James Madison University

Destination Africa! - ISAT Prepares Students to Make a Difference in the World

Justin Henriques ('05) and Reed Barton ('05) used the practical skills they learned in ISAT to bring water purification technologies to Africa

While some spend months searching for the “perfect job” to greet them after graduation, others waste no time plunging themselves full-force into the world of experiences that await a new graduate. Justin Henriques is one such graduate. An Integrated Science and Technology major, Justin is co-founder of the non-profit organization Least of These International. As stated on the organization’s website (http://www.lotint.org/), the mission of this group is to fulfill “the basic needs of small rural communities in developing countries through the use of appropriate and sustainable technologies.”

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LOTI visited Kenya in December 2005 to begin the steps necessary in providing several villages with an adequate water supply.

The original idea for the organization developed during Justin’s freshman year at JMU, as the result of an enlightening conversation with another student, Reed Barton. Barton would later assist Justin as co-founder in the birth of the present-day foundation. It was an inspiring trip to Europe that succeeded in catapulting Justin and Reed’s dream into reality. Justin says, “These moments [in Europe] reminded me of my finite existence in a vast world beset with poverty…I have since been compelled by a great responsibility that comes with such blessings; and, considering life’s brevity, these moments further reminded me of the importance of imbuing my time in this world with meaning.”

The organization’s current mission involves a December 2005 trip to Africa to begin the steps necessary in providing several villages with an adequate water supply and accessible sources of energy. “One of the many advantages of the water systems we install is its relatively low cost, roughly a few thousand dollars. Traditional systems can approach tens of thousands of dollars,” Justin states. These implementations would be applied to the Mbeere community and Namawanga village located outside Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. In addition, the group hopes to supply other communities surrounding Nairobi with motorized wheelchairs for their critically disabled.

To accomplish the tasks outlined for the upcoming trip, Least of These International has partnered with another organization, Possibilities Africa, which shares the same vision of better living conditions for the people of Africa. If anyone wishes to further aid in this ongoing task to better the quality of living for the people of underdeveloped nations, they can visit the Least of These International website at http://www.lotint.org/. James Madison University students can also lend a helping hand by means of the ISAT Affiliate Program (http://www.jmu.edu/isat/affiliate/), which allows students to experience real world situations through the partnership of various organizations, such as LOTI.

Justin remains hopeful for his trip to Africa, yet says that he understands that “poverty and disease are often not technological problems to be ‘fixed’ but [rather] social disconnects with distinctly socioeconomic implications.” Nevertheless, the organization remains “committed to finding sustainable solutions that will enable these communities [in Africa] to provide for themselves.”