WEFTA volunteer Scott McKitrick enjoys meeting people in communities wherever his work takes him. A geologist employed by Souder, Miller & Associates in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Scott wants to know how people in various communities live on a daily basis, organize, and work together. So far, Scott’s work as a WEFTA volunteer has taken him to Bolivia, Peru, El Salvador, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
Supporting the Village Health Partnership in Ethiopia
Scott believes the most critical factors in the success of each WEFTA project are the relationships WEFTA cultivates with its in-country partners and with those whose lives are improved by the organization’s projects. As he says, “Those relationships are the ones that really make everything work.” As an example of a working partnership, Scott greatly values WEFTA’s work to support Village Health Partnership (VHP) and the strong relationships with Afro Ethiopia Integrated Development (AEID) in Ethiopia. The mission of VHP is to prevent maternal and neonatal death in childbirth and to treat and prevent gynecologic complications of childbirth in rural Ethiopia. Many of these serious health issues are linked to a lack of clean water and sanitation. That’s where WEFTA expertise makes a difference.
WEFTA: A focus on practical solutions
Scott became a WEFTA volunteer over two decades ago when he participated in a trip to scope potential work in Bolivia and Peru. He is most impressed with the organization’s focus on practical solutions. These, he states, “ensure the communities WEFTA works with see benefits, and donors to the organization know that their money is well-spent and making a difference.”
Into the future: Further work with VHP in Ethiopia
Scott has worked with VHP in far southwest Ethiopia since 2019. Projects include providing water supply and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programs in hospitals and rural health centers. In particular, he has helped design and construct water supply wells, worked on spring protection projects, and developed circuit rider programs. Scott is eager to continue to support the WEFTA-VHP partnership in Ethiopia, where he has developed so many effective relationships.
Finally, as much as he enjoys meeting people the world over as a WEFTA volunteer, improving life for others is the ultimate reward for Scott. In his words, “Nothing is better than visiting a community after a project is complete and seeing clean water flow where it didn’t flow before.”
