ArtSugar Partners with Columbia University’s Engineers Without Borders

ArtSugar is honored to partner with Columbia University’s Engineers Without Borders. When Patrick Varuzza came to us with the idea to collaborate we were immediately taken with his passion for the project and the cause. This June 2018, ArtSugar will donate 5% of every purchase made on artsugar.co to Columbia University’s Engineers Without Borders. Read below to learn more from Patrick, Chemical Engineering Bachelors of Science and CU-EWB Ghana Water Team Lead.

The Ghana project of Columbia University’s Engineers Without Borders has partnered with the village of Amanfrom, a rural community in the Eastern Region in Ghana consisting of approximately 2,500 people living predominantly in large family units of subsistence farmers. The intent of the partnership is to address their lack of access to safe drinking water and proper sanitation, a problem causing 80% of observed diseases and determined to be the most pressing issue in the community due to the resulting economic and educational challenges.

In 2016 we began the development of new, clean water sources in Amanfrom through the construction of two drilled wells and the installation of electric pumps. Our project this summer involves our team of engineering students and professional mentors returning to expand the current water  infrastructure. This will be done by drilling two additional wells and installing piping to central spigots that will ensure equal access to clean water for all Amanfrom residents, lessening the burden on children and women and thus increasing opportunities for educational and economic development.

ArtSugar is helping to ensure that the project will be a success this summer and will have the needed resources to coordinate the construction and implementation of new sources of accessible and safe water. Amazingly, Alix and her company are able to both help support talented artists and help us guarantee reliable water access for Amanfrom.

- Patrick Varuzza, CU-EWB Ghana Water Team Lead, Chemical Engineering Bachelors of Science 

Patrick (below in the blue hat) is originally from New Paltz, New York and is currently an undergraduate student studying chemical engineering at Columbia University. Outside of classes, he has been a member of the student organization, Engineers Without Borders, where he has been contributing to the implementation of improved water infrastructure in a Amanfrom, Ghana for the last two years. He leads the project’s water team and is planning on returning to Ghana this summer to work on guaranteeing reliable and safe water for the community. Patrick hopes to one day apply his degree in developing alternative energy technology and other engineering solutions to mitigate climate change.