Students use spring break to work on sustainability projects in Rwanda
Students from Columbia University and the University of Rwanda on the campus of the University of Rwanda.
this semester, Sustainability Undergraduate Program open new courses, Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring Rwanda. Fulfilling the program’s major capstone requirements, this course provides students with the opportunity to explore What sustainable development means in the context of sub-Saharan Africa.
Students learned about the history and current sustainable development efforts in sub-Saharan Africa before heading to Rwanda. Working with students from the University of Rwanda, they embarked on two local projects: one to expand recycling of e-waste (e-waste), and the other to support the creation of improved cooking stoves for use in rural areas.
During spring break, the class travels to Rwanda. Based in the capital Kigali, the combined group — 10 Columbia University students and 10 Rwandan University students — spent several days studying on campus, with some traveling outside the city center to learn more Learn more about their projects and make recommendations for local partners. One day is reserved for a full-day visit to Akagera National Park, where the class takes a guided wildlife drive. Not only can students observe rural life while driving through remote parts of the country, but the safari park also gives students the opportunity to see elephants, zebras, hippos, rhinos, antelope and many bird species.
See zebras during a safari.
Columbia University students and Professor Dale on top of a hill in Kigali.
The e-waste recycling team had the opportunity to visit the production plant of their customer Enviroserve.
On Friday, the final day of tourism week, both project teams presented their work to each other and their clients. The e-waste recycling team has established invaluable contacts at four different universities in Kigali, each of which is a potential location for a new e-waste collection point. The stove team has begun quantifying the many benefits of the new stove, including reduced emissions and increased efficiency, a calculation that can be used to market and sell the new product.
Stove Team Learn more about stove making.
Students from Columbia University and the University of Rwanda in front of the architecture building on the Ur campus.
Student Matthew Capuano-Rizzo explains: “One of my favorite aspects of the project is the collaboration with the University of Rwanda. All the students are working on very interesting thesis projects such as using ArcGIS to map Kigali’s urbanization, developing a sieve diabetes app, and developing a website that connects young entrepreneurs with government resources. Interacting with Rwandan university students allowed us to really understand what sustainability actually looks like and what students our age are doing to make a real difference. The trip was also a hub for Colombian students from many different programs, as students from the Business School and Human Rights were also in Kigali with us. Meet them at various points in the Communicating with students was also an important aspect of the trip. I am very grateful to the Sustainability Department for funding this program to make these unique experiences available to all students.”
