We are a dedicated team of five mechanical engineering students from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) traveling to Africa this winter for engineering design and outreach projects. Working with the local community, we will be engineering sustainable solutions to bring clean water access to a local school in Uganda, and participating in educational outreach at an all girls school in Kenya.

Project 1: Uganda Water Pump

Two years ago, a previous UCCS engineering team designed and built an initial prototype of a manual water pump (Wirtz pump) for a local community near Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda. The original system is still being used by the community regularly, but improvements are necessary to ensure longevity and usability of the pump.

For our design project, our team is traveling to Uganda to redesign and improve the original pump system, and build a second pump with an integrated filtration system to provide access to clean drinking water at a local school. We'll be immersing ourselves in the culture, learning from the community, and working alongside local Ugandan partners to identify the challenges they have identified, and engineer thoughtful solutions. We will source all materials locally, refine the pump design, and construct the new system on site. This hands on project not only strengthens our engineering skills, but also ensures that the solution is sustainable, maintainable, and truly benefits the people it serves.

Global Livingston Institute: https://www.globallivingston.org/

Project 2: Kenya Educational Outreach

The second half of our trip will take us Nairobi, Kenya, where we’ll volunteer at an all girls high school to promote STEM education and empower young women to explore careers in engineering and technology. We’ll lead interactive workshops, share our experiences as engineering students, and demonstrate that innovation and problem-solving are within everyone’s reach. During our visit, we plan on facilitating an activity with the high school girls to build functional miniature prototypes of Wirtz pumps (like the one we are building in Uganda) and share our real experience. Our goal is to inspire confidence, curiosity, and creativity in the next generation of female engineers.

Kiberia Girls Soccer Academy: https://kgsafoundation.org/

These projects are about more than engineering—it’s about creating sustainable solutions, fostering global connections, and empowering others through education.

We are seeking your support to help cover:

-Travel expenses (airfare, local transportation, accommodations)

-Construction materials and tools for the water pump and filtration system

-Educational supplies and materials for STEM outreach activities

-Community engagement and logistics costs

Every donation, no matter the size, helps us move closer to turning this vision into reality. Your generosity will directly contribute to clean water access, community health, and educational empowerment in two countries in East Africa. Thank you for supporting our mission to make a difference through engineering, service, and compassion. Together, we can build something that lasts far beyond our trip.

Our mission is to make a lasting impact through engineering innovation, cultural exchange, and education.