Engineers Without Borders helps Cambodia

By Luke Shaffer



Fresno State students give classes at the National Technical
Training Institute in Cambodia. Cambodia students learn the
basic function of wind turbines. Courtesy of Jameson Schwab



Twelve-to-16 Fresno State engineering students annually travel oversees to support community-driven development programs and help poor communities become more industrialized.

“Engineers Without Borders really opened my eyes to the world and gave me an experience that I will never forget,” Fresno State student Jameson Schwab said.

EWB-USA sends a team of students from Fresno State every year to Cambodia to construct a project. This year in December, 10 students will be sent to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

“Our role for this semester and project is to design, prototype, build and test a vertical access wind turbine,” Carson Schafer, Fresno State mechanical engineer and leading mechanical officer for EWB-USA, said. “We will then teach the Cambodian students [at the National Technical Training Institute] how to use it and the basic functions behind the concept of the wind turbine.”

Fresno State engineering student and EWB-USA President Daisy Manivong hopes that in addition to helping Cambodian villages improve their lifestyle by providing electricity, the engineering program will continue to thrive and improve other communities.

Manivong added that she perceives EWB-USA as a club that opens up opportunities to all Fresno State students.

“Since my freshman year I have been involved in the organization and my goal is to continually keep the club going because it benefits not only engineer students, but other majors as well,” Manivong said.

In December EWB-USA will be sending a team of students comprised of mechanical, electrical and civil engineers who will travel to Cambodia to construct a wind turbine.

“I hope we end up with a good team that goes to Cambodia and does the project well,” Manivong added.

“Fresno State students will benefit from this program by not only learning,” Manivong said. “They will be able to take [that knowledge] to their fields.” Manivong encourages all students to get involved in EWB-USA.

Fresno State professor Michael Jenkins said Associated Students, Inc., contributes from $10,000 to $15,000 through the Student Instructionally Related Activities program to EWB-USA.

“Our main challenge is funding and getting support from sponsors. But we’ve been helped by IRA a lot,” added Manivong.

Another challenge for EWB-USA is language barriers. This challenge is through training, language and cultural classes.

“The impact we made as a group in Cambodia will always be something I can be proud of,” Schwab said “Knowing we helped other students and showed them new things is something this organization has done for the past few years and will keep doing for years to come.”