EIA Bridge Build in Eswatini, Africa

I have two purposes in life! The first is teaching! The second is helping communities with structural engineering! Connecting a developing community to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity is the best way I know to give back for all the opportunities I have had in my life. Bridge building is a beautiful way to connect a community to opportunity!

 

Unfortunately, as a youth instructor for climbing and snowboarding, my teaching income is not enough to fundraise for the Engineers in Action (EIA) Sibonelo footbridge project in Misambama, Eswatini. This is why I need your help!

 

This June, I will be graduating with a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a focus in Structures. I will be applying the technical knowledge I learned at the UW and in the EIA courses I have taken. I am also fortunate enough to apply what I learned in the water intake, field drainage, and compostable latrine projects I was a part of with Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in Nicaragua and Guatemala. The last skill I will be applying are my soccer moves. Village kids love to learn how to step over, rainbow, and maradona! I can guarantee that my team will sneak in a couple pass-return-passes before we send a cheeky floater over the keeper.

 

 

Here is a picture EWB UW Chapter’s little helper contributing to the compostable latrine project in Nicaragua!

 

From July 16 to August 28th, I will hopefully have raised enough to travel with McGill University and Western University to Misambama, Eswatini. Even though the region is bustling with life, the Mpaiha river blocks access to the Godloza, Kuhlaleni, and Kagwegwe village schools, clinics, and markets. Because the nearest all-weather crossing point is 2 km away, villagers resort to crossing the river on foot where injury and death is probable. Sometimes crossing is not possible during the rainy season as floods last for an average of 3 days. Not being able to cross the Mpaiha river means these farming villages struggle delivering crops before they spoil. With your contributions, 7000 people would be directly served, transforming Misambama into a safe and thriving region.

 

To give you an idea of the impact of past financial contributions, here are previous Eswatini Bridge builds done by various university teams. From top to bottom:

 

Lubanjiswan, People served: 1500;

Mbhonconco, People served: 300

Mhlathuze Madwaleni, People served: 1500

 

 

 

 

 

All EIA footbridges (including the three above) have resulted in:

 

12% increase in children enrolled in school

18% increase in healthcare treatment

20% economic return on investment

(compared to 4-8% standard market rate)

 

That being said, footbridges are expensive to coordinate and build. EIA, a small non-profit, requires its helpers to contribute an initial $3125 for project-related expenses that go towards:

 

- Surveys

- Transportation to and from site

- Materials and Delivery

- Tools

- Laborers

 

Adding the $1715 round trip cost to and from the US and Eswatini adds up to a total of $4840. However, this does not include my necessary vaccinations, travel insurance, food, and lodging that I will be paying for.

 

Besides winning many soccer games in Eswatini, my goal is to help students start an EIA UW chapter to develop engineering and global development skills. This bridge build is the first step in my journey!