Nick Jimenez in Ghana

Nick Jimenez has a passion for people and international development.

That enthusiasm prompted him to join the Engineers Without Borders chapter at the University of British Columbia while pursuing his civil engineering degree. And it’s also what spurred him in 2006 to embark on a four-month EWB placement in Zambia. There, he worked with the local government on a small-scale irrigation project for farming communities.

Today, Nick has taken his desire to create positive change in Ghana. During his one-year overseas EWB placement, Nick has partnered with the District Planning and Co-ordinating unit within a district government. His role is to enhance the delivery of services to rural communities.

In particular, Nick is working to formalize – and help depoliticize – the process of evaluating which communities are in most need of new schools and water boreholes. Those projects are either funded by the government or non-governmental organizations, such as UNICEF or the Canadian International Development Agency.

“In total, there are 281 communities, so choosing one can be difficult,” he says. “My work is to make sure the infrastructure goes to the right communities - either the most prepared or the neediest.”

To start, Nick successfully proposed a large-scale evaluation of community needs. The resulting “on-the-ground” information will feed into a ranking methodology developed by Nick and his co-workers. As a result, governments will have the necessary data to make evidence-based decisions when selecting sites for new infrastructure.

Then, as government transparency increases, communities will feel empowered to advocate for themselves. Those communities will also provide critical feedback about the selection process to the government. Nick will ensure those recommendations are put into action – either by himself and/or by future EWB volunteers. Equally important, Nick is making certain the plans and problem-solving methods are sustainable for the future and in other districts of Ghana.

“So far, my experience has been challenging, as well as rewarding and exciting,” Nick says. “Rewarding because of the relationships you form and the impact you see yourself having. Exciting because you are tackling a complex issue and, if things are done right, they could bring about big changes in the lives of many people.”