Impact Stories
Making change happen across Australia and Asia Pacific.
A toilet that works underwater? Flood-affected sanitation in rural Cambodia
We’re living in the golden age of toilet design. It sounds like a weird thing to say but the idea of an inside toilet that immediately flushes waste away through a series of underground pipes is the kind of thing that would blow the minds of people living just 100...

A toilet that works underwater? Flood-affected sanitation in rural Cambodia
We’re living in the golden age of toilet design. It sounds like a weird thing to say but the idea of an inside toilet that immediately flushes waste away through a series of underground pipes is the kind of thing that would blow the minds of people living just 100...

Navigating the tides: Saibai Island’s battle against climate change
In 2024, the First Nations context for the EWB Challenge will be delivered in partnership with Torres Strait Island Regional Council. Torres Strait Island Regional Council is Australia's most northerly municipality, representing 15 unique island communities, spread...
Regioneering takes head, heart, and action
By Lachlan Fraser Before the volunteers from EWB’s 2019 Regioneering program flew to the Torres Strait, the students involved in the upcoming workshops were asked to draw a picture of an engineer. One young girl drew a male stick figure next to a car - no surprise!...
Taylah Griffin on self reflection, collective action and courage as keys to achieving reconciliation
My name is Taylah Griffin, Gangalu mob, I am a Flight Test Engineer (FTE) at Boeing Defence Australia (BDA). I completed my Honours degree in Electrical and Aerospace Engineering from QUT in 2018, and in doing so, became the first Indigenous Australian to graduate...
Visioning Reconciliation: Reconciliation, engineering and you
When people say what can I do, I’m just an individual, Arabella Douglas likes to remind them that they’re made of stars. As you might guess, Arabella is passionate about how individuals can come together to create real change. That’s why her involvement in EWB’s...
National Volunteer Week 2021 Shout Out
It would be impossible to run all the life-changing projects at EWB without the tireless and dedicated work of our amazing volunteers. This National Volunteer Week (May 17-23 2021) we want to say a massive THANK YOU to these people, who make our work possible! We...
Turning a passion for social justice into an engineering career – Adele van der Winden’s EWB Story
One day, nearing the end of high school, Adele van der Winden thought to herself: if only there was a Doctors Without Borders, but for people who like maths and physics. Not long after, she heard about Engineers Without Borders. A spark was lit! Adele’s dedication to...
ANU Breaking New Ground In Humanitarian Engineering Education
It was a handwritten note, placed underneath the door of his office. “I am incredibly passionate about, and dedicated towards becoming, a humanitarian engineer!” it said. That was Orientation Week, 2019. It was one of those precious moments that made Australian...
Embedding the SDGs into corporate responsibility initiatives
EWB Australia partners with organisations that align with us in their commitment to positively contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. One of these is Epiroc, a leading productivity partner for the mining, infrastructure and natural resources industries....
Wenqian’s way: From inquisitive kid to challenging the status quo
Picture yourself as a kid, watching your parents clean the house. If you’re like most people, you couldn’t think of anything more uninspiring. If you’re like Wenqian Gan, this is exactly what inspires a career. Growing up, Wenqian would watch her parents do chores...