Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH)

EWB Challenge
Design Brief

CONTENTS
Background information to the NEWAH EWB Challenge .................................................................................. 2
Design area 1 Housing and construction ........................................................................................................ 3
Design area 2 Water and Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) .................................................................................. 5
Design area 3 Energy ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Design area 4 Waste management............................................................................................................... 11
Design area 5 Transport................................................................................................................................ 13
Design area 6 - Information, communications technologies .......................................................................... 15
Design area 7 Climate change ...................................................................................................................... 15
Contact us ........................................................................................................................................................ 19

BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE NEWAH EWB CHALLENGE

Nepal Water for Health (NEWAH) is an NGO in Nepal working towards clean drinking water, hygiene
promotion and sanitation (WASH). They achieve this by working closely with communities in 51 districts
across the country building the peoples capacity to realise their rights to water and sanitation, and giving
access to the required infrastructure.
EWB volunteers have worked with NEWAH over the years to create innovative approaches to WASH
challenges, develop water safety plans and engage the community in the processes. EWB is also assisting
NEWAH with a climate change adaptation program and a catchment hydrology, groundwater recharge and
rainwater harvesting program.
In 2014-2015 EWB is partnering with NEWAH for the EWB Challenge. The EWB Challenge focuses on hill top
communities in the hill region of the Gorkha District. The village of Sandikhola has been chosen as a
representative community of the villages in the region, as a way for students to better visualise life in this
district. The design solutions, however, should be transferable to all hill top communities.
In 2013 EWB held a workshop with NEWAH staff in their regional office in Bharatpur. During this workshop
seven broad design areas were discussed and resulted in design projects being identified that NEWAH, and
the communities they work with, are either working on at the moment or wishing to work on in the future.
These projects are outlined in this design brief. Further detail and information can be found on the EWB
Challenge website at: www.ewbchallenge.org
All of the student design reports that are submitted to the EWB Challenge for review will be given to
NEWAH. NEWAH are excited to receive these reports and hope that the ideas can be integrated into their
programs.
The EWB Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about and understand a wonderfully rich
culture, and be involved in an exciting time of change for rural hill top communities in the Gorkha District,
Nepal. It is an opportunity to learn, not just about the challenges facing their communities, but also about
community development in general, and the role engineers and other technical professionals can play.

EWB Challenge Workshop2013: (L-R) Jenny Turner, Hayley Allen, & Siobhan Maxwell from EWB, Kumar Silwal, Bal
Krishna Devkota, Santosh Basnet, Tara Nath Paudel and Saya Kumar Rai from NEWAH

DESIGN AREA 1 HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION

Housing in Sandikhola, 2013

In the hill areas most of the materials for building houses are sourced locally due to a combination of cost
and the difficulty of transporting materials into the communities on rough roads and over steep terrain.
Houses commonly have walls made from mud bricks with mud rendering or stone with smaller stones used
to fill the gaps. When using stone, it is not common for the walls to be rendered after. The roof is typically
made with either thatching or corrugated iron. The floor is generally earthen and rendered with slurry
made from cow dung. The houses are typically two levels with open rooms. The top floor is usually one
room reserved for sleeping and the bottom for cooking and communal areas.
It is common for people to own their own house and land. In village of Sandikhola, most houses are south
facing due to colder climate, and livestock is often stored underneath the house to provide additional heat.
The houses usually consist of large shared rooms with small windows for ventilation, however the common
practice of cooking inside by wood fires, presents various health risks, as the use of chimneys is not
widespread in the area. Most buildings have access to electricity however it can be expensive. There is not
one uniformed housing design used in the area and it is it common to see a variety of building techniques
used even amongst neighbouring residences. The design often depends on the price of materials accessible
to varying income levels in the community, as well as the construction technique of the builder involved.
This includes roofing that can be either slate tiles or thatched material gathered from the forests not
straw. Given the geographical area of Sandikhola, one obstacle when it comes to building new
infrastructure is the lack of space available.
HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION DESIGN PROJECTS
NEWAH has identified the following housing and design projects. Students are invited to address a single
issue or provide an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also
be considered.
1.1 HOUSEHOLD VENTILATION SYSTEM
The houses have few windows to protect the house from the weather however this makes them dark and
the lack of ventilation means that smoke build up from cooking is a health concern. Cooking is primarily
done with wood fireplaces which generate considerable amounts of smoke. Your challenge is to design a
household ventilation system that prevents smoke build up within the home while protecting the
household from the weather.
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1.2 WEATHER PROOFING HOMES

The weather in the region can be quite diverse ranging from cold winters to hot and humid summers. The
communities are interested in investigating different building techniques utilising locally available materials
to improve the ability of houses to withstand the harsh climate and protect the household members from
the elements. Students should also consider the sustainability of the materials and building materials to
improve upon current practices.

1.3 LIGHTING FOR HOUSEHOLDS

As mentioned above the houses have few windows to provide protection from the weather however this
means that the rooms within the house are dark and often poorly lit making indoor or night time activities
difficult. Mains electricity is common throughout the district and most rooms will have one electric light
bulb, which is used at night. The challenge is to provide natural lighting throughout the day without
compromising on the weatherproofing of the homes. In addition, alternative lighting to electric light bulbs
that can be used at night could be considered.

HOUSING AND CONSRUCTON PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should:

Explain measures taken that would help to reduce cost, construction time, and negative
environmental impacts.
Consider factors such as heating and cooling, lighting and the material selection.
Use locally available materials that are culturally acceptable and environmentally friendly.
Utilise volunteers from the community for the construction. This means that the design projects
should include a training package designed to build the capacity of the local volunteers giving them
the required skills for the project.
The cost of the project should be affordable for the community.

DESIGN AREA 2 WATER AND SANITATION, HYGIENE (WASH)

Constructing a new rainwater tank in Sandikohla, 2013

NEWAH water focus areas include: drinking water, fog-water, rainwater harvesting (RWH), ground water
capture (GW), gravity fed (GF) water collection techniques (currently ~80% of techniques used).
The availability of water in the hill areas varies with the seasons. The primary waterway remains continual
year round, however it decreases substantially in the dry season. Other sources of water within Sandikhola
include: one smaller waterway, eight tap stands and two newer spring intakes. All are accessible within
close proximity of the majority of households, but become unusable in the dry season due to low pressure.
The natural spring sources in the area are depleting. When water is not available in the village, community
members will collect water from a larger spring further down the hill. Excess runoff water from the tap
stands is collected and used in kitchen gardens to limit waste.
Water tanks have been constructed in the community and rainwater harvesting is increasingly being
explored as collection method. The recently installed rainwater tanks are 20 cubic metres, with spring
intakes and an overflow system. The size of the reservoir tank depends on the number of residents in the
community. With the rainwater harvesting system, one household has installed a first flush device, with a
manual operated valve to release the water collected onto the roof. The rainwater collected from houses
with slate roofs often has a smoky flavour due to the use of wood fire cooking inside the house. For the
construction of the tanks, skilled labourers are brought into the community, however the community
members are involved in the process. Commonly men volunteer to dig the pit where the tank will go and
women will carry the sand, cement and gravel needed for the construction carried on their backs. NEWAH
also provides training to sanitation masons on construction techniques.
The tap stands in the area have been designed to include two heights for different ages to easily access. In
areas of the village that do not have multi-level taps, the design has evolved to include additional support
beams to prevent the taps from breaking with children hang on the tap to get water. Water quality is an
issue however getting testing equipment to the village. The equipment is expensive and needs to be
imported from overseas, which can take up to 6-7 months. Previous water quality testing revealed that
there are high levels of chloroforms in the hills. Another major problem identified in the area in the level of
lime build up in pipes. This calcification of pipes has an impact on the communities access to water.
Access to water has a large impact on sanitation and hygiene practices in the community. Sandikhola is a
self-identified open defecation free (ODF) area and NEWAH has established a Water and Sanitation
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Committee in Sandikhola, which is instrumental in hygiene promotion activities. The committees mandate
is that the responsibility is shared 50/50 between men and woman, with the requirement that women hold
two of the executive positions. Hygiene promotion activities include: safe water from source to mouth
training, promotion of bamboo drying racks, basic cleaning techniques and effective times to wash, how to
dispose of faeces from babies and children hygienically, safe water from the source to the mouth and the
importance of households infesting in building a tap stand. The most difficult thing about hygiene
promotion is obtaining the money for construction of the infrastructure, as the household must cover the
cost.
There is one primary school in the village for grades 1 -3, with approximately 30 students attending. The
schools toilet is currently under construction and will use a septic tank, not a pit. It is common practice that
water needs to be carried from the source to the toilets for sanitation practices. In terms of womens
health, in traditional western districts of Nepal, it is common for women to be sent away during
menstruation periods and have been restricted access to kitchens, temples and other public spaces due to
belief systems. As the school in Sandikhola only has grades 1- 3, the female students have not yet reached
puberty so there has not been a need to address issues associated with menstruation within the schools
facilities. The school in the neighbouring village of Pancha Kanya has recently constructed a sanitation block
that includes a waste disposal and incinerator system that allows girls to dispose of sanitary napkins
discreetly from within the toilet block.

WATER AND SANITATION, HYGIENE DESIGN PROJECTS

NEWAH has identified the following WASH projects. Students are invited to address a single issue or
provide an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also be
considered.
2.1 PROTECTION OF WATER SOURCES
The main water sources for the hill top communities are natural springs. Protection of these water sources
from contamination and overuse is vital for ensuring that the communities have a continuous supply of
water to meet their daily requirements. Your task is to design strategies for the protection of these water
sources.

2.2 APPROPRIATE TOILET DESIGN

NEWAH currently is working with communities to install toilets into the communities and schools to
improve the sanitation in the district. They primarily use pit latrines or septic tank technologies but are
interested in exploring alternative environmentally friendly toilet designs for the region.

2.3 RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS

While most communities have access to water from natural springs this is often not sufficient to supply a
community with water through the dry season when the flow of water decreases. To ensure that
communities have enough water all year round NEWAH has been working with them to install rain water
harvesting systems. NEWAH is interested in investigating alternative designs for rainwater harvesting
systems and are very interested in exploring the use of automatic first flush devices. To date they are only
using manual first flush devices on some of their systems.

2.4 WATER PURIFICATION

Water is piped from the natural springs to tap stands located throughout the community where water is
collected in containers for household use. Alternately water is collected directly from a tap in the rainwater
harvesting tank. The quality of the water is an issue, however it is not always tested due to the expense and
difficulty in obtaining water quality testing kits. The water often contains low levels of microbial
contamination and further contamination can be added if the water containers are not cleaned properly or
if the water sits for long periods of time. This task is to look at water purification methods to ensure that
the water used for drinking and cooking is potable.

2.5 WOMENS HEALTH AND SANITATION

There are large social stigmas associated with womens menstruation where it is seen as unclean. Women
will go to great pains to hide the evidence of their sanitation needs. Sanitary cloths are used and after
washing they are often stored under mattresses or in a corner to dry to keep them hidden. This practice
leads to many health problems. Your task is to design a method for washing and drying sanitary cloths in a
hygienic but private manner. Lack of sanitation infrastructure in schools can be a barrier for girls who have
reached puberty in attending school. Another project in this area is to design sanitation infrastructure for
schools that allow girls to meet their sanitary needs in a private way.
2.6 MULTIPLE USE SYSTEMS (MUS)
Multiple Use Systems (MUS) refer to systems where water is utilised for multiple purposes to minimise the
amount of fresh water that needs to be taken from the source. For example water runoff from the washing
stations is directed to a kitchen garden to water the vegetables thus getting two uses from the water.
NEWAH is interested in further exploring this concept of MUS and your task is to design a MUS for the hill
top communities.

2.7 FLY AND INSECT MANAGEMENT

Flies are prevalent in the rural areas and concentrate around toilets and livestock. Other insects such as
mosquitos can also be a problem. Mosquitos can breed in still bodies of water. Mosquitos are more
abundant in numbers during and just after the monsoon season and can carry diseases such as malaria.
Both flies and mosquitos can cause health problems in the communities. Schemes for managing these
insects are needed.

2.8 PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF LIME BUILD UP IN PIPES

Lime build up in pipes is an issue as it causes pipes to become blocked leading to a drop in water pressure,
an increased risk of corrosion and leaks. Your challenge is to come up with a proposal for the prevention of
lime build up in pipes and its removal if and when build up occurs.

2.9 DESIGN OF A WATER QUALITY TESTING KIT FOR NEPAL

Water quality is an issue right throughout Nepal, however it is difficult to obtain water quality testing kits or
equipment as they are expensive and need to be purchased from abroad. Once used the reagents are also
difficult to replace as again they are expensive and are not manufactured in Nepal. Often it can take 6 7
months to import the required reagents or components. NEWAH would love students to design a water
quality testing kit that can be made in Nepal for use in Nepal at an affordable price.
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WASH PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should consider:

The effect that any chemicals used will have on the environment.
Cultural beliefs and practices of the people living in the community. In particular local spiritual
beliefs associated with water.
Cost associated with implementing any proposal. The proposals should be affordable for the
community.
Consideration for womens privacy
Infrastructure already in place for water and sanitation.
Appropriateness to the local environment and weather
Utilise volunteers from the community for the construction. This means that the design projects
should include a training package designed to build the capacity of the local volunteers giving them
the required skills for the project.

DESIGN AREA 3 ENERGY

Outdoor wood fired stove commonly used for cooking, Sandikohla, 2013

In the hill areas it is common to use a mix between mains electricity, battery and kerosene lamps. Kerosene
lamps are slowly being replaced and electricity is preferred but can be unreliable. In larger cities, all offices
and restaurants will have diesel-operated generators. Solar energy is also being used commercially,
however has not yet been used on a household level within smaller communities. The desired uses for
electricity include: lights, mobile phone charging, television, and computers - excluding Internet, as it is not
available in Sandikhola. In the hill areas it is also common for households to have television. There is no
electricity in the school in the village and they depend on the windows for light.
For cooking firewood is still used and is sourced from community forests, where community allocations are
established. Gas is also used however it is not consistent year round and is not equally accessible amongst
the different households in the village. Biogas is currently being used is some households and is made from
the plentiful amount of free buffalo and cow dung that mixed with water and fed into the reactor daily. The
sludge then comes out the back of the processor and is used on the fields. One woman from the
community explained that due to having access to biogas, she has gas year round and that the benefits
include no smoke when cooking and it is much more economical.
ENERGY DESIGN PROJECTS
NEWAH has identified the following energy projects. Students are invited to address a single issue or
provide an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also be
considered.
3.1 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SUPPLY
A combination of mains electricity, batteries and kerosene lamps and occasionally solar are used as an
energy source in this region. Mains electricity is preferred but is often unreliable. Your task is to design an
alternative and sustainable energy supply for the hill top communities. NEWAH is also interested in
investigating the feasibility of micro hydro for both energy and water supply and so you may wish to
include this in your analysis of alternative technologies and solutions.

3.2 COOKING TECHNOLOGIES

Wood fireplaces located both inside and outside of the home are primarily used for cooking. The wood
takes several hours to collect each day and when burnt produces a lot of smoke which causes health
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problems throughout the community. In Sandikhola, however, a few houses have biogas stoves. The
women in these houses say that they like using the gas stoves and that there is no smoke from them. Your
task is to explore alternative cooking technologies for the hill top communities and compare them with the
current stoves and the biogas systems already in place.

3.3 ENERGY SUPPLY FOR WATER PUMPING

The terrain in the hill areas is quite steep. This makes moving water uphill to a community located at a
higher altitude than the source very energy intensive and as electricity and petrol / diesel is expensive
pumps are often not able to be used. Your task is to design an alternative energy supply system for
pumping water.

3.4 WATER MILL

Grains such as corn and rice are currently milled by hand using a small hand grinder. This project is to
investigate the feasibility of implementing a water mill to grind the grains and create potential economic
opportunities for the community.

ENERGY PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should consider:
The cost of your solution. Including purchasing costs, maintenance costs, payback time.
The appropriateness of your solution to the social, economic and physical environment.
The reliability of the solution.

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DESIGN AREA 4 WASTE MANAGEMENT

Community rubbish bin in Sandikohla, 2013

There are no central waste management facilities in the hill areas, which can pose tremendous challenges
when it comes to disposing and processing non-organic waste materials. Disposing of organic waste is
handled in a variety of ways that include feeding left over food scraps to animals. Agricultural waste goes
into individual household pits for composting and animal waste goes into compost and into agricultural
fields. In rural areas there isnt a process for separating the agricultural, food scraps and waste materials
during the composting stage prior to mixing them into the fields.
The waste materials commonly found in the hill areas include: plastic bottles, plastic bags, glass bottles and
wrappers from snacks such as candy bars and lollies. The lack of appropriate disposal options means that
there is a build up of waste continues to be an issue. The current system of disposing solid waste such as
burning it or taking it to a larger dump is not a long-term solution. There have been steps to encourage
members of the community not to throw waste on the ground, by providing large bags within the
community where people can put their recyclable materials. The topography of the area requires the
houses to be in close proximity of each other and the amount of animal waste around the houses is an
issue as it encroaches into other peoples areas.
NEWAH has been involved in a long-term study examining different attitudes towards handling of waste
and sludge in the communities that they work, which will further inform what techniques can be put in
place to handle waste management issues.

WASTE MANAGEMENT DESIGN PROJECTS

NEWAH has identified the following waste management projects. Students are invited to address a single
issue or provide an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also
be considered.
4.1 SLUDGE MANAGEMENT
NEWAH is currently working with communities to install septic tanks for sanitation in the hill region. Over
time sludge accumulates in the bottom of the septic tanks and needs to be periodically removed. In
addition sludge accumulates in the bottom of biodigesters which are producing gas for cooking. Currently
the sludge from the biodigesters is released onto the adjoining hillside. Your task is to design a solution for
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sludge management. This solution should take into consideration community health, the environment and
the potential uses for this by-product.

4.2 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid waste in the communities includes plastic bottles, plastic bags and food packaging. Solid waste is
currently collected in the communities and is then either burnt or disposed of in large rubbish dumps. Your
task is to design an appropriate solid waste management system for hill top communities.

4.3 WASTE AS ENERGY

A few houses in the community of Sandikhola have biogas systems in place to generate energy from waste
organic material. Your task is to look at what other waste streams and technologies could be utilised to
generate energy for the hill top communities in addition to and including biogas.

4.4 COMPOSTING
Currently some agricultural waste and animal waste are collected and composted in pits for use on the
fields. Your task is to explore composting methods for the hill top communities and design a system to have
the maximum benefit for the farmers.

WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should consider:
Current waste management practices.
Preventing the dumping of waste in communities, the forest and waterways.
Reducing the transportable waste.
How to incentivise waste management within the community so that it will be self-sustaining.
The benefits of converting a waste stream into a valuable product which becomes an income
stream.

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DESIGN AREA 5 TRANSPORT

Women transporting sand to a construction site by strapping the bags to their backs and heads, Sandikohla, 2013

The community of Sandikhola is located at 1,259 metres in the Gorkha district. The village itself sits in three
sections along the hillside with crops, houses and livestock spread out. The roads are compacted and
walkways are either made out of stone or compacted earth. Sandikhola is accessible by road, however the
road conditions create significant transportation challenges, especially during the rainy season. The road is
shared two-ways by vehicles and livestock and extremely steep and narrow.
One can access the community by public transportation by taking two different local buses and a walking
bridge (~6 hours from the major city of Bharatpur) or one local bus and walking (~1/2 hour bus ride and 6-7
hour walk from Bharatpur if there is a strike). Strikes, or bandhs, are common in Nepal and most services
such as transportation will cease to run for the duration of the strike.
The rainy season causes many road problems such as landslides and road bridges being washed out. Sheep,
goats, mules and yaks are all used to transport goods to the hill and plain areas. Currently animal and
human waste is a problem, as there are large amounts of manure on the roads.
Manual labour is also readily used and is a common option when vehicles can be used. Children will often
walk between 1 3 hours a day to the community for school (grades 1-3), depending on what neighbouring
village. There is another school (grades 4-10) 1-hour walk roundtrip that provides additional education for
villages in the area. There are many walking bridges in the region that are of award winning and there is a
over-river pulley system that is effective when needing to transport good into Sandikhola from areas
separated by rivers, such as Bharatpur.

TRANSPORT DESIGN PROJECTS

NEWAH has identified the following transport projects. Students are invited to address a single issue or
provide an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also be
considered.
5.1 VERTICAL GOODS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
The terrain in hill region is very steep. Community members must walk up and down these hills numerous
times each day to collect firewood, food for the livestock, water and to tend to their hillside farms. The
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goods are carried up and down the hills in bags strapped to the peoples backs. There are pulley systems to
carry goods horizontally across the rivers and ravines but nothing in place to help people carry goods up
and down the hills. Your task is to design a solution to carry goods up and down the hills.

5.2 ROAD MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The roads up to the hill top communities are very rough and rugged 4WD tracks. These roads become
impassable during the monsoon season when they turn into rivers. The roads become washed out during
this time of the year and are frequently blocked by landslides. Road maintenance and management plans
are needed for this district to improve accessibility to the communities on the hill tops.

5.3 ANIMAL AND HUMAN WASTE MANAGEMENT ON THE ROAD

As most of the transport in the region is conducted on foot or with animals there is a problem with human
and animal waste build up on the side of the roads as there are no sanitation facilities on the roads.
NEWAH are interested in investigating sanitation solutions for animal and human waste on the roads.

TRANSPORT PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should consider:
The suitability of the transport solution to the terrain and environment in the hill regions.
The cost vs. benefit of your solution. Will your solution appeal to the locals, or could you convince a
government that your solution is worth investing in?
The appropriateness of your solution to the social, economic and physical environment.
The reliability of the transport solution.

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DESIGN AREA 6 - INFORMATION, COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES

Manually checking the flow of water from a natural spring in Sandikohla, 2013

The use of mobile phones in Nepal is widespread, with most individuals owning one. Nepal is looking to
implement a 3G system but it is expensive and will take time to be effectively implemented countrywide.
There is no Internet in remote areas, such as Sandikhola, and limited computers available. The lack of
Internet access makes collecting, storing and backing up data extremely difficult for NEWAH, as well as
other organisations working in remote communities. Collecting data in these rural communities is also a
large time commitment for NEWAH and not efficient in sharing and monitoring information between the
organisation and the communities that they work in. Data is currently collected by hand and stored only in
hard copy. A SMS program then compiles all of the data, however the system adds to concerns about data
security.
ICT PROJECTS
NEWAH has identified the following ICT projects. Students are invited to address a single issue or provide
an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also be considered.
6.1 AUTOMATED DATA RECORDING SYSTEM
NEWAH records data on water flows and levels to monitor the health of the natural springs and waterways.
Currently this data is recorded manually and requires a person to walk to the data recording point and take
measurements at regular intervals. NEWAH is interested in exploring the possibility of an automated data
recording equipment to make this process less labour intensive. It would also be great to see an automated
data recording system coupled with an automatic report generation system.

6.2 COMMUNITY MONITORING SYSTEMS

Similar to water data recording above all of the recording of the infrastructure and community information
is completed manually. This makes monitoring of the programs and planning, e.g. planning for
maintenance, difficult. NEWAH is interested in an electronic community monitoring system, for example
utilising SMS technology, to capture data, send it to the district office and integrate into a program that can
automatically generate reports on the status of community projects.
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6.3 PROGRAM TO CALCULATE PROJECT LIFE CYCLE COSTS

NEWAH is interested in a program that will allow for quick calculations of the project life cycle costs
including; material, equipment, labour and ongoing maintenance costs for their project. The program
should be flexible to allow NEWAH staff to choose the parameters required for each project.

6.4 DATA SECURITY MANAGEMENT

Recording and backing up data is an issue. NEWAH would like a system to do this quickly and securely to
ensure that there are no losses. They would also like a system that is easily searchable to ensure
information can be found easily and quickly when required.

ICT PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should consider:

Computer literacy is low in rural areas and so the incorporation of training will be integral to the
success of any project within the district.
The availability of different types of hardware and infrastructure should be considered, i.e. how
many people have access to computers, smartphones, etc.
Cost should be kept to a minimum so that the design is affordable for members of the community.
Mains electricity is unreliable. Alternative power supplies or portable power supplies may also be
considered as part of the design.

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DESIGN AREA 7 CLIMATE CHANGE

Rice paddies, Sandikohla 2013

Changing weather patterns, depleting natural resources and an increase in natural disasters are all climate
change related issues that have been a focus area of growing concern within Nepal. Recent glacial breakage
and melting in the cities of Pokhara and Mansulu resulted in the deaths of trekkers and have highlighted
the importance on focusing on disaster preparedness and community awareness programs for
communities across Nepal, including the areas that NEWAH works in. Flash floods are also common.
Changes in rainfall patterns have impacted the flowering of flowers and fruits, as well as harvesting
patterns of crops. These changing patterns have direct impacts on reliable food supplies and food security
issues have been identified. NEWAH has a classification system for community households related to the
amount of food they have access to over a given time period. The 3 classifications are: ultra poor (enough
food for 3 months); poor (enough food for 6 months); and better/medium (enough food for 12 months).
These classifications are also impacted by income generated and the disparity amongst households is
visible in villages such as Sandikhola.
There are also concerns that pesticides used on existing crops could begin to contaminate water sources,
when used in areas close to existing water flows or in areas where the water table is unknown. There are
also a growing number of flies and mosquitoes found in the northern hill areas, which increase the chance
of disease.

CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTS

NEWAH has identified the following climate change projects. Students are invited to address a single issue
or provide an integrated design solution for two or more design areas. Alternative projects may also be
considered.
7.1 WATER SOURCE PROTECTION
Water is sourced from natural springs throughout the hill region. The water pressure in these springs
decreases during the dry season and are then recharged during the monsoon. A combination of changes in
the weather patterns and an increasing demand for water from communities is meaning that the average
water pressure in the springs is decreasing with time. The management and protection of these water
sources is vital for water security in the region. You task is to design a management and protection plan.
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7.2 FOOD SECURITY

Changes in weather patterns including the duration and timing of the monsoons means that farmers are
needing to adapt their agricultural practices to ensure that food crops survive. Your task is to develop a
plan for adaptation of agricultural practices to changes in climate to ensure the food security of the region.

7.3 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

Natural disasters including floods, drought, earthquakes, landslides, and flash floods are common
throughout the hill region. Your task is to develop a disaster preparedness and response plan for
communities in the region.

7.4 FLY AND MOSQUITO MANAGEMENT

With the changes in weather patterns communities are noticing that there is an increasing number of flies
and mosquitos found in the hill regions. With an increase in these insects comes an increase in the
prevalence of diseases such as malaria. NEWAH would like students to assist in the development of a fly
and mosquito management plan.

7.5 ORGANIC PESTICIDES FOR AGRICULTURE

Pesticides and herbicides are often used in agriculture practices. These chemicals however find their way
into the ground water and contribute to the pollution of the waterways. Your task is to investigate organic
farming practices and find a solution for management of crops that does not involve using chemicals.

CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

When designing a solution, the following issues have been identified and should be considered a priority.
The proposal should consider:

Sensitivity to cultural beliefs.

The longevity of the solution.
The ability of the solution to cater for future needs.
Economic viability to increase early participation.

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CONTACT US
The EWB Challenge is coordinated by Engineers Without Borders Australia and implemented in conjunction
with universities internationally.
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
To participate in the EWB Challenge or for general enquires in Australia or New Zealand please contact:
Jenny Turner
EWB Challenge Coordinator
Engineers Without Borders Australia
Email: j.turner@ewb.org.au
Phone: +61 3 9329 1166

Hayley Allen
Education and Training Officer
Engineers Without Borders Australia
Email: h.allen@ewb.org.au
Phone: +61 3 9329 1166

UK AND IRELAND
To participate in the EWB Challenge or for general enquires in the UK or Ireland please contact:
Emily Mattiussi
EWB Challenge Manager
Engineers Without Borders UK
Email: emily.mattiussi@ewb-uq.org
Phone: +44 207 907 4393

Sylvia Roberge
Learning Programmes Administrator
Engineers Without Borders UK
Email: challenge@ewb-uk.org
Phone: +44(0)207 222 9177

ALL OTHER REGIONS

To participate in the EWB Challenge or for general enquires in all other regions please contact:
Jenny Turner
EWB Challenge Coordinator
Engineers Without Borders Australia
Email: j.turner@ewb.org.au
Phone: +61 3 9329 1166

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