John Peter Nshimyimana, Alumni

Year

2008-2009

From

Rwanda

Sector

Clean Water

Location

Rwanda

Degree

2009

Master of Civil and Environmental Engineering

“Since my childhood I was a very curious man who wanted to know everything going on around him. I used to open radios and watches in order to know what was inside, what made it operate, etc. … When I return to Rwanda, I want to build an environmental engineering consulting company. “

I am called Jean Pierre NSHIMYIMANA and I was born in Rwanda. During the last year of my university studies I had two different experiences: the first opened me to the international level where I lead a delegation of university students to the East Africa Environmental Health Conference held in Kampala, Uganda and the second was related to epidemic intervention within the community where I lead a team of students to carry out community sensitization related to a cholera outbreak.

Rainwater harvesting is a good solution for the lack of clean water in Northern Rwanda. My first fieldwork was with a team of students from MIT headed by Peter Shanahan, PhD.  We designed and implemented rainwater-harvesting systems, built water tanks, improved water supply systems and provided clean water to thousands of people living in Bisate community. Sanitation was also at the top of my interventions within Bisate where I helped primary schools and the health center to access it.

>>see video on Bisate water project

I offered my time to work on water quality analysis, improvement of poor sanitary conditions and community sensitization for the America Refugee Committee in the Kiziba refugee camp which had serious problems related to hygiene, water and sanitation. My work helped them to raise community awareness related to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Subsequently, I worked with an engineer in Kigali who was helping with designing and improving wastewaters treatment systems within industries. Through the work done, we realized the lack of accurate technical information in this area. In addition, there is even some wastewater drained into public drainage systems and discharged into wetlands.

My idea to start a business related to environmental engineering that will provide superior services, designs, and knowledge, and will be able to supply a wide range of water engineering solutions to community-based initiatives.

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