Fort Lewis College Village Aid Project (VAP) travels to Nicaragua and Ecuador in summer 2022

Seven students from Fort Lewis College participated in CO-WY AMP’s International Research Experience (IRE) in summer 2022 where they completed a water system project in Nicaragua and a school classroom in Ecuador. In Nicaragua, the student team worked in the rural community of Las Animas where they assisted in preparing the technical design and then worked side-by-side with community members to construct the water system. In Ecuador, Fort Lewis students helped the indigenous Quechuan community of Chinihuaico construct an additional classroom for their village school.

Fort Lewis students work on these and other international projects in impoverished communities through what is called the Village Aid Project (VAP). VAP is a student-centered, humanitarian organization whose mission is to find sustainable solutions to critical engineering problems in the developing world. In addition, VAP trains and engages a future generation of students to understand the need for sustainable systems and the value of responsible global learning and citizenship.