Improving Roads for Healthier Lives

The community of Villa Verde, Dominican Republic, has experienced flooding for years. Each storm wreaks havoc on the roads, homes, and fledgling infrastructure, often causing two or more feet of standing water. This significantly increases the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses like Malaria and Dengue.

After two and half years of planning, students and faculty from the Texas A &M Chapter of Engineers Without Borders flew to Villa Verde to tackle the problem. They worked alongside Villa Verde community members to build ditches to improve the water run-off situation. Another team will travel to the DR later this year to complete the work.

The work is part of Community Empowerment’s approach to More than Medicine, which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the community through preventative measures. Decreasing flooding will not only improve health risk factors associated with standing water, but the accessibility of the community as well. Fewer illnesses and easier travel have exponential health and economic benefits.