Jenny Pattison

Qualifications/Work Experience: Previous to Shelter Associates I have volunteered on other engineering projects and worked for civil engineering consultancies.
How would you describe your Shelter experience? I came to Shelter Associates as part of a placement organised by Engineers Without Borders UK. Each year two volunteers are sent to SA to assist them with their GIS work. My work involved mapping the slums in Solapur, using GIS software to produce query outputs and support the civil engineering aspects of the redevelopment work. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with SA and am looking forward to visiting them in the future.

What are you doing now? I am currently half way through my civil engineering degree at The University of Cambridge (graduating 2011).
What did you learn from your time with Shelter? I learnt about the massive challenge that India is facing to upgrade the standard of living of the millions of people living in slums. It was encouraging to see the government taking a proactive role but more reasurring to see the work that SA is doing to ensure these projects are a success. Their work is necessary to provide good designs for the redevelopment and gain the support of the local community.
My message to future volunteers is… Embrace the culture as soon as you can so that you can really enjoy your time in Pune. India has so much to offer if you can open yourself up to it.
You can reach me at... jennifer.pattison@ewb-uk.org