EWB-WYO Student Chapter

EWB-WYO Student Chapter Guatemala Project

January 14, 2008 - December 2007 marked the beginning of the Guatemala project for the Engineers Without Borders—Wyoming (EWB–WYO) student chapter. Students arrived in Panabaj, Guatemala last month to assist villagers with a relocation project.

The village of Panabaj, Guatemala was destroyed by mudslides in 2005. Villagers still live next to the site of the village in primitive temporary housing. Due to the hazards of continued mudslide activity, the villagers are being relocated to a safer location as recommended by the federal government. Through the University of Wyoming’s relationship with the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, the EWB-WYO embarked on a project to build vocational buildings on the new site.

The new vocational technical school will host six classrooms for 150 grade school students, two workrooms for trade activities such as carpentry and welding, and a computer laboratory that will hold 10 computers and two printers. The school will provide vital education and trade skills for the younger children and provide instruction on improved production and marketing strategies for the adults. In addition, the new vocational school will bring the community together and provide a sense of stability in their new location.

Projected costs of the vocational technical school are close to $52,000, including materials for the building and tools. Costs for EWB-WYO students to travel to Guatemala estimate $17,000 including airfare and food.

Support for this project is critical. There are several ways you can help:
• Donate frequent flier miles to help reduce travel costs.
• Support the project and UW students with your tax-
deductible donation.

Please mail donations to the following address. Checks can be made payable to the UW Foundation with a notation that the donation is for the EWB-WYO project.

University of Wyoming
College of Engineering and Applied Science
Attn: Development and Communications
Dept. 3295, 1000 E. University Avenue
Laramie, Wyoming 82071

If you have any questions about the EWB-WYO Guatemala project please contact Dick Schmidt, Advisor to the International Engineering Club at (307) 766-4253, or Sherrie Merrow, Director of Development and Communications, at (307) 766-2619 or visit us on the web at www.eng.uwyo.edu/international.