El Salvador Project
Encyclopedia
The El Salvador Reconstruction and Development Project is a charitable volunteer project from Imperial College London's Department of Civil
and Environmental Engineering
which was launched in reaction to two major earthquakes that struck the country of El Salvador
in 2001. The project has a voluntary student membership basis and is concentrated in rural, mainly underdeveloped areas of the country. Team leadership and student involvement interchange on an annual basis with the start of a new academic year. The project is supported by a board of Alumni members.
Students from several universities and disciplines have travelled along to El Salvador and worked with the relevant community for 5 to 7 weeks on various development projects. The typical student intake over a particular year varies between 11-13.
Communities helped by the El Salvador Project: Estanzuelas
, Usulután
(2002), San Emigdio
, La Paz
(2003, 2004, 2005), Santa Marta
, San Vicente
(2006, 2007), Colima
, Cuscatlán
(2009)
events, which in the past has included evening sales and a marathon style run in the Netherlands.
On 17 April 2009 the project competed in the JP Morgan Good Venture Case competition in New York City, where it won $25,000 to fund its activities.
On 2 December 2009 the project secured a further $15,000 from JP Morgan's online global Give-it-Away competition.
in the Department of Cuscatlán. Two reinforced earthquake
resistant houses were constructed, in addition to a retaining wall
. The design of the houses was presented by the Reconstruction and Development Organization of El Salvador (REDES), a national NGO which works closely with the project and oversees the construction process.
Geological Survey seismologists from among others the Department of Civil Engineering of Imperial College London predict an increasing risk posed by earthquakes in El Salvador in the near future due to rapid population expansion exacerbated by deforestation
.
In reaction to the floods and landslides in November 2009 that left at least 192 people dead, REDES will likely be appointing a specifically badly struck geographical entity for consideration under the 2010 project.
Plans for future improvement that are currently awaiting approval include the expansion of a particular year's activities to cover more than one community, spreading out the construction work by sending over teams outside the summer term period and expansion of the concept of the project to cover communities in the neighbouring countries of Guatemala
and Honduras
.
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
and Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering
Environmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to improve the natural environment , to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation and for other organisms, and to remediate polluted sites...
which was launched in reaction to two major earthquakes that struck the country of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
in 2001. The project has a voluntary student membership basis and is concentrated in rural, mainly underdeveloped areas of the country. Team leadership and student involvement interchange on an annual basis with the start of a new academic year. The project is supported by a board of Alumni members.
History
As a result of the large magnitude earthquakes that killed at least 844 people, students from Imperial College London's Civil Engineering Department volunteered to work on a development project from 2002 onwards, to be concentrated in the country's poorest communities over subsequent academic years.Students from several universities and disciplines have travelled along to El Salvador and worked with the relevant community for 5 to 7 weeks on various development projects. The typical student intake over a particular year varies between 11-13.
Communities helped by the El Salvador Project: Estanzuelas
Estanzuelas
Estanzuelas is a municipality in the Usulután department of El Salvador.- Geography :The municipality is located to the southeast of San Ildefonso of the department of San Vicente, to the north of Mercedes Umaña and to the west of Nueva Granada...
, Usulután
Usulután
Usulután is the 5th largest city in El Salvador, and capital of the Department of Usulutan in the south-east of El Salvador. As of 2006, it is estimated to have population of 71,636 people.Usulutan rests in a rich agricultural valley....
(2002), San Emigdio
San Emigdio
San Emigdio is a municipality in the La Paz department of El Salvador....
, La Paz
La Paz Department (El Salvador)
La Paz is a department of El Salvador in the south central area of the country. The capital is Zacatecoluca. La Paz has an area of 1,224 km² and a population of more than 300,000. The department was created in 1852. There are various caves containing rock writing. The department has a church...
(2003, 2004, 2005), Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
, San Vicente
San Vicente, El Salvador
San Vicente is a municipality in the San Vicente department of El Salvador. It was founded by 50 Spanish families in 1635, under the Tempisque tree, which is still standing today....
(2006, 2007), Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
, Cuscatlán
Cuscatlán Department
Cuscatlán is a department of El Salvador, located in the center of the country. With a surface area of , it is El Salvador's smallest department. It is inhabited by over 200,000 people. Cuscatlán or Cuzcatlán was the name the original inhabitants of the Western part of the country gave to most of...
(2009)
Finance
The project receives most of its finance from companies acting as sponsors. From the appointment of a particular year's members to the end of the relevant academic year the student body is further involved in fundraisingFundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
events, which in the past has included evening sales and a marathon style run in the Netherlands.
On 17 April 2009 the project competed in the JP Morgan Good Venture Case competition in New York City, where it won $25,000 to fund its activities.
On 2 December 2009 the project secured a further $15,000 from JP Morgan's online global Give-it-Away competition.
2009 Project
This year's project was based in the community of ColimaColima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
in the Department of Cuscatlán. Two reinforced earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
resistant houses were constructed, in addition to a retaining wall
Retaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
. The design of the houses was presented by the Reconstruction and Development Organization of El Salvador (REDES), a national NGO which works closely with the project and oversees the construction process.
Future activities
In association with the BritishBritish people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Geological Survey seismologists from among others the Department of Civil Engineering of Imperial College London predict an increasing risk posed by earthquakes in El Salvador in the near future due to rapid population expansion exacerbated by deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
.
In reaction to the floods and landslides in November 2009 that left at least 192 people dead, REDES will likely be appointing a specifically badly struck geographical entity for consideration under the 2010 project.
Plans for future improvement that are currently awaiting approval include the expansion of a particular year's activities to cover more than one community, spreading out the construction work by sending over teams outside the summer term period and expansion of the concept of the project to cover communities in the neighbouring countries of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
.