Since 2005, Fort Lewis College students have been tackling critical engineering challenges at the forefront of humanitarian development. Each year, around fifty students from across campus engage in the Village Aid Project, with two-thirds from the engineering department and one-third from various other disciplines. Of these, thirty students travel annually to remote, underdeveloped communities, where they apply their skills to provide essential services like clean water and solar energy.
Guided by professors, professionals, and mentors, these students lead every phase of VAP projects. They design systems and gain deep insights into the social, economic, and environmental impacts of their work. This hands-on experience not only hones their creativity and skills but also fosters responsible global citizenship. By participating in the Village Aid Project, students make a tangible difference while preparing for impactful careers.
Join Village Aid Project RSO
Students participating in the Village Aid Project are not only gaining invaluable experience—they're also taking charge of their journey by fundraising to cover their own costs, including airfare. 100% of our project funding comes from the generosity of the local and Fort Lewis College communities. With overhead costs kept below 1%, you can trust that 99% of your tax-deductible donation goes directly toward essential project materials that make a lasting impact.
Donate today!
40-50 FLC students per year
5,000+ hours volunteered per year
80 community partners
45 communities supported
2,250 households helped
12,000+ individuals impacted
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Student Union Ballroom
Please join us for an evening as we share this year's significant achievements from the Navajo Nation, Nicaragua, and Zambia. Enjoy engaging displays, interactive presentations, inspiring speakers, and light refreshments.
Our volunteers address critical energy needs and infrastructure challenges from Ecuador to Zambia. As a Native American-serving, non-tribal institution, FLC uniquely positions VAP to support Indigenous communities in the American Southwest.
According to a 2023 American Public Power Association statistic, 27% of households in the Navajo Nation lack access to electricity. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, the Navajo Nation is supremely situated to benefit from a clean, renewable energy source: solar power.
The VAP Solar Initiative launched in 2022 to design and install off-grid photovoltaic solar systems for families with critical energy needs in Indigenous communities. To date, the VAP Solar Initiative has designed, installed, and commissioned eight off-grid Photovoltaic systems, including PV modules, lithium-ion batteries, inverters, a charge controller, onboard diagnostics, and an integrated generator charging function.
According to the 2023 United Nations World Water Development Report, over two billion people worldwide lack access to clean and safe drinking water, and approximately 3.6 billion people–46% of the world’s population–lack adequate sanitation services.
Addressing access to clean water and sanitation is one of the best steps toward improving health, economic development, and education within communities. VAP Water and Sanitation International works with some of the neediest communities in the world to develop sustainable water and sanitation systems.
VAP Co-director, Assistant Professor of Physics and Engineering
VAP Co-director, Assistant Professor of Geosciences
VAP Co-founder, Solar Initiative Director, Professor of Physics & Engineering
VAP Co-founder, Professor of Engineering
VAP Faculty Advisor, Assistant Professor of Physics & Engineering
VAP Staff Advisor, Physics and Engineering Department, Machine Shop Coordinator
VAP Faculty Advisor, Associate Professor of Physics & Engineering
Matthew Klema, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Physics and EngineeringCo-director of VAPmrklema@fortlewis.edu
Melissa Clutter, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of GeosciencesCo-director of VAPmjclutter@fortlewis.edu