US Students Building Bridges &
Generating Solar Power in Guatemala
Beause of the seasonal flooding of roads during four months out of the year, many of the small villages surrounding the Joyabaj area of Guatemala are left without reliable, timely vehicular access to marketplaces, health clinics, and schools. This not only impacts the villagers’ day-to-day lives, but it also makes it more difficult for their children to receive education and hinders economic development. Many communities also lack reliable electricity and drinking water.
EWB-USA at the Milwaukee School of Engineering has been solving this problem one village at a time for over two years. In 2008, a team of students and professionals constructed a 10’-span vehicular bridge for the community of Chosavic in the Joyabaj municipality. In 2009, another bridge with a 60’ span was constructed for the village of Cuarto Centro, about 5 miles from Chosavic.
Cuarto Centro, Guatemala
Between March 2008 and February 2009, students from the Milwaukee School of Engineering Chapter designed and planned construction for a bridge project in Cuarto Centro de Estanzuela, a village of around 700 people in the Joyabaj municipality of Guatemala. This village's situation was similar to others: During the rainy season, the nearby Rio Temal river rose and made the one road into the village impassable for vehicular traffic. This cut the community off from the central city of Joyabaj for much of the year.
Tres Cruces, Piedras Lisas, and Joyabaj, Guatemala
2010 is a big year for EWB-MSOE, as they will be executing two new projects in the Joyabaj region of Guatemala. The first project is a vehicular bridge which will connect the village of Tres Cruces to Joyabaj. This 19-foot-span concrete slab bridge is EWB-MSOE’s fourth bridge project in Guatemala.
The second project, sparked by the interest of members who wanted to expand the types of projects the Chapter builds for the Joyabaj region, will involve the implementation of a solar power system for an elementary school in the village of Piedras Lisas. This electrical project is a new endeavor for EWB-MSOE.
Milwaukee School of Engineering - Engineers Without Borders