Engineering Hope: Ken Atkinson and Brian Reiff

In the heart of rural Zimbabwe, where roads often wash away during the rainy season and clean water is scarce, a powerful partnership has formed — one that blends innovation with compassion. Faculty and students from Cedarville University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science have teamed up with Karanda Mission Hospital to tackle these serious infrastructure issues while creating opportunities for ministry.

The collaboration began when former missionary Ken Atkinson, now a Cedarville engineering lab technician, returned from Karanda with a heavy heart and a hopeful vision. The hospital faced severe water shortages and needed help.

Cedarville students rose to the occasion. They engineered a small-scale municipal water treatment plant, creating a system that could purify river water and save lives — especially in a region where wells had run dry.

But the mission didn’t stop with water. Seeing how local roads were often impassable, Cedarville students, including recent graduate Brian Reiff, designed and built a pull grader — a massive earthmover that attaches to Karanda’s tractor. What began as a senior design project quickly became a symbol of how technical skills can serve a greater purpose.

More than just technical accomplishments, these projects are shaping lives. Students who once saw themselves working in labs or offices are now exploring how their skills can be used in missions. Some are even preparing to return to Karanda long-term.

From clean water to better roads, from Ohio to Zimbabwe, this collaboration proves that engineering can be a ministry — solving physical problems while planting seeds of hope.

Listen to this story of hearts and minds united for a cause greater than themselves on this week’s Cedarville Stories podcast.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/81f4fd7c

https://youtu.be/Dy3tcM4bcBU