‘Resilient World’ is Amec Foster Wheeler’s strategy for solving tomorrow’s natural resource challenges. Clean water and self-sufficiency are a huge part of creating a cleaner, more efficient, and better world. As someone who’s always been a contributor to charities, both donating towards and taking part in events and activities, I’ve had a desire to take my contribution to the next level and take part in a large-scale event where I could truly see the significant effects of the contribution being made first-hand. Direct Rainwater Intervention Project (DRIP) Uganda was my opportunity to do so. DRIP works with communities in Uganda to supply the neediest families with rainwater tanks and equip them with the knowledge and tools to utilise them.
Uganda has two seasons which alternate every three months: one season is extremely wet and often results in flooding, while the other is extremely dry and results in droughts. Our mission was to sustainably help local people maintain a healthy production of crops year-round by building rainwater harvesting tanks. During the wet season, these tanks fill up and the stored water can be used by people to water their crops during the dry season. We also delivered horticultural training to the families on how to best farm their crops and ensure the crops survive throughout the changing seasons. While the Uganda DRIP project is focused on helping the community grow crops in order to feed their families and avoid malnutrition, it’s also important that these families can sell their crops and generate an income that will improve their quality of life.
At Amec Foster Wheeler, my role largely involves travelling within the UK delivering presentations and educational material to different parts of the business. It was these presentation skills that aided me while on my trip in Uganda. Most people wrongly assume that we are just there to build the tanks; it is the in-country builders that actually construct the tanks. Our primary objective is to spend time with the families that would be receiving the tanks and deliver horticultural training which, when used correctly, help maximise the use of the collected water. This in turn improves their lives and helps to prevent malnutrition and potential starvation.
My experiences in Uganda also helped me identify the career path I would like to pursue with Amec Foster Wheeler. My future aspirations are now directed towards project management. Since returning from my trip, I have enlisted in several project management courses as well as enquired about internal opportunities with the aim of moving into this field in the near future.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to make an impact, discover more about yourself, and see the results of your work first hand, then I highly recommend volunteering with DRIP.