ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Lorena Village soccer field is currently a field of patchy grass with no lights, drainage, or irrigation - a big problem in a region with 6 o'clock sunsets and an average of almost 70 inches of rain per year. Over the course of Spring 2021, we are redesigning the run-down field, enabling it to continue serving as a centerpiece of the community. The design includes a new sustainable drainage system incorporated with the rest of the community's drainage, as well as new benches and goals. Most importantly, we will be designing and implementing a plan to sustain the field over the years to come.
Redesigning a soccer field for a rural Costa Rican community.
Image of Lorena Village community soccer field as it is currently, courtesy of Siempre Amigos.
What is Projects with Underserved Communities (or PUC) ?
Projects with Underserved Communities (PUC) is a program at the University of Texas at Austin that pairs engineering and social work students with international NGOs to devise, design, and construct infrastructure development projects in communities deemed "underserved". UT students take a year-long course aimed to give them the resources to responsibly and sustainably implement a project, and the student teams collaborate heavily with technical advisors (practicing engineers) to develop the final design. However, it is through constant and nuanced collaboration with the partner communities and NGOs that allows the projects to be successful and fully sustainable.
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