Day 7 - The Project

My name is Alex and I am a senior civil engineering student at the University of North Florida. I am also a member of the engineering design team for the UNF Ghana Project 2012!  My teammates and I have spent the last week in Tamale, Ghana implementing our engineering designs for the Tamale Children's Home.

I cannot believe how quickly and smoothly its gone by.  Tomorrow is our last day of construction and there is not much left to do.  I feel that I have learned so much throughout the last seven days about engineering, culture, health, and so many other issues.

I think one of our biggest accomplishments is really coming together and working like a team.  The leader of our team was detained in DC for the entire week of construction and it was difficult for us to get organized and productive at first.  After some confusion and chaos, we were able to come together and really work like a team.

One aspect of our project that has been interesting is that we are a multidisciplinary team consisting of 2 civil's and 6 mechanical's, and we have been able to learn and grow from each other.

Our project is small... its main focus was on installing grease/sediment traps in three locations for the home.  I remember when we started this project back in August and developed the scope of our service project; back then is seemed so small and simple; not noteworthy.  I had this idea in my head that in order to make a big difference you needed to construct a big project. I have come realize in the past 7 days that this is not at all the case.  These small simple projects are just as important, if not more important than the big, flashy ones.  They are more important than donating large sums of money. It is these small impacts that take place in a community that help to build and unite people to make positive change.

Brian (mechanical engineering student) and Chase (civil engineering student) working together to build the grease trap forms.

Michelle and Amy (honor students) cutting form boards.

The team installed two pump housings and slabs.

Cody (engineering team leader) FINALLY got his visa and made it to the Home in time to help put the finishing touches on the project. 

The team installed two propane housings and slabs.

  The team installed a propane stove in the nursery, which the staff at the Home will use to sanitize baby bottles.

Before leaving the Home, the team taught the people to use their new systems.

The team installed three concrete grease/sediment traps at the Home to improve their graywater drainage.

Each water tank was numbers and labeled with important information about the source and destination of the water. 

During breaks in construction, the team members enjoyed playing with the children at the Home.

Before we left, Dr. Eason handed the keys to the project over to Augustina Quainoo (the administrator of the Home).