2009-07-13 - ABB has donated safety gear to help the Engineers Without Borders New Zealand Auckland and Canterbury student chapters tackle their upcoming Tonga project, as well as future projects, safely.
Engineers making a difference
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) New Zealand is an organisation of professional and student engineers who share a vision to confront global challenges of poverty, sustainable development and social inequity by undertaking projects that will directly improve the quality of life in communities within New Zealand and in the South Pacific region. EWB also runs successfully in other countries.
ABB donated safety gear, including hard hats, high-visibility jackets, first aid kits, ear plugs, gloves and glasses, to the sixteen strong EWB Auckland and Canterbury project teams for their ‘Tonga Renewable Energies’ aid trip. The Auckland team’s project includes the design of a solar powered groundwater pumping scheme for Tonga College. The Canterbury team’s project involves the design of a grid-tied solar scheme to supplement Vava’u High School’s current electricity supply. Both schemes are to be implemented in November this year. See the website www.ewb.org.nz/projects/tonga_auckland and http://www.ewb.org.nz/projects/tonga_canterbury for more details on the project.
EWBNZ Tonga Project Leader, Anita Walbran, along with a number of her EWBNZ peers recently visited ABB to receive the donation and meet with ABB’s Managing Director to discuss the project:
“Thank you very much once again for ABB's generous donation. Without the support of our community we would not be able to achieve what we do so we are very grateful for your assistance.”
| Grant Gillard (Managing Director, ABB Limited), alongside the EWB representatives Anita Walbran, Jonathan Cheng, Fatima Leung-Wai, Graham dos Santos, Bridget Rule and Peter Luk |
.Grant Gillard, Managing Director for ABB New Zealand, says he is very supportive of EWBNZ as their focus on the community and renewable energy has clear synergies with ABB’s business focus:
“From my dealings with the team from Engineers Without Borders so far, I’ve been very impressed with their energy and passion for the cause. We are pleased our safety gear donation can help with this and future projects”.
For more information on Engineers Without Borders, please visit www.ewb.org.nz.