Sara Moslemi Zadeh from BuroHappold Engineering is following in her colleagues’ footsteps as she heads out to Zambia to volunteer as Build It Assistant Project Manager at the Centre for Excellence. We caught up with Sara before she sets out…
“When I was a child, I would watch the news and see children around the world suffering from the lack of access to clean water and drinking dirty, contaminated water. This left an indelible impression on me and the desire to help. When I decided to study engineering at university, I knew that one day I would be qualified to provide support in less privileged countries, using my knowledge and expertise in the field that is now my passion.
I have almost four years of work experience in the field of civil engineering and during this time have contributed to master planning projects at district and city levels as well as concept designs for various sites in the UK and abroad. This has involved work to develop sustainable water demand management strategies; surface water management and strategies; sustainable drainage design; and undertaking watershed analysis and flood risk modelling and mitigation.
During my work experience, I have gained skills in designing sustainable urban drainage for projects across the globe. I have also learned valuable management and organisation skills in dealing with construction teams and sub-contractors in my role as a lead civil design engineer.
My childhood upbringing and experiences instilled in me a desire to help others through my passion for engineering and so when I received the email about this amazing opportunity in Zambia with Build It International I knew that I had to do it. This is the lifetime opportunity that I was looking for and it is the perfect time for me to do it. I feel that my core beliefs and aims are in synergy with the ethos of Build It International.
I am extremely excited to get to Zambia, start my role, and be as productive and helpful as I can. I also want to give my colleagues and my friends a good insight into the project that I will be working on: about life in Zambia and about work at Build It International.
Travelling alone to a country that I have never been to before and living there for 6 months is quite nerve-racking. However, I am so focused on my mission and so excited and fulfilled by the idea of using my skills for charitable work that none of this will stop me. I can’t wait to share my experience with you once I’ve get there!”
Sara on the right with her colleagues from BuroHappold Engineering Matthew Duckett and Deborah Smith who have both volunteered in Zambia for us.
