A Salute to Professional Engineers & Geoscientists
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/475690
W i n n i P E g F r E E P r E S S P R O v I N c I A L E N G I N E E R I N G & G E O S c I E N c E W E E k | 3 WINNIPEG | CALGARY | VANCOUVER | FARGO Phone:1-800-553-0007 Email:info@FWSgroup.com Ourprovenexperiencewithindustrial andagriculturalconstruction requirementsallowsustodelivera diverserangeofprojectsolutions. FWSgroup.com Design-BuildExperts InnovativeSolutionsforBuildingValue! day. Nicholson not only designs water and sanitation systems, she's also involved with assembling water tanks and piping networks, construction activities, water testing and any other manual labour. As projects progress, she shifts her focus to training her local staff members so they can work as independently as possible and maintain the systems once she leaves. MSF outreach and health promotion teams also train locals on hygiene, sanitation and medical-related topics. Nicholson notes that MSF employs hundreds of local residents during projects, which contributes to the local economies. Admittedly, the work comes with challenges. MSF workers need to take care when working in conflict areas or disaster zones. Materials are often unavailable locally and must be shipped in — and it's common for these materials to be bumped by medication and medical supplies. Language barriers can pose problems and in some regions it can be difficult to find qualified people to do specialized tasks. Homesickness and rugged living conditions take their toll. And while Winnipeggers may complain about snow and cold, extreme heat threatens Nicholson's team with heat exhaustion and rainy seasons make moving materials near impossible. But the fringe benefits more than make up for these: visiting far-flung corners of the globe, holiday travel during long missions and making close friends with people who work beside you. And best of all: the joy in providing people with one of life's biggest necessities. "We can see the impact of our work immediately," says Nicholson. "There is nothing better than opening a water distribution point where previously there was none and seeing all the wide smiles. It's incredible to be a small part of that!" ❚ nicholson walks through water at the Bentiu poc camp in south sudan. Ian Atkinson nicholson shows off her gear in sierra Leone. MSF photo