MIT Engineers Plan August 2009 Mission to Engeye Health Clinic in Uganda

Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Engineers Without Borders (MIT-EWB) team is scheduled to leave for Uganda in August 2009 to upgrade the water and energy infrastructure at the Engeye Health Clinic in Ddegeya Village.  The MIT-EWB Team will be improving water sources for the community, establishing back-up power for the clinic and  working on implementation of AIDS monitoring and treatment.

The MIT-EWB team leader is Helen D’Couto, who is a sophomore at MIT and Project Manager of the MIT chapter of EWB.  The team also includes Deepali Ravel, a sophomore biology major at MIT and a member of the MIT Center for Biomedical Engineering.  D’Couto and Ravel will investigate sustainable engineering solutions for a reliable energy source and access to clean water for the Engeye Clinic and Ddegeya village. D’Couto has had previous experience with other EWB projects in Rwanda and Mexico. 

The three year old Engeye Health Clinic in Uganda was founded by Dr. Stephanie Van Dyke and John Kalule to improve living conditions and reduce unnecessary suffering in rural Africa through education and compassionate health care. Both Engeye and MIT-EWB realize that the only solutions are sustainable solutions, ones that engage and empower the local community in which the project serves. The rigorous August 2009 trip plan proposes to make community contacts with other local organizations in an effort to help Engeye become self-sufficient.  Identifying individuals from Ddegeya to be leaders of educational programs, infrastructure management, and environmental testing are key to igniting community enrichment efforts and ultimately empowering Ddegeyans to advocate for accessible health care.   

The MIT-EWB August 2009 trip plan includes:

Installing a reliable energy source

Testing the well and pond water

Reaching out to the community in order to conduct health needs assessments

Figuring out a centralized database system for the clinic

Pilot testing a mobile diagnostics system 

“The MIT-WEB team has done a lot of outreach throughout the MIT community, members of whom have provided all of the surveying and testing equipment they need to gather all their data,” said Dr. Stephanie Van Dyke, the co-founder of the Engeye Health Clinic.  “The team is a philanthropic student organization and is responsible for raising the funds necessary to conduct international projects.”  She adds, “Please support the MIT-EWB team and the Engeye Health Clinic by helping to raise the $2000 necessary to send the entire team of three people to Ddegeya Village in August 2009.” 

To donate, please go to: www.engeye.com/donate.html

About the Engeye Health Clinic

The Engeye Health Clinic is located in Ddegeya Village in southern Uganda. The main clinic building and two volunteer houses were constructed during the summer of 2006. John Kalule, a native Ugandan, co-founded the Engeye Health Clinic with Dr. Stephanie Van Dyke, and manages the daily operations of the Clinic. The word Engeye means "white monkey" in Luganda, an official language of Uganda, and is John’s family clan name. Dr. Carlos Elguero, Dr. Stephanie Van Dyke, Jay Shah, John Leisure, Misty Richards and Anny Su comprise the board of directors for the 501(c) (3) tax deductible, nonprofit organization. For more information, visit: www.engeye.org