Case of the P.T.A.

The people of Kenya's Usalama community and EWB-NY have reestablished their partnership and are again working together to use engineering (and architectural!) know-how to solve community issues.

As previous posts have indicated, the community has outgrown the local school and is eager to not only expand but also improve its existing facilities. EWB-NY's Usalama project team sent four of its members to Usalama from late May to early June to gain an intimate understanding of this latest project. The community has shared with us its vision for the school's future and it's now our turn to determine a feasible solution.

To that end, and with all team members back Stateside, the entire team's working on:

1. Creating a plan of the existing school grounds
2. Writing an assessment report
3. Uploading trip photos and videos online
4. Presenting to our donors and the EWB-NY chapter our trip findings
5. Assembling a subcommittee for the water project
6. Researching:

• Latrines (composting and sustainable) and their materials
• Rain catchment systems: methods, materials, and maintenance
• Solar panel manufacturers based in Nairobi, Mombasa, and elsewhere in Kenya

And there's as much to write about as there is work to do. So, in the following weeks we'll introduce you to key members of this school improvement project, both here in New York and in Usalama, share stories from the trip, and unveil plans for the school's future. We'll also provide an update on the project that began our relationship with the Usamala community: the water project. []