Volunteer position: Experienced mechanical engineer

Engineers Without Borders Sweden (EWB-SWE) is working with Build up Nepal to fight poverty and empower rural entrepreneurs and poor communities to build safe, sustainable homes in Nepal. Current machines and mixers are based on outdated technology and there is huge potential for improvements. 

We are looking for an experienced mechanical engineer to volunteer in our team. Due to Covid-19 the work will be carried out remotely from Sweden. If the situation allows there will be a possibility of going to visit Nepal and volunteer work future on.

Main responsibilities - design and improvements work:

• Working on a design for a low-cost mixer machine.

• Completing the design of a low-cost compression tester - to test strength of bricks in the field, improving quality and safety of houses.

• Ongoing improvements of existing manual machines – Follow up on the improvements made to the existing single- and double-mould machines.

• Working on a design for a low-cost hydraulic machine.

We are looking for a driven person who is passionate about and experienced with hands-on machine work and improvements. Work experience within mechanical engineering (minimum 5 years), workshops, machine improvements and CAD design is a requirement. Previous experience from building, designing, repairing, and improving various types of machines is a big plus!

Location: Distance work

Start: As soon as possible

Time requirement: 8-15 hours per week remote work for 5 months

Engagement: Volunteer position

Road to Success series

EWB-SWE is excited to invite you to the second event in our Road to Success series.

Our Road to Success series holds five events that are designed to equip newly arrived or Asylum seekers in Sweden with the proper tools to find a job.

In this event, you will gain insight into the Swedish job market and learn new networking techniques. A professional from UU Careers and a company recruiter from Engineer to Engineer Uppsala will give a talk and hold an interactive event.

When: Monday, 16th of November, 18:00-20:00

Where: Zoom

Cost: free of charge

Sign up and read more here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/.../road-to-success-networking...

This event is organised by EWB-SWE's initiative to help our newly arrived professionals to increase their chances of getting a job. We are sharing insights from recruiters, so that job seekers know how to prepare themselves for networking, CV writing, interviews, and tests. The event will also aid in understanding the Swedish job market and how job applicants can catch a recruiter's attention.

Walk In A Recruiter's Shoes

EWB-SWE is excited to invite you to the online event - Walk In A Recruiter's Shoes. 

You will learn about the recruiting process from the perspective of Henrik Granqvist, Recruiter for Poolia. 

Where: Zoom

When: November 12th, 18:00 - 20:00

Who: Newly arrived professionals, asylum seekers, & Engineer to Engineer members

Price: Free of charge!

Sign up and read more here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/road-to-success-walk-in-a-recruiters-shoes-tickets-127284737075?fbclid=IwAR0mJPP2SFnE5IMb9cDCmJP2pc2Fl9JY7eTToXlqV2sh6Io8i6ygHcunEKI

This event is organised by EWB-SWE's initiative to help our newly arrived professionals to increase their chances of getting a job. We are sharing insights from recruiters, so that job seekers know how to prepare themselves for networking, CV writing, interviews, and tests. The event will also aid in understanding the Swedish job market and how job applicants can catch a recruiter's attention.

Openhack wins Swedish Institute tender for hackathon services provision

Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden – The Swedish Institute has announced Openhack as a winner and first listed for hackathon services provision as part of its tender. 

“We are absolutely thrilled to have entered this relationship with the Swedish Institute. Hackathons are a great way of engaging people around challenges to creatively address them by developing solutions.”

— Lukas Leander, Openhack CEO

The first project is ongoing, done in cooperation with UNICEF and focuses on children & the COVID-19 crisis (www.hack.sweden.se/kids). Future projects are expected to be integrated in cooperations Sweden has with different countries around the world.

The Swedish Institute is a government agency in Sweden with the responsibility to spread information about Sweden outside the country. It promotes interest and confidence in Sweden around the globe. 

Openhack was founded in 2015 as a non-profit project under Engineers Without Borders Sweden and grew to become our subsidiary. Openhack works towards making a difference by answering pressing societal and humanitarian challenges through open source development.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Openhack - coding for humanity AB (svb)
Inês Boski
+46760360154
ines.boski@openhack.io

Minimising the Digitalisation Gap

Christian Naccache is head of EWB-SWE’s digitalisation focus group. The group aims at minimising the digitalisation gap and has installed various computer labs in Tanzania and Cameroon. Tomorrow Christian will speak about his experience of planning and implementing international projects. You will also learn about the importance of local collaborations to make digitalisation projects long-term sustainable. 

Join in via zoom https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/61901854563 at 17.30-18.30

If you are in Stockholm, you are welcome to attend the talk at KTH Entré. Due to the current restrictions, there is a limited number of seats. Secure a spot by emailing events.kth@ewb-swe.org 

E2E designs sorting trash can with Knightec

EWB-SWE held a two-part event in collaboration with Knightec, consultants in technology, digitalization, and leadership. Sustainable Trash was a team competition event to design the most efficient sorting trash can suitable for modern-day homes. Recycling starts at the source, and the goal was to make a trash can that is cost-effective and makes sorting trash easy.

During the first session, Knightec gave an introduction, participants formed teams and brainstormed. The teams had a week to build a prototype and create a business plan.

Finally, the teams presented their prototype and business plan and Knightec announced the winner!

It was an incredible event, teams gave their full effort, and all of the business plans were thorough and carefully crafted.

Check out job openings at Knightec:
https://career.knightec.se/jobs

This event was organised by Engineer to Engineer (E2E), EWB-SWEs initiative to enable equal opportunities into the labour market. It creates a platform that enables newly arrived professionals to network and gain the necessary tools to enter the Swedish labour market.

Are you a newly arrived engineer or scientist?

Connect with Engineer to Engineer on LinkedIn
Contact: integration@ewb-swe.org

Kids Hack the Crisis

On 23–25 October, UNICEF Sweden and the Swedish Institute (SI) are organizing Kids Hack the Crisis – the first global digital hackathon for children to participate in the dialogue about the ongoing crisis. Children, mentors and partner organizations are now invited to participate in this unique initiative.

Kids Hack the Crisis is a global online hackathon for children to create solutions to the #COVID19 pandemic and reimagine a world fit for children. Children from all over the world, in the ages 10 to 18 years, will collaborate during 48 hours. 

Engineers Without Borders Sweden supports the event as a partner with a close connection to Inspire Youth. Inspire Youth is EWB-SWE's initiative to motivate children to higher education, especially in engineering, and to achieve their full potential. We aim to promote engineering as a creative, fun and exciting subject, and to encourage diversity among engineers as a group. Children who want to be part of elaborating on ideas to improve life, both during and after the crisis, are welcome to participate as hackers.

Spread the word, join the event or sponsor the event: https://hack.sweden.se/kids/

Dates:

• October 23rd-25th (Hackathon)

• October 28th (Closing ceremony and evaluation of output)

Program manager for ambitious initiative to review and improve the water and sanitation situation at 130 primary schools in northwestern Tanzania

With generous support from H M Queen Silvia’s Foundation - Care About the Children and in collaboration with our partner organization in Tanzania, Mavuno Project, we have completed the construction of five water tanks at primary schools in Tanzania.

Rainwater from the schools’ roof is collected during the rainy season and stored in 90m3 tanks. The water will be used during the rest of the year. In total, the tanks support 4000 students and teachers with drinking water and water for hygiene and cleaning.

The construction of these water tanks forms a part of an ambitious initiative to review and improve the water and sanitation situation at 130 primary schools in northwestern Tanzania. We are now recruiting for a program manager for this initiative. If you are interested, read more here!

https://volunteer.ewb-swe.org/jobs/930896-program-manager-improved-water-and-sanitation-at-primary-schools-in-tanzania

Interns wanted

We are looking for an intern for the spring semester 2021! Apply through FUF's Internship Program between 7th and 27th September and get the chance to work a semester with us.

Internship assignment

We are looking for an intern who can help us improve the way we identify, ensure and increase the positive effects of our work.

As a step towards becoming better at measuring, increasing and making visible the effects of our work, we have recently joined the organisation Effektfullt. “ Effektfullt works to strengthen the ability of organisations to measure and show their effects on people and the environment, as well as to use the results to learn and do even greater good.”. With this membership comes valuable guidance on how we as an organisation can work to improve in these aspects. We are looking for somebody who can immerse into and take lead in this development. Your work could include the following tasks (to be agreed upon based on your experiences, qualifications and interest as well as the priorities of the organisation)

– Design methods and tools for data collection

– Collect and quality assure data

– Analyze what we learn from collected data and identify measures for improvement

– Coordinate the development of initiatives for increased effect

– Communicate results internally and externally

– Report results to partners, financers and others

– Assist in fundraising, when impact goals and impact measurement are to be described in applications for potential partners / financiers

– Help to build the brand of EWB in relation to results

– Ensure that the goals and required changes are understood and anchored within the organisation

– Establish routines enabling your work to continue after your internship period

EWB is a growing organisation and we expect you to grow with us. You will be given a lot of freedom and responsibility to contribute to the development of the organisation, and you will gain unique insight in our domestic and international work.  You are expected to work independently, however in close collaboration with the management of the organisation as well as other volunteers.

Qualifications

We are looking for a self-driven individual with a strong interest in humanitarian engineering and relevant education at university level. You are able to generate ideas, exercise initiative and work effectively both independently and as part of a team. You are structured and a problem-solver, and speak and write good English.

EWB-SWE is promoting equality and inclusivity. We are strengthened by our differences. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for the position, regardless of gender, age, ethnic background, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

Other

Start: January 2021

Duration: 6 months

Type: Full-time or nearly full time volunteer position

Language: English

Location: Flexible. We have small offices in Gothenburg and Falun where we could offer you a workplace, though you can work from anywhere and will need and want to occasionally visit our staff and members in Gothenburg, Stockholm, Falun and some of our local groups elsewhere. Most of the work may however very well be performed remote.

HeidelbergCement and Engineers Without Borders Sweden (EWB-SWE) have initiated a collaboration

HeidelbergCement Sweden and Engineers Without Borders Sweden have initiated a collaboration to create a better life for people in exposed communities through the development of infrastructure.

The partnership will lead to the development of more robust sustainable infrastructure in vulnerable areas with an emphasis on efficient resource use and increased use of technology for building sustainable communities.

The fact that HeidelbergCement engages its employees in these assignments during working hours means that EWB-SWE receives increased resources to be able to carry out projects within the international project operations and to increase interest in the engineering profession.

Employees at HeidelbergCement and the subsidiaries in Sweden will contribute with knowledge and commitment to the international project activities, at the same time as, through dialogue with students, they promote interest in building and construction with a focus on sustainable community building.

Every year, EWB-SWE carries out several projects around the world that contribute to a better everyday life for people. EWB-SWE's projects are rooted in local needs and promote sustainable technology. Close collaboration with business partners is vital to be able to implement these projects.

As one of the world's largest suppliers of building materials and with over 1,500 employees in Sweden, HeidelbergCement, including its subsidiaries, has extensive knowledge in community building and production of building materials.

A collaboration with EWB-SWE, therefore, fits well with HeidelbergCement's vision of building a long-term sustainable society. General Manager of HeidelbergCement Northern Europe, Giv Brantenberg, looks forward to the collaboration and says the following:

"We will help build robust societies in many parts of the world, where good resource use and sustainable solutions with little climate impact will be important factors. I am confident that HeidelbergCement's broad expertise in building materials and EWB-SWE's knowledge of marginalized areas together will lead to good projects in countries that need it."

Chairman of Engineers without Borders, Jan Byfors, welcomes HeidelbergCement on board.

"A collaboration with a large and solid player such as HeidelbergCement is essential to us and will contribute to our work and our continued development as an organization," says Jan Byfors.

HeidelbergCement is a global market leader in ballast and a prominent player in the manufacture of cement, concrete and other building materials. The company has approximately 55,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Read more about our sustainability work here https://www.heidelbergcement.se/sv/hallbarhet

Engineers Without Borders Sweden is a non-governmental organization working on challenges linked to UN development goals. With technical expertise from industry and academia, it is active both in Sweden and internationally to solve technical and humanitarian challenges related to inequality and global development.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Joshua Prentice
Sustainability Manager - HeidelbergCement Sweden
joshua.prentice@heidelbergcement.com

Noemie Gonzalez
Responsible corporate collaboration - Engineers without borders
noemie.gonzalez@ewb-swe.org

EWB-SWE's half year review

We are already halfway through 2020 and EWB-SWE has been quite active!

Here comes a review of what we have been up to until June 2020. As an effect of the current pandemic situation, most of our activities have been reshaped, conceived through digital channels and/or re-prioritized within Sweden and internationally. We are proud of our accomplishments and will strive to keep increasing our impact and our work towards engineering for humanity in the months to come.

Join us! There are many ways to get involved and contribute

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Online guidance café: How to prepare yourself to find a job.

Are you a newly arrived engineer in Sweden?
In these challenging times, it can be hard to find a job and navigate through the Swedish job market. 
Engineers Without Borders Sweden is happy to invite you to the online guidance café: How to prepare yourself to find a job.

Where: google meet (https://meet.google.com/wce-ojxb-rie)
When: 13th of August 18:30

We will discuss topics such as Applying for a job and Where to apply, Mentorship Programmes and Online Education.

The event is organised by EWB-SWEs initiative Engineer to Engineer (E2E) that aims to create a labour market with equal opportunities for everyone. 

The speakers are volunteers from E2E who will share their experiences. The event is intended for newly arrived in Sweden and people who need advice when looking for a job. The event is open to anyone! 

On the agenda: 

- Online Education: By Malin

- Short-term learning By Arianda

- Validate your educational diploma: By Landing

- Long-term learning and Student-Guide By Landing

- Applying for a job and Where to apply By Sheeba

- Mentorship Programmes: By Arianda and Vanesa

- CV and cover letter templates  

- Q&A  

EWB-SWE has received additional funds from H M Queen Silvia’s foundation - Care About the Children for three water tanks

Together with H M Queen Silvia’s Foundation - Care About the Children and our partner organization in Tanzania, Mavuno Project, EWB-SWE has completed the construction of two water tanks at two different primary-schools in Tanzania.

Rainwater from the roof of the schools is collected during the rainy season. The water is stored in the 90m3 tanks that will be used during the rest of the year. The tanks support 1330 students and teachers with drinking water and water to culture and cleaning.

We are now happy to announce that EWB-SWE has received additional funds from H M Queen Silvia’s foundation to construct another three tanks in three new schools. 

Welcome to EWB-SWE webinar - Networking Online: Adapting To A Virtual World

Carina Löfström, with UU careers will share, in detail, how to communicate and make connections through LinkedIn, different methods of networking, and how to build and maintain a professional relationship online.

There will be a Q&A following the presentation. Come prepared with questions as this will be a great opportunity to get answers, and possibly make some new connections!

We'll see you there!

EWB-SWE's initiative Engineer to Engineer holds this event.

Bengt Dahlgren contributes with specialist competence in a water supply system that is being expanded in Chonyonyo, Tanzania.

Bengt Dahlgren is not only EWB-SWE's gold sponsor, but they also share their competence and human resources to support our activities.

Since April, three engineers from Bengt Dahlgren are working on an EWB-SWE water supply project in Chonyonyo, Tanzania. The goal is to get the water from Chonyonyo to a health station in Rukole, which is urgently needed to expand into a hospital.

"...We consult in every thinkable purchasing inquiries, from material selection to logistical challenges. With the ambition to get this in place as soon as possible, we are discussing a pipeline that, with the help of gravity, drives the water supply without affecting other water system infrastructure" says Hamse Hassan, sprinkler and energy engineer at Bengt Dahlgren

"We appreciate our long-term cooperation with EWB-SWE and that we can contribute with our specialist competences in various projects. It gives great value for us as a company and for our employees." Agneta Lundén-Hjält, HR manager at Bengt Dahlgren AB

Webinar on how to find your ideal workplace during the Covid-19 crisis

In these challenging times, it can be hard to find a job and navigate through the Swedish job market.

EWB-SWE is hosting a webinar 27th of May at 18:00-19:00 for newly arrived engineers. You will be introduced to a new platform that helps you find an engineering workplace that shares your work values and is meaningful for you. You will also get the unique chance to participate in a Q&A with Carwan Rasaol, CEO of Airjobb.

We can't wait to see you there! Register to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finding-your-ideal-workplace-online-seminar-tickets-105536035122?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

EWB-SWE's initiative Engineer to Engineer holds this event.

Read more about Engineer to Engineer here

Join EWB-SWE's digitalisation focus group

Engineers Without Borders Sweden (EWB) has worked with digitalisation since 2016, and a total of three international projects have been carried out. As of May 2020, there are two active projects, one for Tanzania and one for Kenya.

All current and earlier digitalisation projects have been working on the same foundation of hardware and software. A server running PiServer, and Raspberry Pi clients running Raspbian. Together they make a computer lab where both teachers and students can study the technology and become computer literate. Student can also use the labs for studying the school curriculum, as the project supplies the necessary software.

To benefit from scaling effects, EWB has decided to set up a framework for CFS-projects. Partly in terms of hardware and software, but also in terms of long-term maintenance, teacher training material, and last but not least: computer literacy tests.

The task of building this framework falls upon the digitalisation focus group. We are looking for people who want to join the focus group to help develop and build this framework. We are looking to fill three general role groups; software, hardware, and education/sustainability, all roles can expect to put in between 2-4 hours a week.

 • Software: You are interested in software, coding, and finding solutions to unusual problems. You are comfortable with git, Linux, and getting familiar with source code. All the software we use right now is open source, though this is subject to change if deemed necessary. We want you to look at how to make our software solution better, more stable, and easier to use.

 • Hardware: You are interested in electronics, networking, and power solutions. You are familiar with Linux, and perhaps you have been working with Raspberry Pi's before. We want you to evaluate the current hardware solution and compare it to other possible solutions. The evaluation should balance power efficiency, cost, and durability.

 • Education and sustainability: You are interested in teaching, technology, and the combination of the two. Maybe you have worked as a teacher, or perhaps you have worked as an extra teacher on the side (homework help, mentoring, lab extra on university course). We want you to keep developing our computer literacy tests and the methods we can use to evaluate the effect of our projects. We also want you to look at the teacher training material, as well as the teaching material that the teachers can use when teaching their subjects to the students.

If this sounds interesting, please get in contact with Christian Naccache by email: digitalisation@ewb-swe.org

Engineers Without Borders Annual Report 2019.

We are excited to share Engineers Without Borders Annual Report 2019.

In 2019 we focused mainly on improving our quality and long-term effect in both our international development cooperation and our national projects.

We wish to thank all our members and collaboration partners for your contributions towards the fulfilment of our mission to through humanitarian engineering engage, inspire and unite people to build a sustainable future

Support EWB-SWE's Covid-19 Response in International Projects

As an effect of the current pandemic situation, we extend and rephrase some of our plans to help our partner organisations to limit the spreading and the impacts of Covid-19.

Right now, we are having top-focus on two initiatives:
We are extending our contribution just slightly in an extensive project aiming to improve the water and sanitation situation in primary schools in north-western Tanzania to reduce the spreading of Covid-19 when the schools open again after the current closing. By providing more water buckets and soap to the schools, we facilitate more frequent and adequate hand-washing, which is essential to reduce the spreading of the disease. (FYI: one bucket is about 85 SEK, a box of soap 130 SEK, and the full package for a school would be around 1000 SEK. We need 15 000 SEK in total.)

Please support our Covid-19 Response in International Projects 

We are re-planning the further extension of a water pipeline stretching between three villages in Tanzania constructed in 2017. The Covid-19 related change includes water supply to a small health station now being transformed into a hospital for Covid-19 patients. We collaborate with the local government to fund the extension, and with our local partner organisation and the local government to complete it. (FYI: The total cost is estimated to 160 000 SEK, and EWB-SWE will cover 70 000 SEK of that.)

Please support the further extension of this project (mark your donation as project 2018.026)

Join us in the pursuit of overcoming the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic

Backed by the Swedish Government, EWB-SWE's initiative openhack has joined forces with Hack for Sweden to ship the online hackathon Hack the Crisis Sweden 3-6 of April. The mission is to design, test and execute ideas for the future of Sweden and the world. We want to gather creative ideas and test solutions in an attempt to make further progress in the ongoing resistance. 

Public sector, private sector, academia, non-profit organizations and citizens are all welcome to contribute.

Sign up at www.hackthecrisis.se to contribute to digital solutions which can help all who are now working hard to alleviate, or are affected by, the crisis. Solutions can range from critical resources to support the people isolated.