ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS Chesapeake Bay Professional Chapter

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ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERSChesapeake Bay
Professional Chapter

• Overview of Liberia Assessment Trip
• January 19 to 29, 2008

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EWBs Mission
The mission of Engineers Without Borders - USA
(EWB-USA) is to partner with disadvantaged
communities to improve their quality of life
through implementation of environmentally,
equitable, and economically sustainable
engineering projects, while developing
internationally responsible engineering students.
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Purpose of Assessment Trip

• By invitation through Maryland Sister State
  Agreement
• Named Liberia Signatories Bong County and
  Maryland County
• Identify project needs of size that may be
  readily addressed by EWB - 25K to 30K
• Assist Sister State Agreement in consulting on
  larger project needs
• Assessment trip made by Mike Hanna, Mike Posko
  and John Sankey

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Background on Liberia

• Located in West Africa
• Population 3½ million
• About the Size of Ohio
• Capital Monrovia (Population of 2 million)
• President Ellen Johnson Sirlief (Elected
  November 2005)
• Avg Lifespan 44 years
• Official Language English
• Fourteen Separate Tribal Languages
• Civil War 1989 - 2003

Gbarnga
Monrovia
Harper
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Bong County

• 1st County for Assessment Btwn 1/21/08 to 1/24/08
• 3 to 4 hours from Monrovia by car on paved road
• Superintendent Ranney Jackson - Head of County
• 12 districts 4 tribal languages
• Focus on Gbarnga city population of 300,000

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Gbarnga People Places
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Maryland County

• 2nd County for Assessment Btwn 1/25/08 to 1/28/08
• Superintendent D.I. Sie-Teba Neufville - Head
  of County
• 4 districts 1 tribal language
• Main City - Harper
• County-wide focus for population of 150,000

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Sights of Maryland County
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Projects

• Long and Short Term Projects
• Assist the transition from Disaster Relief to
  Stable Democracy
• Achievable, Sustainable, Based on Local Priorities

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Bridge Road Priorities
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Water and Sanitation
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Schools
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Medical Facilities
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Plan for Liberian Projects

• Immediate road and bridge projects this dry
  season
• Important to show results on the ground
• Need 40,000 in the next two months
• Medium term
• Water and sewer master planning
• County government capacity for road repair, water
  and sanitation
• School and medical projects

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Harper Rotary

• 22 Active Members
• Business People
• Rubber Plantation Owners/Managers
• Mechanics
• Working on Projects to Improve Harper
• Trash Collection
• Extremely Supportive Of EWB Mission

Martin Nyeka Member Harper Rotary
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Harper Rotary Contacts

• President
• George Nixon
• 92 Maryland Ave
• Harper, Maryland Co
• (P.O. Box 2807, Monrovia)
• apaliberia_at_yahoo.com

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How you can get involved

• Donations
• Partnership with Harper Rotary
• Partnerships with Rotary International
• Membership in EWB more than just engineers

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Bong and Maryland Counties Are Waiting with
Anticipation