What to Expect from an Overseas Placement

What is a typical placement like?

There is no one typical EWB placement or experience. EWB volunteers work on a broad range of projects in various settings.

• Volunteers can work in large cities or in small rural communities
• Volunteers can participate in research, field testing, office work and rural development
• Volunteers can be working with, close to, or far away from other EWB volunteers
• Volunteers come from all fields of engineering and sometimes have no engineering background
• Volunteers can work in partnership with a Canadian organisation, an overseas organisation, a government ministry or with an EWB project

Will I do hands on work?

Although some EWB placements involve working in rural areas directly with communities on project implementation, we do not focus on "hands-on' work. While some of our internships have a community-based focus, others are in offices or focus on technical research, thus not providing this "hands-on" work in communities. Each placement however, is an exciting and demanding experience that serves to benefit and empower developing communities.

What are living conditions like?

We believe it is critical for EWB volunteers to earn the trust of the local community in which they work and therefore should live like locals. We provide volunteers with a daily living stipend that on average is $10 a day. This affords volunteers living conditions similar to those of their co-workers at their partner organisation. Some volunteers live with families while others rent a room, apartment or hut.

It is also a requirement that volunteers strive to learn the local language both before the placement and while overseas. By living like the local people and working to integrate into the local community, volunteers demonstrate that they respect local people and their lives, and are able to have a much greater impact.

To learn more about what some of our volunteers are doing overseas, read about their projects and experiences.