Poverty Alleviation - the role of the engineer

4thBrunelInternationalLecture PovertyAlleviation–theroleoftheEngineer DavidSingletonMEngScCEngFICE “ DavidSingleton,MEngScCEngFICE,Chairman,AustralasiaDivision,Arup “ Creativeengineeringsolutionstoalleviatepovertycanbe achievedwhentheengineeringprofessionactsproactively tomeetchallengesposedbythedevelopingworld. BrunelInternationalLecture2002-2003 1 PovertyAlleviation 1 Abstract 1 Acknowledgement 2 Introduction 2 TheOriginsofPoverty 3 PovertyAlleviationStrategies 4 CharacteristicsofSoundEngineeringSolutionstoPovertyAlleviation 5 CaseStudies 5 SouthAfricanRoundaboutHIV/AIDSInitiative 6 Micro-financeinBangladesh 8 BPSolarEnergyProject,Philippines 10 CommunalSanitation,Myanmar 12 Conclusions 13 References 14 Biography DavidSingleton Abstract Povertyalleviationinthedevelopingworldwillinvariablyinvolveacontributionfromprofessionalengineers.However,suchinitiativesaretoooftenunsustainable.Thesustainedalleviationofpovertythroughtheimplementationofinfrastructuresolutionsrequiresattentiontotheunderlyingsocial,economicandpoliticalinfluences.Theengineeringprofessionshouldnotacceptaroleofsupportingpoorpolicywith‘good’engineering. Theroleoftheengineerisimportant–buttheengineermustworkincollaborationwithotherprofessionalsifsustainablepovertyalleviationistooccur.Engineeringsolutionstopovertysituationsmusttakeaccountof thesocio-politicalandeconomicframeworkthattheyface,iftheyaretoachievemediumto long-termsustainability.Creativeengineeringsolutionstoalleviatepovertycanbeachievedwhentheengineeringprofessionactsproactivelytomeetthechallengesposedbythedevelopingworld. Acknowledgement NicoleHahnofArupundertooktheresearchforthispaper.Herenthusiasmandpersonalcommitmentforthistopicisunboundedandexemplifiesthecommitmentofmanyyoungengineeringprofessionalstomakeadifference.Iamgratefulforhercontributionandsupport. DavidSingletonMEngScCEngFICEChairman AustralasiaDivisionArup Introduction Thestatisticsonworldpovertyarefrightening.Closetohalfoftheworld’ssixbillionpeopleliveonlessthanUS$2aday.Onepercentoftheworld’spopulationhasanincomeequaltothatoftheentirebottom57%(WorldBank,2000c).Poverty,however,isnotonlyaboutlackofwealthinmonetaryterms;italsoimpliesthe“denialofvariouschoicesandopportunitiesbasictohumandevelopment.Theseincludetheabilitytoleadalong,creativeandhealthylife,toacquireknowledge,tohavefreedom,dignity,self-respectandrespectforothers,andtohaveaccesstotheresourcesneededforadecentstandardofliving”(UNDP2002). Communityinfrastructureisakeyelementinalleviatingpoverty–thusengineershaveanessentialroletoplay.Withoutreadyaccesstocleanwaterandsanitation,productivityisseverelyreducedthroughillnessandtimespentinwatercollection.Withoutroads,thepoorareunabletoselltheirgoodsatmarket.Basicinfrastructureisnotaluxurythatcanwaitforbettereconomictimes,butapreconditionforcreatingthem.Theprovisionofbasicinfrastructureisanurgentandon-goingrequirement. TheEconomist“observedoverthepast50yearsrichnationshavegivenUS$1trillioninaidtopoorones.Thisstupendoussumhasfailedspectacularlytoimprovethelotofitsintendedbeneficiaries.Poorcountriesthatreceivelotsofaiddonobetter,onaverage,thanthosethatreceiveverylittle”(TheEconomist,1999).Povertyisnotbeingignored;however,theeffectivenessofpovertyalleviationstrategiesneedstobeimprovedifworldpovertyalleviationistobeachieved. Figure1:Opendrain(WEDCJonathanRouse) TheOriginsofPoverty Inorderthatsolutionstopovertymaybeimplemented,theoriginsofpovertymustbeclearlyunderstood.Thebasiccausesofpovertyandbarrierstohumandevelopmentare: ■Lackofaccesstosafewaterandsanitation ■Lackoffacilitiesforadequatehealthcare ■Lackofaccesstoeducationalopportunities ■Shortageofadequatenutrition ■Lackofadequatelypaidemployment ■Inadequateorexpensivetransportfacilities ■Limitedorexpensivepowersupplies Ingeneral,povertyhasdifferentcausesinurbanandruralareas;manyoftheseinfluencesarenotmutuallyexclusive.Inurbanareas,thepredominantcausesofpovertyarelikelytobe: ■Lackofadequateincomeornoincome,duetounderemploymentorunemployment ■Inadequatehousing,sanitationandwatersupply ■Limitedopportunitiesforeducation ■Inadequateorexpensivetransportfacilities Poorhealthandlackofaccesstoeducationtendtominimiseskillsand,therefore,compoundtheproblemsofun-orunderemploymentand,therefore,reductionofincome-earningcapacity. Inruralareas,thepredominantcausesofpovertyarelikelytobe: ■Lackofaccesstoarangeoffacilities:healthcare,education ■Inadequateshelter,sanitationandwatersupply ■Lackofaccesstomarketsforagriculturalproducts ■Limitedopportunitytoearnincome ■Inadequateorexpensivetransportfacilities ■Lackofaccesstopowerandtelecommunicationsfacilities Povertyinruralareastendstobemorewidespreadandmoreintensethaninurbanareas;thisisbecause: ■Employmentopportunitiesaremorelimited ■Accesstoarangeofkeyfacilitiesissignificantlyreduced ■Manyhouseholdsareheadedbywomen–oftenduetoabandonmentofthefamilybythemales,withcommensuratereductioninincome ■Sanitationandwatersupplydeficienciesaremoreintense,leadingtoill-health Thetrendindevelopingcountriesworldwide-wherebymalefamilymemb