EWBUCT: Who are we? The Beginning
EWB began in 2005. After a slow start doing basic administrative groundwork, the organisation has grown enormously over the past years. In 2010 it has really taken off, now having almost 600 members and running multiple projects throughout the year.
EWB UCT was initiated as a response to the inaccessibility of engineering and design solutions in impoverished parts of Cape Town. The group began in order to allow students to offer pro-bono services in areas where the funds for professional expertise are not available. As few outlets exist for engineers to ‘give back’ or address social injustices directly, EWB UCT sees itself as a means by which students can share their privilege and skills.
The inspiration for EWB UCT, the first of its kind in South Africa, is similar organisations in other countries, such as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, which have been running numerous successful engineering projects across the world for the past decade. While there is no official affiliation between the various organisations, there is collaboration and a similar structure and business model is shared. Both EWB USA and EWB UK are currently running projects in South African communities and have approached EWB UCT for collaboration.
The Mission
The purpose of Engineers without Borders UCT is to create a platform for students from the Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE) Faculty (including architects, urban designers and city planners) whereby the skills acquired through study can be applied to real-world problems in underserviced communities. EWB UCT serves the dual purpose of making engineering and design a medium through which the pressing issues of poverty and climate change are tackled, while simultaneously instilling socially conscious behaviour into the work practice of students.
While EWB UCT originally began as a service organisation, students and faculty have become increasingly more interested in using engineering and design as tools for sustainable development. While service projects are still undertaken by students who cannot commit more than a few hours per semester to the organisation, long term projects that address socio-structural issues are also taken on and topics such as long term accountability, continued maintenance and management are addressed.
The Organisation
EWB’s strength lies in it being a networking body. The relationships between our vaious stakeholders form the backbone and sustainability of our organisation. We see ourselves as the link between communities, engineering students, engineering professionals and UCT academics. In the spirit of interconnectivity, we are interdiciplinary and span through the entire EBE faculty, connecting all departments and all years of study – from first year to doctoral postgraduate. Through this network EBE students will enrich their degrees and gain from the knowledge of others.
While EWB UCT is completely student run, partnerships with the University of Cape Town, the EBE faculty and academic staff are essential to the ongoing success of the organisation. Several projects have been done in conjunction with SHAWCO Health and the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Development Bank of Southern Africa has generously sponsored the projects run in 2010, while a new partnership with the Young Professionals Forum will focus on the hosting of educational and development events.
Our Values
community partnership
One of the fundamental principles of EWB UCT is community partnerships. This is expressed through the commitment to thorough contextual analysis before embarking upon design projects, as well as continued engagement with the communities wherein we work throughout the implementation process.
social consciousness
EWB UCT is fully committed to sending only well informed, socially aware, and competent students into the field. This means that additional training, translators, contextual analysis and literature reviews are necessary to get all the students ready for this experience and ‘on the same page’ with regards to the social, economic, and environmental issues they might, by virtue of the complexity of the city, have never been exposed to.
EWBUCT Committee 2013
| Position
|
Name and year of study in 2013
|
contact number |
e-mail address
|
|
Chair
|
Matthew Docherty: 4th year BSc Mechanical Engineering
|
082 350 3153
|
matt.surrealworld@gmail.com |
|
Secretary and Faculty Liason
|
Penelope Yaguma: 3rd year Bsc Electrical and Computer Engineering
|
076 802 0217 |
penlopey@yahoo.com
|
|
Treasurer
|
to be announced
|
|
|
|
Marketing
|
Makgabo Moloto: 4th year BSc Chemical Engineering
|
078 477 8771
|
makgabomoloto@yahoo.com
|
|
Events Coordinator
|
Nonhlelo Mathunjwa: 3rd year Electrical and Computer Engineering
|
079 381 3464 |
nonhlelo.mkholo@gmail.com |
|
Administrative Officer
|
Avashen Pather: 4th year Bsc Electrical Engineering
|
073 543 4717 |
avashen.pather@gmail.com |
|
Project Coordinator
|
Rowan Nicholls: 3rd year Bsc Electro-mechanical Engineering
|
076 336 7900 |
rowan.charles.nicholls@gmail.com |
|
Corporate Relations and Sponsorship
|
Kashir Singh: 4th year BSc Mechanical Engineering
|
073 476 9537 |
kashir.singh@gmail.com |
|
PL: Township Caterers Project
|
Nwabisa Ondela Mabusela
|
082
691 5191
|
mbsnwa001@myuct.ac.za
|
|
PL: Biodigester Project
|
Steven Nkadimeng
|
072 985
6956
|
steven.nkadimeng@uct.ac.za
|
|
PL: Schools development
|
2012 Birte Toussaint
2013 Graeme Paul
|
078 290 5427
073 311 9664
|
toussaint.birte@gmail.com
gr.paul01@gmail.com
|
|
PL:Container Conversion
|
Cannelle Tefoung
|
084 326 9731
|
mtncan001@myuct.ac.za
|
|
PL:Solar Heater
|
Alfred Waligo
|
076 185 2723
|
alfy1502@gmail.com
|
|
PL:Windevoel Vlei
|
Zinwe Ngculu
|
073
772 4269
|
ngczin003@myuct.ac.za
|
|
PL: Flood Prevention Manual
|
Rumbidzaishe Hove
|
079
089 7001
|
hvxrum002@myuct.ac.za |
|
PL: Low-Cost Fencing
|
Mashudu Makhado
|
079 546
2053 |
mkhmas018@myuct.ac.za |
|
PL:BBCDC: Lesotho
|
Proposed:
Clement Mohapi |
071
719 1960 |
mhpcle001@myuct.ac.za
|
|
