SGH staff heading to Uganda for Engineers Without Borders

WALTHAM, MASS. — Tim McGrath, a senior principal at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. (SGH), traveled to Uganda this month as part of the Engineers Without Borders-Northeastern University chapter (EWB-NEU).

McGrath is the professional mentor to the team of Northeastern students that traveled to help the village of Bbanda to establish a Water Board that will lead to water system construction and then oversee the system’s operations and maintenance.

“Sustainability is the key with these types of projects,” McGrath said, noting that the Water Board’s oversight is a critical element in the project’s long-term viability. Bbanda is about four hours west of Kampala, Uganda’s capital.

This was Northeastern’s second trip to the village. During the first trip, they assessed the current water supply situation, interviewed residents, and discussed the villager’s current state of health.

The village is located “in a rural area and the people living there often spend an hour traveling to get water from a limited number of inadequate sources,” according to the EWB-NEU website. “Twenty-liter jerry cans are the most popular method of transporting water, and the villagers must make multiple trips just to have enough for their daily activities of washing, cooking, and drinking.”

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