Service Learning for Sustainable Development

1. Service Learning for Sustainable Development CPHI Retreat Water and Public Health December 2, 2010

2. Community Impact: Global Water Crisis • 1.1 billion people worldwide have inadequate access to clean water • 2.6 billion people worldwide have inadequate access to sanitation • 1.8 million child deaths occur each year as a result of diarrhea

3. Opportunities • Communities in developing countries benefit from shared resources beyond their borders • Students from the U.S. benefit from global engagement in a cross cultural setting

4. Different Goals • Primary goal for community is to improve health with a sustainable water and sanitation system • Primary goal for students and the sponsoring academic institution is a global education • How can these goals be achieved with a positive outcome for everyone involved? • Water supply more amenable to merging goals than other community development projects

5. What’s Needed? - Initially • Request for assistance from an established NGO working in community • Proposed project small enough in scale • Community willing to contribute their own resources

6. What’s Needed? - Preparation Preparation and Groundwork for Community and students before implementation: • Assessment trip to understand design constraints and begin relationship • Preparation of a Memo of Understanding outlining roles and commitments • Community needs to organize its leadership and resources for long term sustainability • Students need to participate in design and learn about cultural context in a course

7. What’s Needed? - Implementation • NGO critical • Students need to be hosted in community • Daily communication at all stages • Sharing of technical design attributes

8. What’s Needed? – Follow-up • Community needs technical oversight from NGO’s representative in communication with Mentor/student team to complete project • Students need to provide feedback on their experience and the opportunity to learn on impact of design • Should be independent evaluation of project after complete and operating.

9. Mission & Objectives • Mission: • Improve the quality of life for individuals and communities in the developing world through sustainable technology and engineering, and through engaging students in learning about and service to civil society. • Program Objectives: • Teach students about the challenges in the developing world and the role that appropriate technology and sustainable engineering plays in this setting. • 2. Work closely with local communities to responsibly provide useful technical solutions to individuals and communities in the developing world.

10. Organization • SEAS Community Technology and Outreach Initiatives “office” • Local initiatives • Global initiatives • Departmental and faculty involvement • Teaching • Leading field projects • Student organizations • Integral to the learning and projects model • Student leadership experiences • Oversight and administration • SEAS Office of Academic Programs/Associate Dean • Faculty Advisory Committee • Director • Staff

11. Projects • Clean water delivery & sanitation systems Honduras 2006-present Cameroon 2007-present India 2009-present Guatemala 2009-present

12. Problem Solving/Learning EAS 296 - Sustainable Development in Cameroon • EAS 297 - Sustainable Development: Technology for Water & Sanitation

13. Classroom Preparation - Engineering Engineering for Rural Water and Sanitation Water demand and supply; Public health Spring Development and Protection Engineering for Sustainable Development Appropriate Technology in International Development Practical Field Engineering

14. Classroom Preparation - Cameroon Orientation Presentation by Travel Medicine Review of Cameroon history and culture with focus on Kob-Tudig region Meta language Team work in cross-cultural setting

15. Academic Deliverables • Homeworks • System Design • On-the-ground experience • Daily journal • Capstone Project

16. Community Impact Infrastructure Education Health and Livelihood - Dramatic increase in clean water availability - Perceivably decreased soil erosion and increased quality of environment - Improved communication capabilities and access to information - Increased access to information and educational resources - Inspired greater desire to complete education and to advance to senior secondary schooling and beyond - Reduced incidence of waterborne diseases in the community - Reduced time used for water hauling, increasing time available for productive tasks - Increased individuals’ ambulatory ability leading to happier and more productive living

17. Key factors to success • Strong NGO • Guidance and clear leadership of project mentors • Committed community. But how to gauge that from the beginning? • Long-term commitment to community, NGO • Ability, willingness to revise project tracking methodology on-the-fly

18. Conclusions • Community and students have an exciting, sometimes life-changing exchange – many say time too short • Sustainable projects are possible but there is a risk of failure if NGO is not able to cover for the time student/mentor team is not present • Academic institution needs to have a long-term program both for students and communities