Engineering is often referred to as the workhorse of innovation. In Africa, where innovation has the potential to change the lives of millions, the continent’s hope for socioeconomic transformation relies heavily on engineering. Meir Yaacoby, Chief Engineer for Innovation: Africa, shares why skills development and training of local engineers is at the core of Innovation: Africa’s philosophy as they work towards bringing clean water and power to thousands of African villages.
Solar power is the most reliable and affordable energy source available to African communities. Due to the abundance of sunlight, the price of solar energy has decreased by 89% since 2010 making it the most affordable form of energy in history. Solar solutions should be widespread across the continent, yet over 620 million people in Africa live without electricity. This is where Innovation: Africa is stepping in, specifically in terms of their engineer training, to ensure that the innovative solutions they are developing are brought to life and having tangible impact in some of the most vulnerable African communities.
Solar energy can have life-changing implications, especially when it comes to solar-powered water pumps that offer an effective and sustainable means for communities to access safe and clean water. But in order for these technologies to be implemented, sustainable development through technological innovation and skills development is a necessary first step.
Unpacking innovation: Africa’s commitment
Central to Innovation: Africa’s empowerment strategy is the empowerment of others. Not only empowering the community members we provide light and/or water to, but poignantly empowering our local team members across Africa. We currently have over 80 full-time hydrogeologists, civil, water and electrical engineers as well as field officers and country managers. By developing our local teams’ knowledge, expertise and utilisation of our innovative solar systems, remote monitoring technology and our Energy Box, we are able to ensure the successful implementation of our solar and water projects. This ensures long-term sustainability so that we can confidently trust that our experts on the ground will be able to address any maintenance or system repairs that may be required.
Can skilling and empowering local engineers change Africa’s future for the better?
There is no doubt that the more we can educate and promote independence and empowerment through facilitating development, the more these future leaders will be able to flourish and in turn become the change-makers that propel Africa forward.
We teach the three most important traits needed to ensure that our engineers can innovate with the most impact:
- Creative problem solving;
- a willingness to learn from others;
- to be dedicated to the mission at hand.
The importance of combined technical and soft skills
I believe that one of the reasons our initiative is so successful is because of the team behind it. From the Founder & CEO, Sivan Yaari, to our local field officers, every employee is both technically excellent, as well as a kind, hardworking and dedicated team member. This combination of both skills is what makes for such an exceptional team. We always know that the work we do is conducted to the highest standard and done so alongside dedicated, professional and technically proficient colleagues.
Engineer Spotlight
Meet Rachael Mutenyo, Civil Engineer for Innovation: Africa in Uganda
- Please share your name, surname, age and brief background.
My Name is Rachael Mutenyo. I was born on the 29th of July 1988 in Mbale, Uganda.
For me, life was not a bed of roses growing up. But for my mother it was even worse. She struggled a lot and when I was six years old, she left an abusive relationship and relocated back to her ancestral village, Lwaboba, where she went on to raise us with the help of her sister, Aidah, and our grandmother, Felicita.
- When you were younger did you dream of becoming an engineer?
Growing up, I had an uncle who was an Engineer and I greatly admired him. I remember saying when I was 12 years old that I wanted to become an Engineer like him and I recall everyone laughing because “I was a girl” – it was simply unheard of back then. But I was adamant.
In 2004, when I sat for my lower-level Certificate, I scored highly in the Sciences and maths. Back then all girls who scored highly in sciences went on to study nursing, but I was committeed to be an engineer.
I travelled to my Uncle’s home in Kampala and I told him I had passed my exams and that I wanted to proceed to an advanced level certificate. He told me that he could help me get admission to an all-girls school nearby. That day changed my life entirely.
My uncle paid my tuition for the two years and I proudly qualified at one of the most prestigious Universities in Uganda as a civil Engineer and I have never looked back.
- What does your job entail?
At Innovation: Africa, my job includes:
- Construction supervisions of our solar water pumping systems, namely the tower and water networks that are installed throughout rural villages to ensure that the construction is according to our organisation’s standards and protocols.
- I am involved in the community sensitisation process. Here we work closely with the communities we serve to ensure the mutual partnership and long-term success of the projects.
- I am proud to have taken on more managerial responsibilities as I bridge the gap between our local team, engineers and management.
- What kind of engineer are you? And how long have you been in this field?
I am originally a Civil Engineer although I have ventured into Civil Surveying, Construction Law and water Engineering as well as Computer Aided Design (CAD).
I have been in the field for close to ten years now as I acquired my first Diploma in Civil Surveying in 2010 whilst studying Civil Engineering at Makerere University.
Coupled with all the above, I am the kind of Engineer who will exhaust all alternatives to make “it” work, all the while seeking support and counsel from both the local team and management.
- What qualifications or kind of training did you need to enter this career path?
Back in the day (a lot has changed now), you had to obtain high grades in Maths and Physics at the Advanced Certificate level in Uganda in order to enrol for a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at one of only two accredited Universities – Makerere University and Kyambogo University.
This was a time when no private university in Uganda was licensed to tutor Civil Engineering at a Bachelors level.
I qualified for the course and went on to study for four years with an intermittent industrial training of two years. Through the subsequent graduation and industrial trainings I later applied for my first job with the Uganda National Roads authority as a graduate Engineer and eventually moved on to this career path.
- What inspired you to become an engineer?
Engineering has no limitations! You can innovate, design and literally transform your surroundings for the betterment of all by mastering the principles. This inspired me greatly – it still does.
- How did you become part of Innovation: Africa?
In 2019, my mother told me an organisation came to our village of Lwaboba to provide us with water. I did not believe her because we grew up walking very long distances each day to fetch water – sometimes five miles each way.
When Innovation: Africa came to our village, we were among the lucky communities who received access to clean water! How blessed! I travelled back from Kampala to visit my mother and was overjoyed to see that she now has clean water, that simply runs from a tap. The villagers were in awe – they had never seen such inventions before and it was humbling!
Two years later, I came across an advert from Innovation: Africa seeking a Civil Engineer – it was fate!
- Can you tell us about some of the projects you are working on?
I just recently approved the construction plans to install solar water pumping systems at Kachera and Nakatende villages, in the Mbale region of Uganda.
I am currently working on reviewing an irrigation system design for Nawansekese Village which I must say is very interesting.
- Can you describe a day your life as an Innovation: Africa Engineer?
Every day is dynamic – that’s what I love about working at Innovation: Africa.
My days usually entail the reviewing of construction plans, Epanet designs and BOQs. I always enjoy setting out to the field for construction supervision and to meet with the communities we will be assisting.
- Can you tell us about the importance of what you do?
I love the fact that I get to meet the community from the outset when – from when we share that we will be working in their village, to the day they open the taps of clean water! Knowing that I have been part of the entire journey motivates me to the core. Civil engineering is the best department as we actively participate in each stage and amazingly, we see it all come to life – it’s why I love my Job!
- How does being a local African engineer enable what you do? What kind of insight and perspective do you bring to your projects?
Over the past 10 years, I have been privileged to work with a number of local contractors, learn best practice and now, I am able to ensure that our operations here in Uganda are running in accordance with the highest standards. But moreover, being able to speak local dialects, understand cultural norms and beliefs is critical to establishing positive and successful working partnerships with our contractors and crucially our communities.
- How have your experiences helped you build the necessary skills to help villages, communities and empower your community to participate in decision-making that affects their lives?
Every time I step on site, I always try to translate technical knowledge in the local dialect to our trainees so that they can best understand the drawings and what is happening on site – mostly projects in Mbale and Busia regions.
The experience I got from the water project at Bwikhonje Village, catapulted me to always engage the communities in brain storming ideas (mostly Sacco related) on how best they can utilize the water given to them to better themselves even further. I am still documenting these and hopefully I will have a significant analysis at the end of this year because I have come to notice that one approach does not fit all across our communities.