On 2 May 2024, Zutari hosted students from the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering and the University of Johannesburg for a collaborative session on sustainable engineering design solutions.
The session was an initiative of EDU Africa’s Empathetic Global Leadership for Social Change program, which aims to introduce engineering-minded students to design solutions to problems that impact humanity.
This pivotal session shed light on the urgent need for fundamental reform in how nations, particularly those in Africa, engage in global trade and address sustainability. Vishaal Lutchman, Managing Director: Transport led a thought-provoking discussion on and brought forward the challenges and implications of Africa’s economic interactions with the world. The discussion began with a candid acknowledgement of the necessity for change. Lutchman highlighted the imperative to reassess how Africa conducts its business, not just locally but globally as well. Despite facilitating numerous jobs and contributing significantly to the economic powers of some countries outside of its borders, Africa remains the poorest continent. This paradox raises questions about the equity and sustainability of the global economic system. Such economic disparities have consequences, such as reduced living standards, inadequate healthcare, poor infrastructure, and lack of sanitation across the continent.
The discussion delved into the intricacies of sustainability, highlighting that many see it through different lenses, such as from an environmental perspective. However, in developing economies, environmental sustainability is not a big issue but survival, food, and housing. “Those are the phenomena of poverty that play out in the context of sustainability in the developing economies,” Lutchman explains. These issues underscore the importance of redefining sustainability to address the immediate needs of developing economies rather than solely focusing on long-term environmental goals.
Lutchman offered a fresh perspective on sustainability, suggesting that it should encompass the enhancement of human immortality through actions that ensure future generations can thrive. This holistic approach calls for a shift in how sustainability is perceived and implemented, especially by professionals in fields like civil engineering and healthcare, who are urged to extend their focus beyond their immediate communities to those in dire need of support.
According to Lutchman, change is at the core of sustainability, and young people will craft that change. He believes that much like the previous centuries saw young pioneers, this century will meet young sustainability champions who are part of the narrative as they develop solutions that support the present and lay a solid foundation for the future.
A significant part of the discussion touched upon the infrastructure system as an opportunity to progress sustainable development. These are physical and organisational structures, facilities, and networks that support a society’s daily function and economic activities. Lutchman shares that the solutions to unsustainability are becoming multidimensional, and cultural understanding should support engineering knowledge. “There’s a social dimension to the work of engineers that focuses on people who interact with the infrastructure system,” he adds. His insight presented a compelling call to action, serving as a reminder of the complex interplay between trade, economic practices, and sustainability – urging a fundamental shift towards more equitable and sustainable models of development that benefit people.
At the end of the session, the University of Pittsburgh’s Professor and Vice Chair of Culture & Community, Steven Abramowitch, expressed an alignment between Zutari’s stance on sustainability and the university’s philosophies. “It’s wonderful to be able to bring a group of students to Africa and hear some of the same solid messages that we are trying to communicate back in the United States.” He concluded that “the universality of the solutions that are necessary for the future speaks the philosophies that we are truly to communicate. It encourages us to keep doing what we do.”
The conversation serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between trade, economic practices, and sustainability, urging a fundamental shift towards more equitable and sustainable models of development that truly benefit Africa and its people.
