In January of 2023, we were invited by USAFA and the Dire Dawa community to start a major partnership between our organization, Engineering a Better World at UCLA, and the Dire Dawa community. As part of this collaboration, our team visited Dire Dawa, located in Eastern Ethiopia, with the purpose of identifying the community’s most pressing infrastructure needs.

 

During our visit, we had the privilege of engaging in a week-long collaboration with various key stakeholders, including the Ethiopian Ministry of Education, the UN Representative for African Economic Development, senior management from Dire Dawa University, local school principals, and members of the Dire Dawa community. This collaboration proved to be highly successful and resulted in the inception of several infrastructure projects.

 

Among these projects, one stands out as particularly crucial: the construction of a latrine at a local public school in Dire Dawa. This is the specific initiative for which we are currently seeking fundraising support. We believe that addressing the sanitation needs of this school is of utmost importance, and we invite you to join us in making a positive impact on the lives of the students and the entire Dire Dawa community.

 

​