Maram Abdelfattah

My journey to Dharavi, Mumbai, the largest slum in the world, was nothing short of transformative. As part of the Engineers for Social Impact trip, we pushed our engineering skills and critical thinking beyond the classroom, turning ideas into real, lasting change.

From reimagining a customs house into a shared community space to designing solar-powered lighting for the streets, every project we touched came to life in ways I’ll never forget. It was an honorable and deeply humbling experience that showed me the true impact of purposeful work.

I’m incredibly grateful to Carol Brandt, Matt Karau, and Prince Annor for their guidance, and to my amazing teammates who made every moment meaningful.

This experience will forever remain one of the defining highlights of my journey at NYUAD — I’ll truly miss the people, the memories, and the passion we shared.