Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA) is committed to ongoing learning. Our programs evolve as we gain new perspectives, which allows us to better serve the communities where we work.
One way we continue to learn and evolve is through our impact studies. Not only do these studies allow us to better our programs, but they also allow us to see unexpected results in the communities where we work.
After EWB-USA helped implement a latrine and handwashing station in San Claudio, Nicaragua, we returned to see how the system was functioning and benefiting the community.
Pride and Participation
As anticipated and hoped for, we found the San Claudio water and sanitation systems in working order. However, we were surprised to discover some of the ways our project impacted the social fabric of the town.
School leaders in San Claudio shared that they previously struggled to get the community involved in school improvement projects. But after community members helped build the sanitation system, people began volunteering their time to clean the grounds at the school.
They said that there was a new-found sense of pride within the community as residents from nearby towns came to see the project and find inspiration from their work.
We also spoke to community leaders in La Pintada, Nicaragua, where EWB-USA implemented an improved water system. They said they see more participation in community meetings and more discussions about improvement projects in the town.
At EWB-USA, we work side-by-side with our community partners to design infrastructure that will serve them far the future. However, we were surprised to learn how our Nicaragua projects generated an interest in more community-driven projects.
Surprises like these bring extra excitement to our impact studies. They also allow us to further enhance our approach to projects.
Read the Report
Don’t settle for just a snapshot — there are many more great details to share about the findings from the Nicaragua impact study. Check out the full Nicaragua Impact Review report on EWB-USA’s Impact page.