BuildHerThon's first flagship project, Nexus+, is designed to transform how critical infrastructure is planned, financed and delivered in underserved regions.
0°36'34"N
33°28'07"E
Eastern Uganda
Delivery Partner:
Engineers Without
Borders East Africa
Technology and
Enablement Partner:
Trimble
Delivered by Engineers Without Borders East Africa, Nexus+ brings together community evidence, student participation, technology, data and industry expertise to build a stronger foundation for long-term infrastructure planning and investment.
The first phase is focused across four parishes in Eastern Uganda, working with communities, universities and local leadership across 20+ villages and reaching more than 12,500 people.
12,500+People Reached
20+Villages
4Parishes
4Universities
A live programme in Eastern Uganda shaped through community evidence, student participation, technical expertise and advisory input.
The first 18 months focus on four pilot parishes across Iganga and Kumi, while the BuildHerThon Advisory Group provides ongoing guidance, review and input as the model develops.
Across Eastern Uganda,
access to infrastructure
remains limited
While funding exists, it is often inaccessible due to limited local data, technical planning and engineering capacity. As a result, infrastructure development remains fragmented and difficult to scale.
In many cases, infrastructure exists but fails to remain reliable due to gaps in planning, governance and long-term maintenance.
Many initiatives fail to sustain impact beyond five years, highlighting the need for models designed for long-term viability and continued investment.
0-0%
Of People Lack Access To Essential Infrastructure
Engineers Without Borders East Africa leads delivery of Nexus+ on the ground, bringing deep local expertise, trusted community relationships and a proven model for community-led engineering.
The Nexus+ model builds on Engineers Without Borders East Africa's established approach to community-led infrastructure delivery, strengthened through BuildHerThon's platform and advisory framework.
As part of the wider Engineers Without Borders network, the organisation works across engineering, education and community development to deliver infrastructure solutions that are locally owned, technically robust and sustainable over time.
Within Nexus+, Engineers Without Borders East Africa leads community engagement, field activity, student field participation, evidence gathering and coordination with local authorities across the four pilot parishes, ensuring that local insight and priorities remain embedded throughout the infrastructure planning process.
Executive DirectorEngineers Without Borders
Peter S. Nzabanita is a Ugandan civil engineer with nearly two decades of experience designing, delivering and sustaining water, sanitation and community infrastructure across East Africa. As Executive Director of Engineers Without Borders East Africa, which he helped establish in 2022 in Uganda, he leads delivery of Nexus+ in Kumi and Iganga, developing costed, community-led integrated master plans for four pilot parishes.
He previously led WASH engineering for the International Organization for Migration (UN Migration Agency) and World Vision Uganda, designing piped water systems serving more than 80,000 people in refugee and host communities. His work links local ownership with global engineering partnerships to keep essential services running long after construction.
As Nexus+’s Technology & Enablement Partner, Trimble supports the programme through technology, expertise, strategic enablement and £95,000 of financial investment.
This includes:
Through this approach, Trimble’s contribution brings together technology, investment and expertise to help translate community evidence into more effective, scalable and investment-ready infrastructure outcomes.
Trimble Technology Underpins The Delivery Of Nexus+, Connecting Community-Led Data, Engineering Insight And Infrastructure Planning Into A Single, Integrated System.
Across Nexus+, technology is being used to capture, validate and apply real-world data, enabling more informed infrastructure planning and creating clearer pathways to investment and delivery.
This includes:
Nexus+ is a structured, multi-phase infrastructure model that translates local need into investment-ready infrastructure programmes.
The model is built around a continuity-led approach, ensuring infrastructure is not only delivered, but designed to remain reliable, governed and sustainable over time.
Development of technical analysis, risk statements and readiness assessments, supported by project data, specialist input and insights generated through Trimble technology platforms.
The programme is delivered over an 18-month period, combining local engagement, engineering expertise and data-driven planning to unlock long-term infrastructure investment.
The Nexus+ model creates a pathway from community evidence and infrastructure planning through to investment and delivery, supporting scalable infrastructure aligned to district systems.
The Nexus+ advisory group brings together senior women leaders from across the global infrastructure ecosystem.
The group provides strategic guidance, technical expertise and delivery insight, ensuring that the project is designed for both local impact and scalable, long-term delivery.
