How many people have benefited from the organization Engineers Without Borders? Of course, there are many engineers and general staff members involved in the non profit team, so the number of people in the countries that engineers have completed projects in combined with the number of active staff members should definitely be included when calculating how many people are directly affected. Of course, the benefits that the staff and current population of the engineering project site gain are different, but both groups of people are, undoubtedly, still rewarded.
The people who watch and benefit from the engineers helping their direct communities to make large, positive and permanent changes are unconsciously helping establish a more humanitarian outlook and opinion on Americans as a whole. Of course, this is a good thing for the United States. And yes, it is unfortunate that society has created such a negative and strong stereo type because of the impressions and impacts that greedy Americans caused to develop in the first placce, but Americans who are striving to help, such as those involved in EQB-USA, unquestionably continue to help break the established stereotype.
If the stereo-type of an American gradually moves towards becoming a more positive “label” than there is a good chance more Americans will continue to strive in making a difference and follow in other humanitarian American’s footsteps,given the idea of a self fulfilling prophecy.
Although the Australian Journal of Engineering does not discuss EWB-USA, specifically, it had an article that spoke on behalf of all Engineers Without Borders. The title, itself, “Volunteering pays off--both for the involved engineer and the world they serve” speaks for itself. Thankfully, just how people follow or conform to a negative stereo-type that is established, he or she will follow along when they see someone doing something appealing or worthwhile, too.
“The well-being of the world largely depends upon the work of the engineer ... (Sir William Halcrow, British civil engineer, 1883-1958).” With Halcrow’s claim in mind, it is important that Americans continue to recognize the importance that humanitarian engineering does, in fact, bring to the table. People have power on both sides of engineering projects; whether he or she is the engineer or the community member whose lifestyle is being directly affected by the engineering project, because recognizing the work being undertaken will push society towards changing the already established depiction of Americans.
In Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen’s article, “How Negative Thoughts and Expectations Create Problems in Life,” Pawlik declares that “self-fulfilling prophecies are powerful, and real” (Pawlik). Therefore, it is extremely important that Americans are working towards achieving a positive self-prophecy, like an engineer from EWB-USA illustrates.
Works Cited
Care, R. "Volunteering pays off--both for the involved engineer and the world they serve." Australian Journal of Civil Engineering 5.1 (Annual 2008): 39(11). Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale. California Polytechnic State University. 24 Feb. 2011
Pawlik-Kienlen, Laurie. Self-Fulfilling Prophecies in Psychology. 10 March. 2007. 24 February. 2011 .
I believe your research bring a really good point to the table. I very much believe that both the helper and the helpee benefit from such organizations as EWB. I have previously worked with them on developing a water technology for them, and the amount of information and feedback these engineers receive is overwhelming. Americans get a completely new outlook in how things we take for granted are needed in other places.
ReplyDeleteI like how you tie in the idea that if more American's are trying to be more humanitarian, they will ultimately fulfill that goal. I would like to know how much the helpee (people from the communities that EWB helps) feels such organization helps them. Do they see us as help, or as intruders, or even a combination? In thinking more about this, I also think that maybe the engineering involved with EWB should be more acclimated to the community that they are helping so that they aren't looked as intruders, but instead, they are welcomed.
I may have been going on a tangent there, but I think it would be something interesting to incorporate how EWB prepares itself to enter these communities.