The Engineers Without Borders Society Bournemouth (EWB) welcomed Peter Cadogan, a representative of WaterAid UK, at Bournemouth University on Wednesday, as their first guest speaker of the year. The guest talk aimed to outline WaterAid’s goals and practices.

WaterAid is a non-profit organisation that works in 26 countries worldwide, including India, Nigeria, Mozambique and Nicaragua, that aims to improve the access to safe water for poor people by supporting and educating local governments and service providers. The organisation also educates countries in the importance of a hygienic lifestyle.

Peter Cadogan said that it is important to educate communities in hygiene as much as to provide them with clean water and sanitation.

“When these three factors come together, it will benefit the poor.” He described the lack of sanitation as a “taboo” in some countries.

“Better sanitation and clean water lead to better overall health of the population, which again leads to a better functioning economy and less poverty,” he added.

Mr Cadogan said: “The whole process can take a long time. Preparation for work in a community can take a year or more.

“WaterAid is approaching a community in a careful and patient way by communicating to the local people and making sure they understand why and how they receive the help they need.”

Since the non-profit organization has started their work in various countries around the world, the number of people without access to clean water has decreased by 252 million people from 1 billion to 748 million.

Mr. Cadogan said that before starting a project with a certain community, a theological survey is conducted and the details of the project are explained to the leader of the community.

He stressed, however, on the difficulties the organisation needs to overcome in some countries that lack social structure or a community leader to guide the people. “In Mozambique”, he said, giving an example, “there was no community… no structure, no leader. In cases like that, WaterAid’s partners need to first of all create a community, with which they then can decide on the future of the people in this community.”

The local communities are integrated in the process every step of a project and get involved in the executions of the plan.

EWB plan to get more guest speakers throughout the year to talk about issues around engineering and to engage students in fresh approaches to worldwide problems. The newly found society says they are going to support students in their professional and personal development by offering many hands-on opportunities.

The Engineers Without Borders Society Bournemouth is planning to support charities like WaterAid in the future through fundraising activities.