EWB and RASD



EWB, RASD, & IYVS

The Duke Engineers Without Borders in partnership with

Rural Agency for Sustainable Development &

The International Youth Volunteerism Summit (2007)

Background

The Rural Agency for Sustainable Development (RASD) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) formed by concerned people in Nkokonjeru with the aim of alleviating poverty among the villagers of the Mukono and Kayunga districts. Duke Engineers Without Borders (EWB) traveled to Uganda in May 2006 to meet with RASD leaders. They highlighted to Duke EWB that many of the problems in areas such as sanitation, deforestation, and poverty can be attributed primarily to ignorance and lack of information. To this end, they have held seminars on proper practices, gone community to community with informational posters and presentations, and begun constructing a resource and training center in Nkokonjeru. However, with the downturn in vanilla prices and their only source of funding coming from members contributing their own earnings, the center remains unfinished.

The Project

We propose the completion of the RASD center to provide a workspace for IYVS students and educational space for the people of Mukono and Kayunga. The RASD center will provide educational opportunities to anyone in the community to improve their quality of life. The center will provide: a library for technical education; computer resources (refurbished computers and eventually satellite internet access); tools and training to learn skills such as carpentry, mechanics, and sewing. And while much education comes from information, RASD has found that the best way to teach someone is by allowing them to see it in action and do it themselves. As such the center will have demonstration plots of sustainable techniques including: seed selection and proper planting demonstrations; sanitation and latrine construction; and demonstration water treatment and rain-water catchment techniques. Currently the foundation and some of the walls have been finished, and one section has a roof. The building is in need of complete roofing, windows, and many other interior and exterior features before it will be functional. We invite anyone to be a partner in this effort. Funding would be used in the critical first step of funding the timber and roofing costs (see detailed budget on back).

Benefits for Both Organizations

• Provide an abroad research laboratory for IYVS students to work on projects in sustainable engineering, water resources / treatment, or other projects on the frontiers of engineering and social / health sciences. Thus, providing them the ability to test the economic, social, and technological factors, governing the overall viability of their research product in a real world application.

• Provide a home base for Duke Engineers Without Borders projects in East Africa.

• Increase IYVS’ involvement in the international community and provide opportunities for undergraduates to work with professionals.

• Help the area surrounding the RASD center immensely by giving people the tools and education necessary to better their situation.

RASD Center Budget Outline

Cost in Uganda Shillings Cost in US Dollars

Construction Costs

Roofing and Timber 4,652,500 $2500

Flooring

Cement (40 bags) 20,000 $11.05

Sand 90,000 $49.72

Aggregate for floors 40,000 $22.10

Walls

Plaster and Sanding 900,000 $497.28

35 bags cement per room 2,000,000 $1,105.00

Miscellaneous

9 doors 1,800,000 $994.46

Nails 110,000 $60.77

Interior paint 240,000 $132.60

Chairs and Furniture

Carpentry trainer for 3 months 2,250,000 $1,243.09

Wood supplies 1,500,000 $828.73

Exterior

Gutters (all buildings) 150,000 $82.87

Labor for gutters 50,000 $27.62

10 Jerrycans of paint 400,000 $220.95

Windows and Labor

Windows (with shutters) 960,000 $530.39

Labor for windows 1,500,000 $828.73

_______________ ____________

Total Construction Cost 17,212,500 $9,510

Furnishing Items:

• 25 Refurbished computers and/or laptops

• Computer training manuals

• Carpentry Tools

• Copy Machines

• Type-writers

• Sewing Machines

• Solar panels

• Technical Books

• Printers

• Laminators for posters

• Mosquito nets

• Canning machinery

NOTE: This budget was made in several meetings in May between Ben Abram, Lee Pearson, and Ignatius Bwoogi (president of RASD) and four other core leaders of RASD. The prices are estimates, but are based on phone calls to local suppliers and RASD members past experience in building projects for their own homes and other dealings. The list of furnishing items for the center was drawn up in these meetings as well, and this semester a sophomore engineering student, Katie Rudd, is leading our efforts to get these items donated or at deeply discounted rates. Already Project Sky has tentatively agreed to donate refurbished computers for the center.

The conversion rate at the time of this writing from Ugandan Shillings to US Dollars was: 1810 UGX = 1 USD

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Duke EWB members Lee Pearson and Benjamin Abram with RASD leaders in front of the unfinished center.

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