Build It International

Christine Cartland on behalf of Build It International receiving the Award from Dr Shini Somara with Master Engineer Eur Ing Penny Taylor, JP and Clerk Cdr Peter Gracey VR RN [photo courtesy of Mark Witter Photography] 

The 2025 Engineering Outreach Grant was awarded to Build It International, the fifth Engineering Outreach Grant of £5,000.  Build It International creates opportunities for young people and their communities in Zambia through skills training, work experience and essential community building projects. 

The Build It International project provides quality wash facilities for Miswa Primary School in Zambia, where the current latrines for children which are unhygienic and offer no privacy. The Build It International project will construct ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines with water reticulated hand washing facilities instead of water-based toilets for the purposes of sustainability and the school’s capacity for maintenance. Also, as Zambia experiences long phases of droughts, water-based toilets would be unusable due to a lack of water and limited available power. It also provides the training for 10 young people from the local community in latrine construction and maintenance, providing them with the skills and work experience to increase their future earning potential as well as to provide longevity to the project. Build It International also transfer knowledge of construction, repair and maintenance of the facilities to the local community through workshops and a maintenance manual, ensuring appropriate management and long-term sustainability.

The Engineers Trust Grant forms a significant part of the total cost of the project which is expected to complete in the summer 2026.

A charitable grant launched in 2021 for a specific project or programme of work that uses engineering in the relief of poverty where the timeline and measurable outcomes are clearly defined. Applicant organisations are restricted to UK registered Charities, but the delivery can be world-wide

The Worshipful Company of Engineers Charitable Trust (the Engineers Trust) acknowledges excellence in engineering, supports engineering education and research, gives grants and assists in the relief of hardship and poverty.