Overview
The Canada-Africa Innovation Fellowship (CAIF), an Engineers Without Borders Canada initiative, offers a unique opportunity for Engineering and STEM undergraduate students in Canada and Uganda to collaborate and tackle intricate global challenges.
Now entering its 4th year, CAIF 2024 will be a comprehensive, in-person, program set in Uganda, from May to August 2024. Fellows will be immersed in a rural community, gaining first hand exposure to the region’s pressing sustainable development issues. Armed with this perspective, Fellows will participate in the 14 week experiential learning journey featuring workshops, mentorship, coaching, and collaborative problem-solving to craft practical solutions to both local and global challenges.
The Background
Our vision is to engineer an equitable and sustainable future for marginalized people and the planet. Our mission is to create systemic change through community-driven collaboration. We mobilize the engineering community and leverage technological innovation to address urgent and important global challenges, both within Canada and beyond.
The Rollout
The full cost of the program is $25,000 per participant. Canadian Fellows are expected to secure 50% of the program costs at $12,500. What is included: Air travel to Uganda and return. Accommodation and meals during the Uganda stay. Travel insurance. All vaccinations required for entry.
The Impact
The influence of engineering and technological advances in our everyday day lives is pervasive, often taken for granted. Yet a significant portion of the global population remains excluded from these advantages, sometimes deliberately. Our extensive experience in global development has revealed that relying solely on technological ‘fixes’ falls short. Achieving meaningful change requires a comprehensive approach, encompassing cultural, behavioral, and political systems while valuing input from those directly affected.
At Engineers Without Borders Canada, we believe that socially-engaged engineers and technologists aim to transcend profit and recognition, and wish to focus on enhancing the lives of the many, without harming the planet’s ecosystems. Our commitment is to leverage engineering and technology to create a more equitable world and improve lives while safeguarding our planet’s vital systems. Join us in championing technology for the greater good.