Engineering for Education: 2011 Davis Projects for Peace Grant

Exciting News for the Project! We found out last week that we are one of two proposals chosen by Smith to be sent to the Davis Foundation for funding consideration. Projects for Peace is a program that supports and encourages students to design their own grassroots projects - anywhere in the world - which promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties. "Peace" is intentionally left undefined so as not to limit students' imaginations. We're very excited to have been chosen as finalists for this incredible grant! Final decisions will be announced on March 11th.

Us with an early version of the library (Genevieve on the left, me on the right)

About This Blog

Engineering for Education is a project by two students at Smith College: Victoria Henry '12, and Geneviéve de Mijolla '13. The project aims to promote education and literacy amongst Peruvian woman by constructing a library at La Casa Mantay, a home for teenage mothers in Cusco, Peru. Most of the mothers at Mantay have been victims of sexual violence, and left school due to their circumstances and the Peruvian stigma against pregnant teens. By providing the mothers of Mantay with a much needed educational resource, we hope to help stop the prevalence of sexual violence against poor, uneducated women and girls and help end educational inequality in Peru.

Additionally, the library aims to promote and implement sustainable building practices. Victoria and Genevieve have used knowledge acquired in their Engineering classes at Smith College to create a sustainable, low-energy library design. All construction materials will be bought locally in order to stimulate the Cusco economy, and construction workers assisting in the project will also be local Cusqueños. We believe that building the library sustainably will not only benefit the planet and the Cusco economy, but that exposure to the idea of sustainability will be educational for the residents of Mantay.

About Us

Victoria Henry is a Junior English Major and Engineerign Minor from Taos, NM. She spent a year living in South America and was a past volunteer at Mantay. Her time at the home inspired this project. Despite her fair skin and British name, she thinks she may have her roots in Latin America and can't wait to go back!

Geneviéve de Mijolla is a Sophomore Physics and Engineering Major from Southern France. She's a whiz at programming and a master at functioning on very little sleep. In her spare time she hands out smiles like candy.

Paul Voss is a professor of engineering at Smith College....and also, our amazing advisor for this project!

Official Project Proposal

2011 Davis Projects for Peace Grant

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