About Us

Our Mission

We Build a Better World.

Engineers Without Borders USA harnesses the skills of engineers to tackle the challenges that keep the world's poorest people from living productive lives.

Engineers Without Borders USA’s (EWB-USA) International Community Program collaborates on more than 500 projects in 40 countries. These projects are driven by 275 chapters across the United States partnering directly with communities to meet their self-identified needs.

Our approach to development is based on more than blueprints and measurements; it’s based on real relationships and five-year partnerships with communities. We do more than build latrines for communities – we equip them to build and maintain latrines themselves.

Community-Driven Projects

EWB-USA’s commitment to our hundreds of partnering communities is founded upon the premise that community-driven projects result in long-lasting and sustainable infrastructure solutions. Throughout this partnership, we bring together volunteers and community members of all backgrounds and experience levels together to promote educational and leadership opportunities not typically provided in traditional academic settings.

All International Community Program projects go through a robust project process overseen by EWB-USA’s staff of Program Engineers to ensure each community’s needs are optimally met.

At every step in the project life cycle, EWB-USA reinforces the importance of health and safety with procedures that address risks inherent to global travel and implementing infrastructure projects in remote regions of the world.

Solutions

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for a community’s water, sanitation and other basic needs. The geographic, cultural and political fabric of each community we partner with is unique, which is why the engineering solutions are unique, too. We consider all of these variables to ensure the project is built to last.

We focus our technical assistance on six project types:

Water Supply

Water supply projects provide the source, storage, distribution and treatment of water for communities. Projects include wells, spring boxes, rainwater catchment systems, storage tanks and biosand filters.

Civil Works

Civil works projects improve basic public infrastructure for communities. Projects include roads, drainage, dams and erosion control.

Sanitation

Sanitation projects provide sustainable waste solutions for communities, including latrines and gray and black water systems.

Agriculture

Agriculture projects improve farming and production capabilities for communities. Projects range from irrigation systems to harvest processing.

Energy

Energy projects provide consistent, sustainable energy for communities, focusing on fuels (biofuels or cookstoves) and electricity (solar, water or grid power).

Structures

Structures projects, such as bridges and buildings, help build stable, strong foundations so communities can safely access healthcare, economic opportunities and education.

Lasting Impact

EWB-USA monitors its programs to ensure lasting impact: https://www.ewb-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016-ICP-Monitoring-Report-1.pdf