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Student Project Ignites Passion for Entrepreneurship and Engineering in Africa

What started as a project has now turned into a passion. During this past year I was part of a group of four students from engineering and entrepreneurship at WSU who went on a faculty-led trip to Malawi, Africa. We took on the task of designing a new foot-powered water pump for small farm irrigation. These pumps (treadle pumps) make a huge impact on the lives of some of the world’s poorest farmers. Without the pumps the families barely have enough to eat, with the pumps, they are able to grow up to three additional crops per year. They are able to sell the excess crops to provide clothing, shelter, and education.

In addition to making the prototype, we created a business plan to implement our product. In early March our team and two faculty advisors traveled to Malawi for two weeks to test our pump, with success in hand. I am excited about the possibilities of making this project a reality. This project has made such an impact on me that I am postponing medical school for a year to finish the project, producing a company that will manufacture these pumps in the country of Malawi, instead of importing them from India.

This trip was the first time I traveled for a truly service experience. It is very different than going abroad to study (which I did for a semester in Galway, Ireland). When you go abroad to study, you are concerned with your needs, when you go to help others; you are concerned about their needs, and often forget all about what else is happening in your life. It was so meaningful to interact with the people there. It was great to be able to play soccer with the local kids; the kids in Malawi are just like kids here. One of the most impressive things I learned was how similar everyone is, not how different.

This story submitted by Travis Meyer who participated in a service learning project in Malawi, Africa.