Appropriate technology refers to technology that is suitable for use in developing nations or less developed rural areas of industrialised nations. This is often described as using the simplest level of technology that can effectively achieve the intended purpose in a particular location. In industrialised nations, the term appropriate technology takes a different meaning, often referring to engineering that takes special consideration of its social and environmental ramifications. (Source: Appropedia)

Assistive technology refers to any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customised, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. (Source: Wikipedia)

Humanitarian relief refers to the rapid response required after a situation, such as a natural disaster, to assist affected populations. Development, on the other hand, refers to longer-term capacity building through engagement of local partners and communities, helping them gain access to the resources they need to improve their quality of life.

Engineering Good currently focuses on the challenges of long-term development, recognising the need for co-creating sustainable solutions that can help improve the quality of lives of developing communities. Long-term partnerships also enable us to better understand local contexts and build trust within the community, that will be valuable to us should we enter into emergency relief in the country. As the organisation establishes itself, we will review our capacity to respond to emergency relief situations.

With effect from mid-September 2015, we have changed our name from Engineers Without Borders Asia to Engineering Good. We hope that this will distinguish us from other similar organisations in Singapore, and more importantly, that it will better reflect the good work that we do.

Rest assured that we will remain committed to our mission of supporting disadvantaged communities through appropriate sustainable engineering solutions, and continue working towards our shared vision of a better world through humanitarian engineering.

Development is a complex and multi-disciplinary process, and technology is just one of the components. Integration of any technological solution into a developing community requires a larger understanding of the (political, social, geographical, etc.) context for successful take-up. The involvement of people from different backgrounds and disciplines can therefore add diverse perspectives and benefit the overall work.

Engineering Good is a completely volunteer-run organisation, and we are constantly on the lookout for people with project management, volunteer management, marketing, communications, business development, graphic design and other skills. We welcome anyone passionate about development to apply to join our team.