Students at Swansea University are tackling poverty through technology thanks to the inspirational efforts of a Swansea engineering student. And now fourth year civil engineer Charlie Meggy is asking Swansea University alumni to get involved aswell.

Charlie has joined forces with Engineers without Borders UK (EWB-UK), an international development agency that enables students to get involved in projects that actively contribute to changing lives around the world.

EWB-UK has 31 affiliated university based branches across the UK and a combined membership of around 4000. Involvement gives members the opportunity to meet like-minded people and professionals and to gain valuable experience and knowledge on how technology can be used to promote human development in less economically developed countries (LEDCs).

Charlie said: “I was keen on writing my dissertation on how engineering can be applied to assist with poverty alleviation.  Initially, I started going to events run by EWB’s local branch in Cardiff and was so interested in what I was learning, I decided to give Swansea students the same opportunity to get involved aswell.” 

In December last year, Charlie began his campaign to raise awareness of the work EWB-UK does amongst the Swansea student community.  EWB-Swansea has since become an official society within Swansea University’s Student Union with interest going from strength to strength. Charlie said: “Although we are relatively new, we have already established ourselves as a pro-active branch of the EWB-UK Network and are continually introducing new aspects of EWB’s work here at Swansea.”

Charlie is now looking for inspirational alumni who have used their engineering skills in similar ways.  He said: “Learning about Swansea alumni’s experiences would be of great interest and relevance to this project. It would be fantastic if alumni could get in touch with me about any experience they have had of working in countries to promote human development, and even better if they could inspire our current students by coming to speak to them!” 

If you would like to participate in EWB-Swansea’s events, contact Charlie, email: Charlie.meggy@ewb-uk.org

To find out more about EWB Swansea’s work, and for forthcoming events, visit the Engineers without Borders UK website:  http://www.ewb-uk.org/swansea or the EWB Swansea Facebook group: ‘Engineers Without Borders – Swansea’