Letter from a Humanitarian Engineering Practitioner
Namwaya Emilly
From Briefcases to Communities: A Message to Humanitarian Engineers
Humanitarian engineering is not defined by how advanced our designs are, but by how deeply we listen. My work teaching innovation in refugee settlements in Northern Uganda and founding the HerTech Foundation to support innovation clubs in refugee schools has shown me that real solutions begin at the community level.
To both engineering students and practitioner engineers, I offer this call: listen first, especially to those you are designing for. Communities are not just beneficiaries; they are co-designers. When engineers design with people rather than for them, the solutions created are relevant, used, and sustained.
Humanitarian contexts demand hands-on engineers. This is not work that can be done from conference rooms or behind briefcases. It requires sitting with communities, learning from local knowledge, and embracing practical, simple solutions that respond to real challenges. Don’t be afraid to make those hands dirty, along with those refugee women making briquettes or the repairman at the village square using limited tools.
We must also be critical of our work. Not every project labelled “humanitarian” truly serves humanity. Some are driven by funding cycles or visibility rather than long-term impact. Engineering in these settings is not about solving everything at once; no, it is about taking meaningful steps that communities can own and build upon.
Humanitarian engineering is uncomfortable, and it should be. Discomfort brings us closer to reality. It is our responsibility as engineers to move beyond theory, shut down some conference rooms, and meet people where life is actually happening.
If engineering students and professionals choose to listen more, design together, and stay grounded in community realities, engineering can become a powerful tool for dignity, resilience, and lasting change in the Humanitarian world.
About the author
Namwaya Emilly is an electrical and electronic engineer from Uganda and the founder of HerTech Foundation, a women-led organisation advancing community-driven innovation, clean energy solutions, and innovation clubs in refugee schools. She works in humanitarian and displaced settings in Northern Uganda, supporting youth, women, and students to co-design practical technologies. Her award-winning work emphasises participatory design and local innovation, empowering communities to become creators rather than just recipients of solutions.
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