Like many others, Christopher Cleaver got involved with Engineers Without Borders UK early on in his university career.

A few years on, Chris found himself challenged to a placement, through EWB-UK, with Developing Technologies in Sierra Leone. He had two main goals:  find a low-cost solution for freshwater supply and fuel production from palm nuts, which are common agricultural waste.  We managed to catch up with Chris in between finishing off his Sierra Leonean project, just before he dashes off to his next project in Kenya. Chris selected this particular project as he found the subject matter challenging, and being an engineer mostly interested in energy and environment throughout his degree, he felt he also had the appropriate background.

But let us get back to the ‘challenge’ bit.  This is what engineering in development should be all about, says Chris: “If we want to promote development work amongst young engineers, we need to make sure that there is more awareness of the fact that young people really can make a change to other people’s lives, and there are some serious and important projects around the world to work on, such as basic infrastructure like roads, energy and water services; all the things which play a big role in a country’s development. After politicians and other decision-makers, it is the engineers who can make a true impact directly on people’s lives.”

Water...

In April 2009, Chris set off to Sierra Leone to work on abovementioned projects, one to do with water and one with bio-fuel, both for local partner organisations, Developing Technologies’ clients. The water-project entailed creating a low-cost solution for groundwater abstraction at depths of up to 30 metres. Chris’ task here was to work on machinery to make boreholes to reach groundwater. The best part of this enterprise is that the water is clean as it has already been filtered by the soil it has passed through. This process is also used in Western countries, such as the UK and France. For Sierra Leone, which sees a particularly heavy rainfall during the summer months and autumn, from May to November, this system of acquiring water could make a big impact on a large percentage of the population, especially seeing as their government aims to increase the availability to improved water sources to 65% of the population by 2015. Setting aside all the positive aspects of the project, the main problem is the cost of these schemes.  The solution to the problem is twofold: create a percussion drill and an easy-to-use, yet strong enough and reliable hand pump for a partner organisation called Rural Water Aid Sierra Leone.

The drilling technique has been around for a centuries but has not been implemented widely for water boreholes and, until the local organisation started 3 years ago, was rare in Sierra Leone.  Chris’ work  existed mainly of  upgrading an existing rig: modifying the metal frames in a welding shop and installing a new petrol engine and pulley, making it light-weight so it could be broken into 3 parts and transported to areas off-road. Once this was done Chris helped Rural Water Aid to make its own hand pumps.  He chose to focus on a type of pump called ‘Rope and Washer pump’ that he’d learnt about with EWB-UK, following a design off the Internet. He bought  all the parts locally and fabricating it in a workshop.

To ensure the sustainability of the project Chris has also organised a day-long practical seminar that gave people from about 15 agencies a chance to have a go with the technologies. This workshop was a success and Chris hopes it will lead to more work for Rural Water Aid and also stimulate others to go on and use the methods.  Later in the year, WaterAid will be visiting the same area, which could perhaps lead to a partnership with Rural Water Aid Sierra Leone, in order to facilitate the creation of more hand pumps.

and oil.

Chris’ second project was all about making biodiesel from palm nuts. Palm trees are very common in Sierra Leone, and they produce a small orange/red fruit that people squeeze to get out its oil, and inside each, a nut from which oil can be expelled. “The biodiesel reaction then involves bringing together this fairly thick oil with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, and ‘BANG’ you can get runny biodiesel and very thick glycerine which are easily separated by gravity”, says Chris. The nuts normally go to waste anyway, so perhaps this could provide a solution for the very heated ongoing debate about biodiesel made from other crops which can be used for food. The project entailed the creation of a small production plant for a community-based organisation, which helps farmers to mechanise and increase their yield and get income. “Diesel is needed as part of this, and the organisation wants to provide it on loan, at low cost, whilst keeping money circulating around the local economy”, adds Chris, who worked with the CBO's director, a chemistry teacher, to test out the production process, in order to create publishable data for the optimal production of this diesel.

By the time of Chris’ departure, approximately two-thirds of the plant was completed. The rest of the work is left with the CBO’s director, who is very keen to complete the project. A five-year plan has also been set up to monitor the income and expenditure of the production.

What’s next?

Next on Chris’ agenda is another project through EWB-UK, this time with Global Village Energy Partnership to increase the availability of sustainable, affordable and appropriate energy services to those un-served or underserved in rural and peripheral areas of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Chris will be mostly involved in monitoring the small energy enterprises and research.