Our Values

We believe in change that can contribute positively to the communities in which we work, change through common action in intransigent systems, and that changes started now will provide new solutions over time.
We believe in the culture and people in host communities who define the development projects and ensure ownership, appropriateness, and long-term effectiveness – people who can: solve their own problems if they are aware of the technical options, can build new skills, assist significantly in the solution through labor, financial, and in-kind contributions.
We believe in partnerships with a broad cadre of institutional, academic, development, and professionals who are willing to assist in building toward a more equitable and sustainable world.
We believe in environmentally sustainable projects that are symbiotic with the environment, society, and culture.
We believe in education that will develop a new generation of students who will benefit from experiencing the many facets of solutions to problems in developing communities, which lie beyond the technical skills obtained in their curriculum.

We also believe that the non-engineering components of local needs are often more complicated than the engineering aspects, and seek to instill this understanding within the engineering students that are an integral part of the entire process.

Our Vision

EWB’s outward vision is of a world where all people have access to adequate sanitation, safe drinking water, and the resources to meet their other self-identified engineering and economic development needs. The objective of all these activities is not only to contribute to new and ongoing development projects in an effective way, but to expand the dimensions of experience for emerging and practicing professionals. It is our vision that this is a primary path to achieving a more sustainable world, without suffering the consequences of development projects that are socially, culturally, or economically inappropriate. Today’s students have a central role in building a sustainable future; in fact, they have an obligation to provide leadership in this direction.

EWB engages developing communities in resolving particular infrastructure needs that the community itself has identified. EWB involves students in every step of the process, enabling them to learn firsthand about solutions to the problems of the developing world.

EWB-CSU Vision and Goals