International Opportunities in Engineering
Students, Alumni, Professors & Professionals Needed
Have you always wanted to apply your engineering skills to challenges in the developing world? We need you!
NEPAL: Renewable Energy - Electrical, Mechanical & Chemical Engineers needed
This ground breaking renewable energy organization needs electrical engineers to help with solar projects;
chemical engineers to help with bio-gas and mechanical engineers to help design systems.
The organization is both very scientific and practical.
Help with feasibility studies, installation & educating Nepali's how renewable energy works.
PALESTINE: Renewable Energy - Engineers, electricians and practical skills needed
We get many requests to work in the Middle East so we now have this exciting new opportunity.
Like work in Nepal, you would be installing & repairing solar; assessing if wind is feasible; and even helping with water.
The org was launched by 2 Israeli physicists so is run by both Israelis and Palestinians.
They are not as insistent that you be an engineer
as photovoltaic electricians and people with strong practical and analytical skills are equally valued.
Because of the conflict, this placement has more political ramifications.
INDIA: many kinds of Engineering - ideal if you can work in several of their projects
This Gandhian school & community in the beautiful state of Kerala - "The Garden State" of India -
has launched some fascinating new work in engineering:
~ RENEWABLE ENERGY: evaluate houses/office buildings about their energy usage and recommend how to reduce energy usages. Promote affordable alternative energy sources for householders - micro-solar device.
~ COOK STOVES: come educate and install fuel efficient stoves (to reduce wood fires)
~ WATER: much of India has fecal water. Work in water harvesting, ground water recharging, repairing/maintaining existing water harvesting/filtering structures.
~ INVENTIONS: it has a fascinating technology unit. A la Gandhi's vision that people in the rural areas finding ways of making a living rather than flood to the slums of the big cities, they invent things that will be of use in India.
E.g. rice thresher; a mechanical way of bringing in fishing nets; chicken pens.
If you love inventing and building useful devices, they would love to have you develop new ideas and help build them!
~ IT: They would like people with a strong background in computers to teach their staff and community college students new developments and technologies. (It is important that you not talk over their heads, but ascertain their skill level.)
CARIBBEAN: Renewable Energy
Environmental organization in Caribbean would like people that can help launch bio-digestor
and/or help convert their recycling truck to bio-diesel. These challenges are well suited to chemical engineers
but people knowledgeable about anaerobic digestion and/or bio-diesel are welcome. Come help!
Engineering students have found us on their own and loved tutoring in science & math in Uganda & Peru.
We would love your help!
UGANDA: Secondary School - Physics, Chemistry, Math, and/or Biology
Do you excel in Physics, Chemistry, Math, and/or Biology?
Can you explain one or several of these sciences to others? If so, then we need you!
President Museveni skims money off the top so little goes towards education in Uganda.
Teachers in the government schools are not paid, so they don't come to work.
Private citizens, though penniless, have started schools.
Our school is just packed: 40 - 70 kids to a classroom!
We need both tutors to give more 1-to-1 attention to determine if students follow what is going on in class;
and we need anyone that would like to lead the class. You do not need experience or credentials in teaching. Come help!
PERU: Tutoring Youth and/or Children - Spanish fluency helpful
Families come from the alti-plano - the highlands - to the cities looking for work. Usually there is none so the kids shine shoes to support the family. This Peruvian director set up this program so kids would not shine shoes their entire life.
The push for academic excellence is so that they will have a brighter future. Come help in math & science!
This program is located in spectacular mountains - I would say as magnificent as the Himalayas.
HONDURAS: Literacy, Laptops & STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
Dynamic organization has launched a science and computer enrichment program.
The director said: "I woke up one day and realized our kids are being left behind.
We now have a huge push to help kids read; learn to use laptops; and to be able to grasp the sciences."
If you can impart your love of the sciences, engineering or IT and can speak Spanish, we need you here!
SYRIAN REFUGEE SCHOOL IN LEBANON: Mechanical & Electrical Engineers & Physics majors
I have never seen kids so engaged and excited!
A Syrian mechanical engineer has created a hands-on Applied Science class with an emphasis on electricity.
This class is then the prerequisite to the Inventions class.
They would love mechanical & electrical engineers & physics majors
to add new dimensions to their curriculum, hands on learning and mentoring.
MIDDLE EAST: Hydrology
Water is a very precious commodity in the Middle East so a very good place to learn about it.
This is an opportunity to get excellent experience with a team that is both scholarly (PhDs) and practical too:
decrease pollution of water; increase water supply; rehabilitate springs; harvest rain water; recycle water;
use gray water for irrigation; improve/ upgrade pipes; do research; and do environmental assessments.
This is great for environmental or civil engineers or students that have a focus on water & waste water.
AFRICA: Water & Sanitation Engineering - Environmental Engineering
More people in Africa die of fecal water than die of AIDS.
We have several places in Africa that would love your help in teaching communities how to filter and purify their water;
teach how to build a simple sand filter and the various ways to make potable water;
how to build a sanitary latrine and place the latrine far from their water source;
and the importance of good hygiene. (We can teach you about WASH - water & sanitation & hygiene - if necessary)
BOLIVIA: Civil engineers
Work with Bolivian civil engineers to design clinics, schools, roads & airports in remote, under-served parts of Bolivia.
Once you get to Bolivia, you will see how life changing infrastructure is in the remote areas. Spanish fluency is important.
UGANDA: Construction & Renewable Energy
This extraordinary organization is building decent homes for people living in the slums.
With each new home comes a solar panel on the roof for power and bio-gas digester for sewage and cooking fuel.
They would like engineers to oversee construction, help with installation of solar & biogas
and teaching home owners how renewable energy works and what they have to do to maintain. Come help!
LEBANON: Computer programmers and coders
This innovative Lebanese school that works with Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese youth
who love people that can teach their kids to code!
Interested?
HOW TO APPLY
Please read NGOabroad website
and BRIEFLY answer Questionnaire
and embed with your resume in the body of an email to:
These are volunteer opportunities.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
You can usually pick your start date & duration of service.
WHEN TO APPLY
*People are already beginning to apply to volunteer in June, July & August.
We send this first announcement in Oct or Nov for those that like to get a leap on their summer plans.
We will send a 2nd, sometimes slightly revised, announcement in Jan or Feb.
It is smart to finish application process by March so you have time to prepare to go to another country.
Our volunteer programs do not just run in June, July & August - that is simply when the most people can go.
Except primary & secondary schools that have school schedules to adhere to, most of our programs run year round.
