
Project Timeline and Results Project OutcomesAbstract
Background
Future Implications
Acknowledgements
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, 3Department of Civil, Environmental and
Geological Engineering, 4School of Public Health.
Engineers Without Borders, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Danielle Chase1, Anant Naik2,
In 2007, the University of Minnesota chapter of Engineers without Borders
and an international charity, Uganda Rural Fund (URF), created a partnership
to develop a community water and health plan for communities in
southwestern, rural Uganda. Through educational and sustainable
development opportunities, URF aims to empower orphans, impoverished
youth, and women in order to fight poverty in rural Uganda. URF finds
grassroots solutions to local issues in order to improve social and economic
conditions for marginalized groups. By empowering and integrating
marginalized groups, thriving, productive, and sustainable communities can
be developed. The objective of the partnership with EWB-USA UMN was to
create a sustainable partnership for implementation of engineering projects
that would improve water supply and quality and community health. In the
typical community in this region, people must travel 2-3 km to collect water
from the closest pond. From our assessments, this water is often very
unclean with contaminants from road runoff and even animals like cows and
goats using the same water. Additionally, the time to collect water can be
prohibitive for children to attend school and for women to participate in
economic activity.
Phase I: In August 2007, EWB-USA UMN traveled to the newly constructed Hope Integrated
Academy to perform the initial project assessment. The following June, we returned to Uganda
to construct a rainwater harvesting collection, storage, and distribution system; a dry-
composting eco-sanitation system with hand washing facilities was also installed.
Phase II: In June 2009, EWB-USA UMN returned to HIA to implement the second phase of the
project: a borehole with submersible, solar-powered pump and a modification of the existing
sanitation system. Additionally, group members performed community outreach in the form of
community health assessments, community health education, point-of-use water treatment, and
a malaria prevention initiative. In communities surrounding the school, insecticide treated
mosquito nets were distributed. Community health assessments were conducted to obtain a
better understanding of water sources, water treatment methods, and hygiene and sanitation
practices.
Phase III: In June 2010, improved stoves and micro-irrigation units were implemented. An
assessment team had traveled in January to assess the feasibility of using improved stoves to
decrease child mortality due to indoor air pollution caused by cooking with solid fuels as well as
to investigate appropriate stove options. The assessment team also identified possible income
generating activities and with the input of the local women’s group found the best option to be
micro-irrigation systems for growing vegetables during the dry season when prices increase by
400%. Particle, temperature, and carbon monoxide monitoring were conducted in the
households prior to installation and after an initial acclimation period to determine the air-
quality improvement achieved by the stoves over a three-month period. Micro-irrigation kits
were implemented on a pilot scale in a small number of gardens tended to by community
members, as well HIA's garden. Community health assessments were conducted to educate
adults and students about the risks associated with exposure to wood smoke and a Clean Air
Team headed by HIA students was established. Neither the stoves or micro-irrigation systems
were expanded after the pilot programs.
Phase IV: For the dozen communities surrounding HIA, the nearest water source is often a half-
day's walk away. The burden of water collection occupies a significant portion of one's day and
falls disproportionately on women and children. The few water sources that are available are
seasonally varying and contaminated with harmful pathogens. Without a means to treat this
contaminated water, many individuals, especially young children, fall ill with waterborne
diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery. In addition to this objective evidence of need, during
previous visits and community health assessments, the community members identified a great
need for water source and water treatment interventions. began to provide the school and
surrounding community with clean water via Rainwater Harvesting. Two large concrete masonry
block tanks were constructed in Bugonzi in May-June of 2012. The system was designed for a
storage capacity of upwards of 100,000 liters of water.
Phase V: In parallel with the Bugonzi Primary School project, another team of students
developed a household scale rainwater harvesting system. This particular project was developed
to be the starting point for a small business. A team traveled in May-June of 2013 to implement
two prototypes in the Bugonzi community. The tanks developed are made of local material,
which is more cost-effective and longer-lasting than the plastic tanks that are typically used. At
the same time a second group worked to re-purpose the composting latrines into showers and
aid in the repair of the groundwater system at Hope Integrated Academy.
Phase VI: In January 2015, we implemented a rainwater harvesting system at the primary school
for the community of Kalisizo, a village of 300 families that lacks easy access to water and suffers
from a weak economy. The second phase of the project aimed to improve the economic
opportunities available in the community by expanding the coffee seedling nursery. The redesign
of the coffee seedling nursery including proper shade structure and germination beds resulted in
the certification of the nursery by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
Phase VII: In August 2016, EWB-USA UMN traveled to HIA to expand the rainwater supply at the
school after the addition of programs for orphans and more boarding students. We constructed
three 25,000 L rainwater storage tanks and installed gutters on the new buildings. This water will
provide for the school’s growing population, and as more buildings are constructed, they will be
able to take the same design and replicate it for the new buildings.
Assessment:
Determine
Viability and
Scope
Design: by
Student
Engineers and
Professional
Mentors
Implementation:
Partnership
Between Local
Community and
EWB-USA UMN
Monitoring:
Functionality of
the System and
Community
Impact
The pond where students at Hope
Integrated Academy got water before
the rainwater system was
implemented.
Students at Hope now collecting
water outside of their classroom
from a tap.
Students previously walked along
a busy road 2 km to get water
multiple times each day.
Water from the pond compared to
rainwater.
One of the household scale rainwater
collection tanks in Bugonzi.Kalisizo community development
nursery project.
Projects followed the assessment, design, implementation, and monitoring sequence. This
method allows us to improve the sustainability of international partnerships and development
initiatives.
The projects implemented have improved community health, economic
development, and empowerment. These outcomes can create a cycle of
improvement for the communities. Additionally, the development of cost-effective
and locally sourced rainwater storage tanks enable communities to continue
building these tanks as they grow and develop. The relationship between
Engineers without Borders at the University of Minnesota and Uganda Rural Fund
has created relationships that transcend nations, cultures, and language.
This project was made possible by the guidance of Dr. Capel and Dr. Simcik, in addition
to the rigorous work done by the Freshman Leadership Board within Engineers Without
Borders, University of Minnesota. We’d also like to thank the College of Science and
Engineering, Medtronic, BARR Engineering, and many donors for their generous
financial support.