Fiji Kindergarten Project by Global TIES
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A Little About Ourselves We are a group of socially responsible University of California, San Diego students aiming out humanitarian engineering efforts toward bringing early education to developing areas. As a part of the Global TIES program at UCSD, we are enabled to use the resources provided to us, as well as our diverse engineering backgrounds to solve global issues.
Our mission is to sustainably bring early education to developing nations around the globe. Our pilot project takes place in Fiji on the island of Taveuni at the Navakawau Village, where we are teamed up with the nonprofits Loloma Foundation and Fiji Kindi Project to implement a sustainable kindergarten constructed out of recycled shipping containers. |
Our Design
Certain specifications have to be met and taken into consideration in order to create an effectively designed kindergarten, which will eventually be located in the remote Fijian island of Taveuni. We approached the design by delegating responsibilities to sub-teams, each of which had their focus on specific project components, One team focused on the structural adjustments and the other team focused on the interior design and play area.. Each sub-team made changes to designs from previous quarters to improve sustainability, cost-efficiency, and to better meet the needs of the end-users; end-users are the students and teachers.
Structure
The structural vision the Loloma Foundation has for this project begins with two 20' x 8' x 8' shipping containers, Two containers will be separated by a 16' x 8' foot shaded area, and each container will have its own purpose, The first shipping container will be used as a secure supply storage room. The second shipping container will be parallel to the first one, and will be used for the classroom. Despite a width of eight feet, there is enough remaining space for the students to do school activities comfortably, There will be six cutouts that are to be made in each container for doors and window. These shipping containers were built to sustain extreme weather while being transported out at sea, so the school structure will be strong enough to withstand hurricanes, high winds and flooding.
Key Components
Rainwater Catchment System
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Composting Toilet
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*Disclaimer: Each component design, modeling and analysis were written by past years UCSD student members in the Fiji Kindergarten Project. For complete continuity report, feel free to email me at the "Contact" page above or email the Fiji Kindergarten Project to [email protected].[email protected][email protected]
Diana's Work
"I first joined the Fiji Kindergarten Project in Winter 2015 in hope to apply my engineering knowledge into real world problems and make a positive impact in a developing country. This is when I first learned about Humanitarian Engineering- research and design to directly improve the well-being of poor, marginalized, or under-served communities, which often lack the means to address pressing problems. By then, the Fiji Kindergarten Project had already been established for nearly 2 years and the concept of shipping container classroom had been developed and improved upon by several engineering students and the guidance of our mentor/adviser Mandy Bratton in the Global TIES team. Nevertheless, there was always room for improvement and safety measurements and I wished to learn from my experienced peers and contribute my knowledge and my perspective to the team."
By Spring 2015, with one quarter of experience, Diana was elected as the sub-team leader for the "Structures and Logistics" team and led a team of 8 skillful structural and environmental engineering students to design the internal support, the hand washing station and the composting toilet, as well as to acquire the shipping containers from Taveuni, Fiji.
In Fall 2016, Diana joine the Global TIES team as a project adviser to other global humanitarian engineering projects.
By Spring 2015, with one quarter of experience, Diana was elected as the sub-team leader for the "Structures and Logistics" team and led a team of 8 skillful structural and environmental engineering students to design the internal support, the hand washing station and the composting toilet, as well as to acquire the shipping containers from Taveuni, Fiji.
In Fall 2016, Diana joine the Global TIES team as a project adviser to other global humanitarian engineering projects.
Winter 2015Member of the Structures and Logistics team
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Spring 2015Structures and Logistics team leader
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To know more and or donate to the Fiji Kindergarten Project, Please visit: http://fijikindergarten.ucsd.edu/
Awards
Participant in Clinton Global Initiative University 2014
Finalist in the USD Social Innovation Challenge 2014
Winner of the UCSD Social Innovation Challenge 2014
SemiFinalists in the USD Social Innovation Challenge 2015
Finalist in the USD Social Innovation Challenge 2014
Winner of the UCSD Social Innovation Challenge 2014
SemiFinalists in the USD Social Innovation Challenge 2015