Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Back in KLA
Well, we've successfully transitioned to the second group. On Wednesday, 7 of us left Hope Integrated Academy and headed back to Kampala, while the second group and a couple of long termers stayed to finish it up.
Our project has been going great and ahead of schedule. Our last action was the installation of the biosand filter. We took the forms off and delivered it to Rosemary's house. Rosemary is a student and head of her household which is about a 2 hour walk from school. Her and her siblings currently drink untreated water from a nearby swamp and the folks at URF are excited for her to have the filter. If all goes well, the filter will be producing 10-20 liters of clean water after a week of 'seasoning'. This was a bit of a pilot project and if things go well, we'll likely be incorporating these filters at a larger scale in next years project.
We also got a micro-irrigation system off the ground working with the agricultural class at HIA. The teacher was excited to incorporate the compost being produced from out composting toilets with a class project that can directly help with food security.
Which leads to another direction our future work will go... food security, meaning how secure is the next meal/harvest/food source. From our conversations with locals and folks at URF, so much of the issues with health, water, etc are tied up with food security. So without much definition, EWB would like to work with the surrounding community to improve food security in this notorious dry area.
So from HIA and Kyetume, we arrived back in Kampala and had a fabulous Indian meal before sending three of the group to the airport. The four of us remaining had an amazing time rafting the Nile yesterday and spending a fun evening with folks from around the world at the rafting base camp... so much fun and such a great end.
Two more of my travel buddies left today and the last leaves tomorrow.
I'll be heading to EMI tomorrow to catch up with friends and do a little work.
More then...
Our project has been going great and ahead of schedule. Our last action was the installation of the biosand filter. We took the forms off and delivered it to Rosemary's house. Rosemary is a student and head of her household which is about a 2 hour walk from school. Her and her siblings currently drink untreated water from a nearby swamp and the folks at URF are excited for her to have the filter. If all goes well, the filter will be producing 10-20 liters of clean water after a week of 'seasoning'. This was a bit of a pilot project and if things go well, we'll likely be incorporating these filters at a larger scale in next years project.
We also got a micro-irrigation system off the ground working with the agricultural class at HIA. The teacher was excited to incorporate the compost being produced from out composting toilets with a class project that can directly help with food security.
Which leads to another direction our future work will go... food security, meaning how secure is the next meal/harvest/food source. From our conversations with locals and folks at URF, so much of the issues with health, water, etc are tied up with food security. So without much definition, EWB would like to work with the surrounding community to improve food security in this notorious dry area.
So from HIA and Kyetume, we arrived back in Kampala and had a fabulous Indian meal before sending three of the group to the airport. The four of us remaining had an amazing time rafting the Nile yesterday and spending a fun evening with folks from around the world at the rafting base camp... so much fun and such a great end.
Two more of my travel buddies left today and the last leaves tomorrow.
I'll be heading to EMI tomorrow to catch up with friends and do a little work.
More then...
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Can't nobody hold me down
Well its been a while but a lot has happened. I'll start with the parasite...
I'll start by saying that things have been going great. The team has been great and we've been having a blast. A great trip
Work had been progressing well when Tuesday evening just after finishing work for the day, I sat down and noticed my stomach hurt, then my back, then my arms and then my eyeballs. I went and laid down and got the chills... when it was 87. I wrapped up for a bit and then walked up for dinner, still shivering. When I felt the back of my neck was roasting I thought I might have heat stroke, so I took some advil and starting drinking water. I started to feel a bit better and started sweating so thought I'd be able to sleep it off. I went to bed feeling pretty bad, but still thinking I'd wake up fine.
I sort of woke up the next morning just to tell my tentmates I wouldn't be working and to check on me later. After shoving horrible electrolyte solution down my throat all day, they took my fever. When it got to 103 they took me an hour into Masaka where they said it was probably Malaria and I should take the meds and I'd be fine.
So I went back, took some meds and slept, waking the next morning feeling on the mend. Wandering around a bit the next day and feeling almost better yesterday. By today I was back to full, except I don't have my sense of taste... not to big a deal when in bland East Africa, except for the fruit.
So it wasn't great, but I'm fine and back rocking.
In other news, we got our biosand filter constructed and hopefully operational later this week. This will allow a local family to purify the swamp water they curent drink. We are starting this as a pilot project to see how it it received and how we may expand it.
We have finished up the composting toilets and have started education with the kids at the school.
Our second team of 5 also arrived yesterday and will be helping us install the pump. I am currently back in Kamapala for the night with fellow EWBer Nick Haupt to pick up some pumping equipment and our solar cells. Hopefully things will go well tomorrow as we search.
Things are well and we're on schedule. Most importantly we are having a great time. Sitting around last night we we talking about how we are all really going to remember how much fun this trip has been.
Praise God for keeping us safe and being my peace during dark sweaty painful hours.
Back in Masaka tomorrow and installing pump.
More then...
I'll start by saying that things have been going great. The team has been great and we've been having a blast. A great trip
Work had been progressing well when Tuesday evening just after finishing work for the day, I sat down and noticed my stomach hurt, then my back, then my arms and then my eyeballs. I went and laid down and got the chills... when it was 87. I wrapped up for a bit and then walked up for dinner, still shivering. When I felt the back of my neck was roasting I thought I might have heat stroke, so I took some advil and starting drinking water. I started to feel a bit better and started sweating so thought I'd be able to sleep it off. I went to bed feeling pretty bad, but still thinking I'd wake up fine.
I sort of woke up the next morning just to tell my tentmates I wouldn't be working and to check on me later. After shoving horrible electrolyte solution down my throat all day, they took my fever. When it got to 103 they took me an hour into Masaka where they said it was probably Malaria and I should take the meds and I'd be fine.
So I went back, took some meds and slept, waking the next morning feeling on the mend. Wandering around a bit the next day and feeling almost better yesterday. By today I was back to full, except I don't have my sense of taste... not to big a deal when in bland East Africa, except for the fruit.
So it wasn't great, but I'm fine and back rocking.
In other news, we got our biosand filter constructed and hopefully operational later this week. This will allow a local family to purify the swamp water they curent drink. We are starting this as a pilot project to see how it it received and how we may expand it.
We have finished up the composting toilets and have started education with the kids at the school.
Our second team of 5 also arrived yesterday and will be helping us install the pump. I am currently back in Kamapala for the night with fellow EWBer Nick Haupt to pick up some pumping equipment and our solar cells. Hopefully things will go well tomorrow as we search.
Things are well and we're on schedule. Most importantly we are having a great time. Sitting around last night we we talking about how we are all really going to remember how much fun this trip has been.
Praise God for keeping us safe and being my peace during dark sweaty painful hours.
Back in Masaka tomorrow and installing pump.
More then...
Monday, June 15, 2009
First Few Days at HIA
Well, we got here... Our full team arrived at HIA a two days ago and its great to be here. After all the pictures and all the designing, its nice to see it in person. We spent the first half day getting acquainted with the people of Uganda Rural Fund and the work they do. Check out their website for more info, but the do a lot. Our work will be focused at the school for now but could expand as with the work of URF.
The first thing I should say, is our team is great. Amidst all the logistical 'stuff' we had on our shoulders, I told my mom that I was at least excited about the team I was with... and it really is great. There are 10 of us here now and 4 more arriving in a couple of weeks.
Our first day was down and dirty. Charged up, we dug right in. Diego, Annie and Kat a bit more literally... they had to clean out 4 mismanaged composting toilets. I thought the stalls were bad, but then the headed for the composting bins! Cleaning out 4 dark composting bins full of 6 months of... waste, is no job for the faint of heart. When I get the pictures up, make sure you look at them!
We also started our site survey, which is significantly larger than I originally thought. Yesterday we set our control points and started shooting. First for our pipeline, so we could size the pipe. And then the topography, which requires someone to sit in the sun all day and someone to walk every inch of the site. Luckily I've got rockstars working with me that don't let poisonous plants or their own vomit stop them from getting the shot. Well done crew
We are safe, having fun and doing good work... Praise God for watching over us and guiding our hands, whether we know it or not. Keeping Psalm 139 close in mind.
Getting back to work, but will have some downtime this weekend.
More then...
The first thing I should say, is our team is great. Amidst all the logistical 'stuff' we had on our shoulders, I told my mom that I was at least excited about the team I was with... and it really is great. There are 10 of us here now and 4 more arriving in a couple of weeks.
Our first day was down and dirty. Charged up, we dug right in. Diego, Annie and Kat a bit more literally... they had to clean out 4 mismanaged composting toilets. I thought the stalls were bad, but then the headed for the composting bins! Cleaning out 4 dark composting bins full of 6 months of... waste, is no job for the faint of heart. When I get the pictures up, make sure you look at them!
We also started our site survey, which is significantly larger than I originally thought. Yesterday we set our control points and started shooting. First for our pipeline, so we could size the pipe. And then the topography, which requires someone to sit in the sun all day and someone to walk every inch of the site. Luckily I've got rockstars working with me that don't let poisonous plants or their own vomit stop them from getting the shot. Well done crew
We are safe, having fun and doing good work... Praise God for watching over us and guiding our hands, whether we know it or not. Keeping Psalm 139 close in mind.
Getting back to work, but will have some downtime this weekend.
More then...
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
In Kampala
We’ve arrived safely in Kampala after days of traveling! Our full group is starting to come together as people arrive periodically and we’ll be heading to the site in a couple of days. Yesterday I spent with old and new friends from Engineering Ministries International, where I work back in 2005-2006 and even played a game of Settlers of Catan with the Gambles (EMI director). To be honest it feels as though I’ve never left and as natural as anything driving around Kampala covered in red dust, smelling 5 different scents of smoke. It is really beautiful here though and so great to be back.
We spent most today practicing our survey setup and again EMI has been a great help in getting us going. This evening we’ll be gathering two more members of our team and then heading out tomorrow for the site.
More then…
We spent most today practicing our survey setup and again EMI has been a great help in getting us going. This evening we’ll be gathering two more members of our team and then heading out tomorrow for the site.
More then…
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Engineers Without Borders
Tomorrow I'll be heading to Uganda with a team of 12 from our UMN chapter of Engineers Without Borders. We'll be working with Uganda Rural Fund near the city of Masaka in western Uganda to install a groundwater system at the Hope Integrated Academy. Its a great school and organization that I encourage you to read up about (http://www.tc.umn.edu/~ewb/projects_uganda.php). Tinker around this site and you can find all kinds of neat info.
Our primary goals are in the installation of this system, a site survey and a health assessment conducted by two public health students traveling with us.
We are all excited and the first challenge we are sweating is logistical... getting 12 people and equipment, gear, pumps, toilets (yes, toilets) to a remote rural site in western Uganda. I'll let you know how things go.
I'll also be spending some time with good friends from Engineering Ministries International in Kampala (www.emiea.org) so very excited about this. EMI-East Africa is where the gameboarding began!
Stay tuned for project updates and photos!
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