[4/6/2010]--A UMBC student organization is embarking on a trip to one of the world's poorest countries to improve their basic living conditions.

The relief will consist of two trips; the first in August of this year to assess what work needs to be done, and the second in January 2011, when the tasks will be completed. While members have been busy with their fundraising efforts, they are still short the $10,000 needed for their travels. "So far we have about $2,000," says Harting, a mechanical engineering major. "The $10,000 is needed for the first trip, and that will be for plane tickets and our stay in Kenya. The assessment trip should last about a week, and then the implementation week in January will probably last another week. Some of the fundraising has gone quite well. We had a night at the Red Maple in Baltimore, where people paid a cover charge of $10 and then we got a 15% taking of the bar profits at the end of the night. And that was great, people had a great night and we managed to raise some money. But to be honest we havent had a lot of luck with raising money on campus. Aside from bake sales we've not really received anything from UMBC." He does however remain optimistic about raising the money needed for the Kenyan trip. "We're looking toward government grants and the like now. They normally generate more money than selling cakes."

Isongo is one of Kenya's poorest areas with less than 50% of people having access to clean drinking water. Those interested in helping out with either the Engineers Without Borders UMBC chapter or with the Kenyan fundraising are asked to contact Eric at haeri1umbc [dot] edu.

Original Story: http://www.retrieverweekly.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=5471&format=html
Appeared in UMBC Retriever Weekly "Engineers Without Borders hopes to aid Kenya" by Tilly Ingleby