Ecuador Trip 2022

In summer 2022, Engineers Without Borders at Ohio State sent a team to the community of Carrera in Ecuador's northern highlands to begin a new international project. The goal: assess the feasibility of constructing a second-story addition to a local school building to address a critical lack of classroom space.

The Problem

Carrera's school faces a significant educational challenge. Multiple grades currently share the same classrooms simultaneously, making it extremely difficult for teachers to address the specific learning needs of different students. An upper floor addition would provide dedicated space for older students and improve outcomes across the board.

Assessment Objectives

The 2022 trip accomplished several key goals:

• Stakeholder relationships — Building trust with school administrators, teachers, families, local leaders, community members, and a local NGO
• Technical evaluation — Conducting concrete coring and soil penetration testing of existing structures and potential construction sites
• Project scoping — Gathering the data needed to design a structurally sound and culturally appropriate solution

Outcomes

The assessment gave the team valuable insight into initiating sustainable community development and working across cultures toward a shared technical and social goal. The team came away with a clear picture of the site's structural realities and a strong foundation of community trust.

The 2022 trip marked the beginning of what would become a multi-year, $52,000 project — one that reached construction completion in 2025.