Engineering Initiative Addresses Sustainable Development Goals in Rural Ecuador

Project Overview

An engineering mission was recently conducted by students from Trine University’s Engineers Without Borders Student Chapter in the rural community of Tuntatacto, Ecuador. This marks the second initiative by the university group aimed at improving local infrastructure. The project’s central focus is to enhance the community’s access to clean and safe drinking water.

• Participants: Engineering students from Trine University.
• Organization: Engineers Without Borders Student Chapter.
• Location: Tuntatacto, a rural community in the Andes highlands, approximately 130 miles south of Quito.
• Objective: To improve access to clean drinking water.

Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The project directly supports the achievement of several key Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating a practical application of engineering principles to address global challenges.

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The primary goal of the initiative is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water. By working to establish a reliable source of clean drinking water, the project directly addresses Target 6.1, which aims to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Access to clean water is a fundamental determinant of health. This project contributes to SDG 3 by mitigating the risks of waterborne diseases, thereby improving the overall health and well-being of the Tuntatacto community.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The initiative strengthens basic services and infrastructure in a rural settlement, contributing to making the community more inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: This effort exemplifies a crucial partnership between an academic institution (Trine University) and a local community, facilitated by an international non-governmental organization framework (Engineers Without Borders), to achieve sustainable development.
5. SDG 4: Quality Education: The project provides students with invaluable hands-on, problem-based learning, applying their academic knowledge to real-world humanitarian challenges and fostering a sense of global citizenship.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• The article’s central theme is the effort to “improve an Ecuadorian community’s access to clean drinking water.” This directly aligns with the primary goal of SDG 6, which is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The project is a collaborative effort involving “Trine University engineering students” from the “Engineers Without Borders Student Chapter” and the “rural community of Tuntatacto.” This represents a civil society partnership aimed at achieving a sustainable development goal, which is the essence of SDG 17.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• While not explicitly stated, providing “clean drinking water” is fundamental to preventing waterborne diseases and improving public health. This project inherently contributes to the goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

• The article focuses on a project in the “rural community of Tuntatacto” to “improve… access to clean drinking water.” This action is a direct contribution to achieving universal access to safe drinking water for the population of that specific community.

Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

• The initiative is described as a project by “Trine University’s Engineers Without Borders Student Chapter.” This is a clear example of a civil society partnership working with a local community to address a development challenge, fulfilling the objective of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Implied Indicator for Target 6.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.

• The article states the goal is to “improve… access.” Progress and success of this project would be measured by the change in the proportion of the Tuntatacto community that has access to a clean water source as a result of the engineering students’ work.

Implied Indicator for Target 17.17: The existence and continuation of the partnership for sustainable development.

• The article notes this is the “second time” students have undertaken this work. The indicator is the functioning partnership itself between the university chapter and the Ecuadorian community, demonstrating a sustained commitment to achieving the goal.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kpcnews.com