Physics & Engineering Physics Colloquium

Jasmine Valera, FCRH ’21, and Xinqiao Zhang, FCRH ’21, members of the Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Fordham Chapter, will present “Improving Rural Health and Economy Through Fish Farming.”

Fordham EWB seeks to solve issues in underprivileged areas of the world by implementing engineering projects. The current project is in Serere, Uganda, an impoverished district that depends mostly on subsistence farming and lacks standardized plumbing and electricity. In 2013, Fordham EWB began their partnership with SELOCOFFI, a non-governmental organization whose goal is to improve the health, education, and economy of the local community through fish farming initiatives. The Fordham chapter travels on site to monitor and collect data and oversee implementation. So far, the chapter has successfully constructed two fish ponds and completed one harvest cycle with about 6,800 fish and a total harvest weight of 1,954 kilograms and about $4,500 in sales. Despite the profits, the community still lacks the funds to purchase fingerlings and buy fish food. To combat the issue of sustainability, Fordham EWB will construct a fish hatchery that will supply fingerlings and provide education for the community. Over the summer, a team of five members and one mentor traveled to Serere to monitor existing ponds and conduct site assessments for a fish hatchery. By the end, the chapter hopes to provide the community with a completely self-sustained source of fingerlings, education, and income.