Volunteer Spotlight: Zenhar M.

Zenhar M.

Zenhar is a project controls engineer in Bechtel’s Civil business unit based on the Crossrail project in Reading, England. Sustainable development is a cause close to his heart, and he has worked on Engineers Without Borders projects in India—in Goa and the western state of Maharashtra—developing safe sanitation systems for primary-school children. Zen, a charter member of Bechtel’s Stewardship Advisory Council, served aboard Ocean Exploration Trust’s research vessel, Nautilus, last August. Here’s a shipboard interview with Zen about his experience with Ocean Exploration Trust.

What did you find most surprising about your experience working on Engineers Without Borders projects?
I didn’t expect to be welcomed with such warmth. The most surprising aspect was how grateful the students, teachers, and school staff were for our efforts. They were so enthusiastic about what we were doing—and they managed to help us complete the projects.

What was the most rewarding part?
Nothing could be more rewarding than seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces. We knew that we had made a big difference in their lives.

What did you find most challenging?
Overcoming the procurement issues we faced.  For instance, on any standard construction site, obtaining the right grade of cement mix is a pretty straightforward procedure.  But in the rural regions that we worked in, getting the right grade was difficult. Another example: Getting hard hats to site was a challenge—and getting everyone to wear them was a different issue all together.  Also, obtaining and using local material that didn’t necessarily have the structural integrity that we desired. Apart from procurement, working in a hot and humid climate was initially a huge challenge as well.

What, for you, has been the most important lesson?
There were many lessons, but perhaps the most important was this: never underestimate the power of local knowledge. Innovation can spring from any source.

Anything else you’d like to add?
The feeling of using what I had learned at college for the betterment of the underprivileged is something that cannot be described.