Summer Placements 2010

Applications for the Summer 2010 Placements are now CLOSED

 

PumpEngineers Without Borders UK works to relieve poverty around the world. We can now offer placement opportunities for 30 volunteers to work with 17 project partners in 14 countries.

Our partners are dedicated to reducing poverty through the use of engineering and appropriate technology - and we are delighted to be supporting their work.

As an EWB-UK volunteer you can help by contributing your own energy, creativity and skills. If you are interested, then read on...

What is volunteering with EWB-UK like? Take a look at our case studies.

 

Pre-departure training courseInterviews will be held on the weekends of 10th-11th April and the 17-18th April. You will be informed by the 30th March if you are going to be called for interview, and you may be interviewed for more than one placement.

All placement volunteers must attend our residential pre-departure training course from 21st-25th June, which covers safety, security, health, basic first aid and vital development methodologies.

 

Summer Placements 2010 Summary:

Experience criteria:

Placements are categorised according to the amount of overseas experience that is required:
'No prior experience needed':generally suitable for people with little or no prior experience of international development projects
'Prior experience needed':some previous experience of volunteering or working overseas, particularly in less developed countries, or other extensive overseas travel experience

The level of engineering experience required is detailed in the placement specific requirements.

12 month Placements:

Partner: SIBAT - Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya - Philippines.
Title: Community-based renewable energy systems.
Start: 1st July 2010.
Outline: One 12 month placement with SIBAT, a Filipino non-governmental organisation developing and installing community-based renewable energy systems, including micro-hydro systems, solar PV water pumps and wind turbines.
 

6 month Placements:

Partner: CRT - Centre for Rural Technology Nepal - Nepal.
Title: Develop a carbon trading programme for improved cook stove technology.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: One 6 month placement to design, develop and implement a sound carbon trading & biomass programme, primarily concerned with improved cook stove and gasifier technology.

Partner: GVEP - Global Village Energy Partnership - Kenya.
Title: Developing Energy Enterprises Project, East Africa.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: One 6 month placement supporting GVEP International’s project to increase the availability and quality of energy products and services in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda through the development of micro and small energy enterprises.

Partner: LIRE - Lao Institute for Renewable Energy - Laos PDR.
Title: Research into Rural Energy and Water.
Start date: 1 July 2010.
Outline: One 6 month placement which encompasses rural bio-fuel generation, gasification of crop residues, software development for hybrid electricity grids, and development of rural water purification systems. The project will also involve collaboration with a local renewable energy provider, Sunlabob.

Partner: PiD - Partners in Development - South Africa.
Title: Sustaining rope and washer pumps.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: "Improving the sustainability and reliability of family-centred water supply in the remote parts of Maputaland, South Africa. Manage and evaluate a shallow well rope pump project, upgrade current pump design where necessary. Potential additional work on other projects.

Partner: PRODECI - Ecuador.
Title: Assistance in the Design and Construction of Built Infrastructure and/or Clean Water Supply Projects in rural Communities of Northern Ecuador.
Start Date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Providing engineering assistance for the delivery of clean water supply projects, in sub-tropical rural communities of Imbabura Province, Northern Ecuador.

Partner: RUCHI - Rural Centre for Human Interests - India.
Title: Bandh Model Rainwater Village.
Start date: 6th September 2010.
Outline: Improve access to water and basic hygiene facilities by helping to design and construct rainwater tanks to provide safe clean water for the rural community.

Partner: Shelter Centre - Switzerland.
Title: Resources research and dissemination.
Start date: 6th September 2010.
Outline: Two 6 month placements working with Shelter Centre assisting on one of a number of projects.
 

3 month Placements:

Partner: Aptivate - UK.
Title: Software development; web technologies development; research and information dissemination.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Work on power, bandwidth or data projects; to help network operators and ICT users make the most of their limited resources in less-developed countries.

Partner: ARTI - Appropriate Rural Technology Institute - India.
Title: Rural energy production from biogas.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Technology transfer for income generation and quality of life amongst rural communities, with a focus on sustainability. Research & development to investigate the effectiveness of biogas and/or steam based electricity generating systems.

Partner: Energy Forum - Sri Lanka.
Title: Improve effciency of electrical power generators.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Help improve the efficiency of electrical power generators (biogas or petrol/kerosene) used to power cooking appliances in off-grid villages in Sri Lanka.

Partner: Energy Forum - Sri Lanka.
Title: Introducing bio-mass digesters.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Help supply urban communities in Sri Lanka with a source of cheaper and less polluting cooking fuel through the introduction of digesters to convert bio-mass to bio-fuel.

Partner: KOBE - Kenya.
Title: Improvements to the mass production of stabilised soil blocks
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Working with a non-profit technology transfer organisation to develop and test a system for mass production of stabilised soil blocks.

Partner: MSABI - Tanzania.
Title: Survey and suggest improvement to rope and washer pump installation.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Conducting a survey of existing rope pump installations. The survey will include the different models and design of rope pump used by the community. Once the survey is complete the volunteers will identify areas of improvement where applicable.

Partner: RASD - Rural Agency for Sustainable Development - Uganda.
Title: Assessment of coffee farmers’ productivity and potential to improve agricultural output and value of product in the Mukono District.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Assessment of coffee farmers’ productivity and potential for improvements to agricultural output, including a feasibility study into export opportunities and establishment of a demonstration plot for sustainable coffee productionoutput through a feasibility study into export opportunities and establishment of a demonstration plot for sustainable coffee production.

Partner: REDES - El Salvador.
Project title: Investigation into housing and sanitation in rural communities of El Salvador.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Two 3 month placements working with a small organsation, to carry out surveys, assessments and then make recommendations on housing, sanitation and social projects in rural communities in El Salvador.

Partner: RUCHI - Rural Centre for Human Interests - India.
Title: Bandh Sewage and Sanitation Plan.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Help develop a sewage and sanitation strategic plan for the town of Baddi Sandholi, addressing the issues of excess surface water, lack of public toilets, blockages from waste disposal and flooding.

Partner: SELCO - India.
Title: Food dehydrator anti Paddy de-husking tool.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Working with a social enterprise to research, develop and trial a prototype food dehydrator and Paddy de-husking tool. The project partner was a 2007 winner of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy.

Partner: Shelter Associates - India.
Title: GIS analysis of Slums.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Consolidation of survey and mapping data for slum areas in the cities of Maharashtra. The data is used to help provide government slum development plans (housing, sanitation etc) with baseline information.

Partner: Shelter Associates - India.
Title: Integrating GIS data into website.
Start date: 1st July 2010.
Outline: Integration of survey and mapping data for slum areas in the cities of Maharashtra onto the Shelter Associates website through the use of Google Earth.

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