Last week Katharine Cross covered over 500 miles of Northern Ghana on her motorbike. While a trip of this nature would be a “once in a lifetime” experience for many, it was just another week for Katharine, who has been traveling throughout the region since February promoting the “Soka” irrigation pump to rural villages.

A volunteer for Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Canada, Cross has been working with EWW Ghana to develop a market for the Soka pump in the country’s Northern Region, as well as the Upper East and Upper West Regions. “The most important aspect of our marketing program is doing demonstrations in villages that have the potential to benefit from the Soka pump,” said Cross. “Once a farmer buys the pump, we train him or her to use and maintain it, and we conduct regular follow-up visits to ensure everything is functioning correctly.”

Katharine Cross helps EWW staff conduct a Soka pump demonstration.

In addition to Cross, three other EWB Canada volunteers are currently assisting EWW projects in Africa. Brendan Baker has been working with EWW Senegal since February, and Kirsten Groody and Cameron Rout have been working with EWW Tanzania since May. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and EWB Canada’s general fundraising efforts sponsor the volunteers throughout their placement period. Several more EWB Canada volunteers are expected to join EWW projects this fall.

The EWW/EWB Canada partnership was initiated just earlier this year, but it has already proven to be a great match. “EWB Canada and EWW share a ‘people first’ approach in thinking about problems and solutions,” said Russ Groves, Director of Overseas Projects for EWB Canada. “This synergy has allowed us to bring our mutual strengths to the table with great success.”

For EWW, the partnership is a source for motivated, well-trained engineers who can provide important technical support to an EWW country office. “The volunteers are expected to step in just like any other staff member and fill an important role in the project,” said Jon Naugle, EWW’s Senior Program Officer for Africa. “For example, Brendan Baker has coordinated EWW’s potable water pilot project in Senegal. His involvement has enabled the project to really move forward.”

And for the EWB Canada volunteers, working with EWW provides a unique opportunity to use their technical training to generate positive, tangible results in the developing world.

“Sitting down with Mr. Mwakapesa and showing him the difference between making five pumps a week and hiring an extra worker to make eight pumps a week using the most basic accounting was truly rewarding,” said Rout. “His fears about using too much electricity or hiring too many people that arose from being so economically vulnerable originally made him adamant about only making five pumps, but those fears were soon dispelled and he now has the confidence to make eight pumps ‘hamna shida (no problems).’”

“It has been rewarding to meet people from the various communities and see their reaction to the Soka pump,” said Cross. “The overwhelming reaction is great joy and thankfulness that we have introduced the Soka pump to the local farmers. They discuss how they will purchase the pump; and in areas where they cannot afford the pump individually, the farmers form groups - often with no prompting from us.”

Although the four EWB Canada volunteers currently working with EWW will head back to Canada at the end of the summer, it appears they’ve made a lasting mark on EWW projects. The positive impacts stemming from their contributions will clearly continue for years to come.