tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16688676281762930222024-02-19T00:26:57.963-08:00Tales of Water in AfricaAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-37701476980354954542010-03-22T09:28:00.000-07:002010-03-22T09:35:29.676-07:00Where There is No LightIn Uganda, electrical power slinks out from a dam on the Nile River located by the town of Jinja in the east. Power lines follow the tarmac highways north and west to provide electricity for major towns across the country. Approximately 300 megawatts serves the entire country, less electricity than is used by one large data center in Silicon Valley California. Some sources estimate only 5-7% of Ugandans have access to electricity in their homes.<br />
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That's not apparent to a visitor who doesn't venture to "the village". Because power follows the highways, an outsider is unlikely to encounter the reality just a few hundred meters beyond the roadway. With the vast majority of Ugandans living in a rural setting, vital public services - schools, health clinics, and churches - are without power. And every evening, most go to bed in darkness or by the dim, sooty glow of a kerosene lamp.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrr18Gzl7gcsG_DvAeT1qOXzBAQn-usR2aSsyCwGXTwHLXu3b8KYvidA2Z_tk6ccVh9LGqdBjpeuZtlTDvIlw65HZSK7mcq9C8uUpI5Dje3khyphenhyphen3dCa0SPlc9PK-vtyaEyiGnUKPEMQEnD/s1600-h/IMG_2379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLrr18Gzl7gcsG_DvAeT1qOXzBAQn-usR2aSsyCwGXTwHLXu3b8KYvidA2Z_tk6ccVh9LGqdBjpeuZtlTDvIlw65HZSK7mcq9C8uUpI5Dje3khyphenhyphen3dCa0SPlc9PK-vtyaEyiGnUKPEMQEnD/s320/IMG_2379.jpg" /></a>Maternal health is especially impacted by the darkness. Labor pain has no respect for the time of day. When it comes, a mother is in danger if their midwife is unable to see clearly during delivery. This week I had the opportunity to partner with <a href="http://www.wecaresolar.com/">WE CARE Solar</a> to administer the installation of a small solar power kit in the village of <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=0.36874+30.168839+%28UTM:+36N++184840+m+E++40807m+N%29&ie=UTF8&z=10">Kitswamba</a>, near Kasese in far western Uganda. WE CARE has developed a small, portable and simple solar kit to aid health practitioners save mothers' lives. The idea is to demystify solar and let the user focus on the benefits, rather than the technology. The kit includes a mobile phone charging station, small LED lights, a AA/AAA battery charger, and portable head-lamps. These head-lamps are perhaps the most important part because they provide a large amount of light in a small area, getting the job done without using a lot of energy.<br />
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<b>Installation</b> <br />
Though WE CARE provided the solar equipment, I asked the Uganda Ministry of Health to contribute to the cost of installation. The purpose was to ensure that the ministry valued what was being provided. I have been pleasantly surprised at their cooperation and enthusiasm for the project. In quick order they approved several hundred dollars worth of funds. The money covers labor and materials such as wire, light-holders, the panel roof stand and nails.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuPHKY6f8iNUA8Be7oiE9r6J7bocbFtz4ETsFIJs3qR1RTYNh2-k_fvF5pH0xNRSA6YuPI-XCmekcaPD3z1Rxz9syZB4FLcI3Li0jbA0rIYLOQgyZRvg53092mkI3bfsxu-ZZean0nzPd/s1600-h/IMG_2388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGuPHKY6f8iNUA8Be7oiE9r6J7bocbFtz4ETsFIJs3qR1RTYNh2-k_fvF5pH0xNRSA6YuPI-XCmekcaPD3z1Rxz9syZB4FLcI3Li0jbA0rIYLOQgyZRvg53092mkI3bfsxu-ZZean0nzPd/s320/IMG_2388.jpg" /></a></div>The success of the project depended in large part on the work of the senior administrative doctor, who oversees 25 health clinics in the region. He selected the clinic to receive the kit, convinced the ministry to provide funds, and was instrumental as an advocate. I would not have been able to do it without him.<br />
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At the end of the day, the clinic now has a small system to provide a place for mothers to give birth. Success is not guaranteed however due to two on-going issues. The first is cultural: the majority of Ugandan women give birth using traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in their own homes. The ministry is conducting a sensitization program to encourage women to come to health centers for their own safety. That process is ongoing and will take a long time.<br />
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The second issue is water. When I interviewed the on-site doctor, he said in the classic Ugandan way, "we have a problem of water". The clinic has a large rainwater tank, but no connection to a reliable source of water. Without it, performing births becomes much more difficult. I'm not sure how this will affect the Kitswamba health center. Some follow-up will be necessary to judge what has worked, and what is failing.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-52489530101850980092010-03-13T05:34:00.000-08:002010-03-13T05:34:59.944-08:00Change, change it's gonna come...<i>Those very words once left me numb.</i><br />
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I think most people's impression of Africa is of a place stuck in a rut - a place where war, poverty and corruption are the immutable facts of life. A place where children die of preventable diseases, and yet nothing can really be done because "some things never change".<br />
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All of these exist in Africa. But things are changing, and faster than most people realize. For example, I'm writing this blog post using a cellular modem from Orange on a brand new 3G network (and probably get better data rates than in NY or SF on AT&T!). This wasn't possible until just 3 months ago. Before that, I crept along on a mind-numbingly slow modem on the dominant MTN network. And even then, cellular modems weren't even available at all until just two years ago. Roads are improving too - the road to Kampala is still a complete mess, but large stretches are smooth asphalt. Each month it gets a little better. And the road to Kabale (2.5 hours away) has gotten much better since I arrived in April 2009.<br />
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Like in the developed world, consumer adoption of new products is spotty - but it's there. If something improves your life, there's a market for it. For example, the <a href="http://www.ugastove.com/">Uga Stove</a> is an energy efficient wood or charcoal stove introduced a few years ago. I see them all over the place now, at least in shops. It appears to be a small part of the market, but there is definitely consumer demand there. And mobile phone adoption stands head and shoulders above any other consumer product - a 30% adoption rate in Uganda, a country with per capita income of <a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ug.html">$1300 (PPP, 2009 est.)</a>.<br />
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Things are changing across Africa - now is a time of opportunity. The continent's classic problems pose challenges, but are receding. Those of an adventurous sort may find their expectations far out of line with the reality they discover.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-65472333685153447282010-03-03T07:20:00.000-08:002010-03-03T07:20:24.418-08:00Live from GomaRushing home to beat the impending darkness, my Escudo was recently brought to a halt in front of a long line of Pajeros and Land Cruisers, the ubiquitous transport of Goma. My Suzuki emits a pathetic yellow halo of light in front of the car, making it barely adequate for travel after dark. I was in a hurry. The delay was exasperating and confusing, especially because this was not the normal location of a back up. We inched forward, and ten minutes later the source of the delay was found: a large power cable lay prone across the road. Now, in Congo any disruption to the normal flow of life is seen as an opportunity by enterprising individuals. This day that ingenuity was on display as young boys stood to hold the cable up on either side of the road - but only raising it up after the cars had paid a small fee, such as cigarettes. Thus, what elsewhere would be seen as a sign of municipal failure was here seen as a makeshift toll gate.<br />
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It's scenes like this that make Goma such a fascinating and exasperating place. One can only admire the ingenuity required to survive while at the same deploring the reasons such ingenuity is needed. But some people here are doing more than just surviving off of opportunity, they are creating hope for others. For example, my friends Pascal and Christine run a center for young people called Camme, which aims to build community and provide useful skills for children who otherwise have no chance to learn. The organization is completely home-grown and locally operated, with growing, enthusiastic support from the United States. Heal Africa, which I've mentioned numerous times before, is another example of a home-grown and operated institution that is working to bring healing and transformation to Goma and North Kivu.<br />
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Goma is a place in rapid transition, with a long way to go towards "normality". But it's clear, even over just the one year I've been able to observe, that things are changing for the better. It is a place on the fragile road to recovery, and a lot can still go wrong (and very much is still going wrong in the districts surrounding the city). But with hopeful, passionate people working to make their home a better place, things maybe can get better (as long as governments don't screw it up, but that's a tale for another day).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-91688951831005085612010-02-23T04:43:00.000-08:002010-02-23T04:51:44.154-08:00Integrated Design vs. the Constant CrisisBack home I worked (and come April will continue to work) for a small mechanical engineering firm specializing in energy efficient design. Our guiding philosophy was the concept of integrated design, which means coordinating our work with the architect at every phase of design. It requires a lot of talking, coordinating, and patience because the process is iterative. For example, if I increase the size of an air cooling unit, I need to inform the structural engineer (to make sure the ceiling beams are strong enough) and the electrical engineer, who needs to know about the increased power demand. Changes can therefore have cascading, unpredicted effects. The process is hard, but the benefit is great - a well functioning, energy efficient building. And by eliminating potential conflicts before construction, it should also reduce the building's cost.<br />
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The alternative, traditional design process is top-down and sequential. The architect creates his building, then passes the plans on to the structural engineer. He then passes his plans to the mechanical engineer, and so forth. The process is simpler but doesn't allow for changes very well. Mistakes are also more likely to go unnoticed.<br />
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What does this have to do with water, Africa or development? I think it points to the problem of crisis-driven management, which seems to be endemic here. With few resources, there are a thousand fires to fight at once, to the detriment of long-term planning. What resources are available are short-lived and dedicated to specific purposes, which usually have more to do with the donor's priorities than the recipient's. Crisis-driven management precludes the forethought inherent in integrated design, resulting in a confused decision-making process. Many of the buildings and campuses I've seen in Uganda and DR Congo are the result - ad-hoc and confused places. Places that cannot use their limited resources efficiently because they are squandered fighting real (and imaginary) crises.<br />
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The solution is the implementation of "soft" improvements, such as a reliable revenue stream, master-planning, and improved personnel management. Only then can the wonderful physical donations (such as buildings and medical equipment) be put to full use. Until then they sit under-utilized, waiting to be integrated into the whole.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-83736557026472152392010-02-12T05:12:00.000-08:002010-02-12T05:12:06.251-08:00Developing Local TalentThere seems to be a Catch-22 in the development world: creating great programs often requires bringing in outside talent. But the very act of using outsiders inhibits the central process one is trying to nurture, namely the ability of a country to sustainably raise living standards. Outsiders take up jobs that might otherwise go to a local, thereby preventing current seekers from obtaining the position. They also inhibit investment in the education necessary to create the skills needed for the position.<br />
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So why are outsiders needed in the first place? An organization might have a few reasons for doing so. Firstly, the skills needed just might not be available in-country. One often will find this true in management positions or in positions requiring a very narrow skill-set. Secondly, using outsiders might be built into the way the organization functions. Some country-specific funding organizations (such as USAID, CIDA or KFW) require the organizations to which they’re contributing to place nationals in internship or paid positions.<br />
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But there’s another reason an organization might prefer outsiders. Frankly, it’s just easier to “get things done” when everyone in the organization understands each other, in all the small cultural details. Communication can break down in surprising ways when people think they understand one another but actually have no idea what’s going on. But this is the easy and ultimately self-defeating path for an organization to take. Most organizations focused on development should be focusing on creating skills that translate into high-value jobs, thereby creating the talent to let locals determine their own path.<br />
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Now for a confession – I’ve been thinking about this as I’ve worked as a volunteer in Uganda. The work I do does require some relatively advanced skills, but not skills completely unknown in Uganda. There are engineers here that could be doing the work I am doing. But as I described above, I work with an organization that places a large number of young people as interns. The funding has a two-fold purpose: to increase living standards in sub-Saharan Africa, but also to develop talent amongst its own nationals. There’s some self-interest tied to the altruism.<br />
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As a relative novice to the development world when I arrived in Uganda 10 months ago, I’ve gained invaluable experience during my time here. Experience that will inform a lifetime of decision-making. I’ve also contributed much to work here that might otherwise have been difficult to finish. But ultimately, a country will show the mark of progress when people like myself become redundant.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-68876578306807882332010-01-31T03:28:00.000-08:002010-01-31T03:29:53.891-08:00Innovation vs. the Boring StuffOver the last year or so, I’ve encountered a tremendous push for innovation in the fields of development and disaster relief. <a href="http://www.echoinggreen.org/">Organizations</a> big and small are looking for the ideas that will catapult millions of people out of poverty. The next clever gadgets that will cheaply and quickly filter water, prevent malaria, and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. These ideas are almost by definition just over the horizon – because once an idea has been around for a few months, it’s not that innovative anymore.<br />
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And so what happens to those innovative ideas? What happens when the clever creator has received his fellowship grant and begins to work out the tricky details? From what I’ve seen, the funding organizations have moved on to the next ‘innovation’ and left the creator to work out the Boring Stuff on their own. My experience in Africa has pointed to the Boring Truth – 90% of what’s needed is not innovation but ‘capacity building’ – training, logistics, and equipment purchases. Building systems that can scale up to help thousands more people.<br />
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Take for example the work my fiancée does in health care. She is deploying an innovative new computer and mobile phone-based system to track and process health claim forms. It promises to reduce overhead and errors, increasing the rate at which health providers are reimbursed by funding agencies such as KFW (the German development bank). And yet the health providers she partners with, while supportive of her new claims system, are more excited by the equipment and training she is giving as part of the research. They’re excited about the opportunity to purchase laptops, check email, and learn how to track patients on Excel. And they want to do it on laptops, not smart-phones, as are being so heavily touted in development circles. They want to do things like we do in developed countries. Given the option, they’re taking the boring stuff before the innovative.<br />
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To a large extent I’ve found the same to be true in the work I do with water. The basic work – building gravity flow systems – has been done since the Romans! It’s not exactly cutting-edge technology. But the great improvements are coming from the Boring Stuff – GPS devices to mark pipe and tank locations. Creating a database to manage the hunt for new sources of water. These behind the scenes changes are making it much easier to build and manage a water system.<br />
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But unfortunately the Boring Stuff isn’t sexy enough to get funding. The truth is, nobody wants to fund it because they can’t put their names on it. The funding organizations can’t brag to their peers and donors about the Boring Stuff - “look we gave $10,000 to train X health practitioners on how to enter and process data!” But when they put out $10,000 to fund the Next Big Thing, out come the press, book agents, and dollars. <br />
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This trend points to a glaring fact – we in the developed world are more interested in creating a system that makes us feel good rather than creating a system that provides the resources people in the developing world need to succeed. And I will be the first to confess of this – I want to feel good about myself just as much as anyone else.<br />
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Now, all this is not to say that innovation is inherently bad – far from it. It is only to say that innovation should not be the absolute focus, or even the primary focus. We need to support the Boring Stuff, the physical and educational infrastructure that will be the foundation on which the vast majority of people are lifted out of poverty.<br />
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<i>Elsewhere, <a href="http://bloodandmilk.org/?p=1444">Blood & Milk</a> has argued along the same lines…</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-44476529263047934662010-01-19T01:23:00.000-08:002010-01-19T01:23:13.607-08:00Don't these people want clean water? (Part 2)This morning I met with the head water engineer at the <a href="http://www.millenniumvillages.org/">Millennium Villages Project</a> in Ruhiira, Uganda. The MVP in Ruhiira is within a few kilometers of a previous ACTS project. In 2009 the community protected a spring that we are now considering for use in a new project. I dropped by the offices to introduce myself and see if we might collaborate with MVP.<br />
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The meeting was very encouraging; the engineer was excited to partner with a local NGO given our long history in the area and our existing relationship with the communities. And I was excited to find a talented Ugandan engineer with some new ideas about how to implement a GFS project. In <a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2010/01/dont-these-people-want-clean-water.html">my last post</a> I lamented how difficult it is to make a project sustainable. This engineer suggested a different method gaining popularity in Uganda: private operators.<br />
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Over the years, GFS implementers have tried different ways to maintain the system after construction. In the past little thought was given to maintenance, the assumption being that the users would naturally have an interest in maintaining the system themselves, and would find the money and skill to do so. The number of broken systems littering Uganda speaks otherwise. More recently, implementers have created "tap stand" committees to perform operation and maintenance (O&M). These committees are formed of elected individuals from the community, and their function is to collect fees and perform maintenance. The engineer I spoke to today made a good point, one that I am now discovering: these committees often fade away after the construction is finished. Now, this is less of an issue for ACTS because it maintains a presence in the area for years - it's not going anywhere, and is therefore able to return to communities and encourage them to continue their commitment. However, this is not done without difficulty. But for most implementers, the system breaks down within a few years of completion. Therefore, some are now willing to license management of the system to a private operator. There are several advantages to this approach:<br />
<ul><li><i>Uptime is in the operator's interest</i>: every inoperative tap means lost revenue. The operator therefore has an interest in a high level of maintenance.</li>
<li><i>Smaller individual payments</i>: instead of having a committee come door-to-door looking for 1,000 UGX every month, the operator can put locks on each tap, and then charge for every jerry can of water. The charge might be 40-50 UGX. The smaller payment makes a huge difference because of the short-term mentality people have here. It's difficult to save money for any period of time, even a month. Paying 50 UGX a time would likely be much preferable than a 1,000 UGX lump sum.</li>
</ul>What are the drawbacks? I can think of a few:<br />
<ul><li> <i>Who do you license?</i> Choosing an operator would likely be a very political decision. What qualifications should they have? What criteria would disqualify them? How do you keep the selection process transparent and fair?</li>
<li><i>Land issues:</i> in ACTS projects, we ask the community to donate all land for tanks, pipes, and tap-stands. We do this because the system is for the community's benefit. But if now someone stands to make money, I don't think landowners would simply give away their land. And if they don't, then the construction costs could be much higher. Where would this extra money come from? Would funding agencies foot the extra cost, or would it be passed along to the community in the form of user fees? (user fees typically only cover operation costs, with the construction costs coming from a funding agency such as <a href="http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/index-e.htm">CIDA</a>)<i>.</i></li>
<li><i>Community consent: </i>would communities agree to pay a private operator? Would they trust them? Tap-stand committees have the advantage of being composed of people from the community, whom users presumably know and trust.</li>
</ul>Personally, I think the advantage to using a private operator could be great. Any task that can be reasonably performed by the private sector likely has a greater chance for long-term sustainability because it is in the operator's financial interest.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-65823424523552209532010-01-17T09:43:00.000-08:002010-01-17T09:43:00.465-08:00Don't these people want clean water?I frequently find it difficult to understand a Ugandan's motivations. Some behaviors are just <i>odd</i>. Like when four people are killed in a rural village for plotting to steal some bicycles. Like when a woman is assaulted for stealing a few watermelons. And like when half of Kampala riots because the ceremonial king isn't allowed to visit a particular district.<br />
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I chalk up the confusion I have from these news pieces to a lack of information. But I'm also confused by the way people behave in our project areas, where I have information, and where I understand what's going on a little bit better. I've <a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/12/compulsory-community-involvement.html">spoken previously</a> about how hard it is to get people to dig, even when they stand to gain so much. Turns out it's also difficult to get people to pay for what they've got.<br />
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Now you can call me captain obvious - <i>of course</i> people don't like to pay money! Especially the poor, who have little to begin with. But what baffles me is that in this case they need to pay very little, and receive so much in return. The situation is this: the beneficiaries of a gravity-flow water project agreed to pay 1,000 UGX (~ $0.50) per family per month to use a water tap, which is within a maximum of 500 meters of their home. The money goes towards system maintenance, replacing pipe, taps or cement that breaks down. Small as they are, these contributions are necessary to keep the system running. Because as simple as a gravity-flow system is, it <i>will</i> break down if not maintained.<br />
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But at one project site, few people are paying, and it's starting to show. Many of the taps are no longer functioning. The fix is cheap and simple, but there's no money to buy spare parts. So women and children, who used to fetch water close by, now walk to the next functioning tap, or to another source of water (which likely isn't clean). Why do they put up with such hardship rather than shell out the $0.50? I mean, even if you make just $1 per day, you only need to pay 1.7% of a month's wages to provide clean water to your family. What gives?<br />
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Speaking with friends and colleagues, their theories seem to break down into four catagories:<br />
<ul><li><i>They don't have the money. </i>In rural areas many people have almost no money at all. Families eke out a living, feeding themselves with what they grow. In such a situation every shilling is precious. They manage to survive, but are completely removed from a formal, cash-based economy.<br />
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<li><i>They'd rather spend it on beer.</i> Essentially this implies that priorities are elsewhere. Alcoholism is a rampant problem (I recently had to deal with a drunk village chief - not fun), and men are usually in control of the money. And since men control the money, they don't really care if the women or children have to go fetch water.<br />
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<li><i>They don't think the money does anything.</i> Even when paying, the system will break down. The money goes to repairing it when it does, not necessarily in preventing failure. So users may not realize that their money is going to repairs, so they don't pay because even if they do, things will break.</li>
<li><i>They don't like taxes.</i> Because the fees for the water system resemble a tax, they refuse to pay. Taxes here are frequently squandered by corruption, and no one wants to give up what little money they have to fatten someone else's wallet.</li>
</ul>Whatever theory is true, the end result is the same: system maintenance is a problem. The solution seems so simple, but so difficult to achieve. Don't they want clean water?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-69620242222103957012010-01-10T07:15:00.000-08:002010-01-10T07:21:29.920-08:00No Divining Rod Necessary"This is a road?"<br />
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Wedged between two small plots of land and jumping steeply up the hill, it was indeed a road, and I had to get my truck up it. My coworker Asaf stepped out of the truck, engaged the four wheel drive, and we continued on our way. Farther down the road, a beautiful green valley stretched to our left, beginning precariously close to the wheels of our vehicle.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhNujWNKLDq3g1FLcLOuaP5B-YzmbcqK92VMPyYUgh63caSrkIuYtYu-ABBFM-yDIPe0jP5NqXp0N1LeH9HtSBsS4k8_RF5ICet-qlm4Kazhih5a-juXLG0UK8TkLH42ulsweCppq_oSs/s1600-h/DSC_0866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhNujWNKLDq3g1FLcLOuaP5B-YzmbcqK92VMPyYUgh63caSrkIuYtYu-ABBFM-yDIPe0jP5NqXp0N1LeH9HtSBsS4k8_RF5ICet-qlm4Kazhih5a-juXLG0UK8TkLH42ulsweCppq_oSs/s320/DSC_0866.jpg" /></a>It's amazing to me how green this part of Uganda is, and yet how hard it is to find water springs. The land is green and lush, and yet when we finally find a spring, it trickles out of the ground. We spend days driving around, from one low flow source to the next. And without fail, every source is described as "big" by locals. "How big?" I ask. "Big", the invariable answer. I'm becoming something of a skeptic. Trying to quantify relative differences is difficult - one of the classic cultural disparities between someone like me from "the West" and Africans.<br />
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I have been searching for sources for the last few weeks in hope of finding enough water for a new gravity flow project. To secure funding, we need to demonstrate a flow of at least 3 liters/second, or 48 gallons per minute. That's a lot of water, which makes it difficult to find a source strong enough. And it also means I do a lot of driving, each day hoping I'm doing to get lucky.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOCobZXtp0MOulO7t_o0L8Xw-a1NOgjoEN8F-i88bWf73GZMTeSPZWFR5HiMiWWwNqYarL_R08QueRc5x2PV9pOiSuHnClj-Vi6mYOZ53SKIEIjd-2285VxKgQnRb2nmQs9VZQ9ttZjsj/s1600-h/DSC_0868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOCobZXtp0MOulO7t_o0L8Xw-a1NOgjoEN8F-i88bWf73GZMTeSPZWFR5HiMiWWwNqYarL_R08QueRc5x2PV9pOiSuHnClj-Vi6mYOZ53SKIEIjd-2285VxKgQnRb2nmQs9VZQ9ttZjsj/s320/DSC_0868.jpg" /></a>At each source we perform two tasks. First we measure the flow of the source by timing how long it takes to fill a jerry can (see the photo above). Secondly, we collect a sample of water to test for contaminants. We only consider clean sources for projects because incorporating water filtration into the system reduces the likelihood the system will be maintained in the future. Unfortunately, it also means that we limit the potential number of sources we can use for a new project.<br />
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Once we've found a promising source, I will be putting together a project proposal with preliminary engineering. Given the amount of water required, such a project would likely help around 10,000. Motivation enough to keep going out each day in hope of finding the big one.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-5294661038760554792009-12-31T09:47:00.000-08:002009-12-31T09:47:14.490-08:00Teka TekaIn Runyanchole, the language of southwest Uganda, "teka teka" means "to think". So, in these waning hours of the first decade of the 21st century (profound, huh?), I thought I'd give some thoughts about my first nine months in Africa.<br />
<ul><li><i>Finding your place is hard</i> - coming to Africa as an individual was undoubtedly the right thing for me to do, but it's been hard. I came with an unclear idea of my role or organization, and it's taken some work to be assertive in making a place for myself. I'm now doing some great work for ACTS, sharing in the design work for a new GFS project, creating new water testing equipment, and soon writing proposals and preliminary engineering for new projects. As with most pursuits in life, no one has guided me by the hand. This has been a tremendous lesson in self-motivation and determination.<br />
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<li><i>Does the world need more NGO's?</i> Last week I had an encounter with one of the many characters you'll find in Africa, the old male ex-pat. Married to a Ugandan woman, he was recently retired from work with the European Union and now helping his wife to run a small guest farm in western Uganda. After dinner, he came over to our table and whispered in conspiratorial tones about the underside of politics in Uganda, which is wicked indeed (and of course it is, or it wouldn't make a good story!). But the thrust of his discursive soliloquy was that in the last 15 years the number of NGO's has exploded across Uganda. Bloated, bureaucratic and unresponsive, he railed against the huge overhead they spend on ex-pat staff, wasting most of the donor's money. And the government plays along, all to happy to relinquish responsibility for tasks it would normally handle in a well functioning state. Indeed, they also crowd out opportunities for the private sector. In fact, a friend of mine now just finishing their first year of university has told me of his great desire to work for an NGO, because that's where the best opportunities are. So, does the world need more NGO's? A hyperbolic and impossible question to answer in so short a space, but I'll say at least this - all effort should be put into finding private sector solutions to issues before resorting to the creation of another NGO.<br />
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<li><i>The world is, uh, complicated</i> - every action you take affects others in potentially a myriad of ways. This is especially true when you enter into a vulnerable environment in an effort to help. Bottom line is, think, and think twice before setting up new projects to help people. You may end up doing more harm than good.<br />
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<li><i>Matoke, matoke!</i> Ugandans LOVE steamed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matoke">matoke</a>. They love posho, and they love g-nuts. I mean, they love this stuff. I find it entirely pleasant, but I admit I'm putting together an epic list of restaurants to visit once I get back to Berkeley.<br />
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<li><i>Goma is a strange place</i> - This city on the eastern edge of Congo, clutching the north shore of lake Kivu, is a study in constrasts. It's home to legions of mzungus, who work for an ABC list of NGO's, or the UN (MONUC). There's parties, bars, and fantastic restaurants. The incredible barricaded homes along the lake are just beautiful. In fact, Mobutu's (now Kabila's) notorious vacation villa is just a few hundred meters away from HEAL Africa's Maji Matulivu. And yet in those meters between, the destitute children of Goma que up on the lake shore to carry water in 5 gallon jerry cans, often many kilometers to their homes. The wooden shack is by far the most common home in the city. Because of the huge foreign presence, prices for basic items have spiraled up, putting them out of reach for ordinary people.<br />
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<li><i>Corruption is killing potential</i> - this isn't anything new to the cynics out there, but it's particularly depressing to see it up close. In Uganda especially, parents put a huge emphasis on education, sometimes going into crippling debt to pay school fees. And yet the hope of their children find a job is slim, because the managers in charge of hiring are looking for a 5 million shilling bribe ($2,500).<br />
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<li><i>Music!</i> A quick list of some of the music I've find during my time here: Maisha Soul (Congo), Khadja Nin (Burundi), Afrigo (Uganda), Yo-Malé (Senegal), Moses (Uganda). <a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/08/music-from-congo.html">I was blown away by the street music</a> you hear in the villages of eastern Congo on a Sunday afternoon.<br />
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<li><i>My New Year's resolution - </i>the opportunity to be here and have the freedom to learn and participate as I wish has been a huge blessing to me. Occasionally I remember to really absorb that fact, but it slips away so easily. In 2010 I resolve to be more thankful for the people and groups I've worked with in Uganda and Congo. I don't want to look back with regret when I get home, wishing I'd appreciated more the chance I'd been given.</li>
</ul>Heri za Mwaka Mpya!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-75757977715828537082009-12-17T07:37:00.000-08:002010-01-01T13:28:29.119-08:00Compulsory Community InvolvementMost development projects these days rightfully focus on community involvement, in other words, getting beneficiaries to contribute to the success of a project. This fosters a sense of ownership, which should allow whatever is being done to last far after the implementing organization has left. I've seen many failed water systems here in Uganda, most likely done in because the local community had no stake in the construction or implementation process.<br />
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The ACTS GFS project in Bwesumbu is following the current thinking by working hard to include the local communities that will benefit. There are 5 "cells", comprising about 8,000 people. One Ugandan staff member is dedicated to meeting with local government and religious leaders to encourage them to moblize their communities to contribute to digging (and there's a lot of digging to be done). While this has gone pretty smoothly on previous ACTS projects, it's proving to be a challenge here.<br />
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In fact, on several occassions the local police, in a happy show of their own authority, have set up a road block on the main road that winds through the hills. All travelers are stopped, and those living in the project area have been "encouraged" to get off their bodas or trucks, grab a shovel, and get to digging. And the work sure has sped along on these days.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ3HVr-T7cBXbTLbidSjU6isX15ch8gJKAyykpEma8L4oQDluq9ExbBEvwRLCzFF8o3UqojsegheD09Fo8XLBZ8xKUICMvjFxuBwO_dlegOCfa3WHMASMFdODB-K46gcK1fX_jKxrIMLP/s1600-h/IMG_8777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQ3HVr-T7cBXbTLbidSjU6isX15ch8gJKAyykpEma8L4oQDluq9ExbBEvwRLCzFF8o3UqojsegheD09Fo8XLBZ8xKUICMvjFxuBwO_dlegOCfa3WHMASMFdODB-K46gcK1fX_jKxrIMLP/s400/IMG_8777.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>The police set up a road block to gather workers</i><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbi9pjjiSEtxepH5PUaVBtk_9lT1ZCToxnPcW2TWQKDki_30pUJQa-0DF1QiZLNHVsqhfFSS-0kuJUdoF3PQ-RxCBJ_zgl8bNJs7u3K1InE31QSDBiXHjF2kal5lpEjeiPXWOhKmSYk-M/s1600-h/IMG_8820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbi9pjjiSEtxepH5PUaVBtk_9lT1ZCToxnPcW2TWQKDki_30pUJQa-0DF1QiZLNHVsqhfFSS-0kuJUdoF3PQ-RxCBJ_zgl8bNJs7u3K1InE31QSDBiXHjF2kal5lpEjeiPXWOhKmSYk-M/s320/IMG_8820.JPG" /></a>But unfortunately, while such tactics are popular here in Africa (the local police captain told me that Africans are "lazy". I nodded politely), they circumvent the entire purpose of community involvement - ownership. If the beneficiaries must be compelled to work, they clearly have not fully understood the benefits of the project. And compulsion fuels resentment.<br />
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I suspect this current project is moving slowly because of the sectarian split between the Church of Uganda (Anglican) and the Seventh Day Adventists. Neither wants to work unless it's clear that the other is also. We have therefore worked especially hard then to reach out to local government leaders. Unfortunately, there appears to be a talent gap in the local leadership department, which is hampering our efforts. However, we will be back in force after the new year, ready to redouble our efforts to convince the community about the enormous benefits of the project.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-89168981862321492842009-12-01T00:11:00.000-08:002009-12-01T21:04:56.317-08:00Spreading Light<b>UPDATE: </b>The solar power manufacturer we used at the second clinic is <a href="http://www.barefootpower.com/">Barefoot Power</a>. <br />
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Recently, I heard a statistic that surprised me - 86% of Uganda is without power (granted, I have no idea where this comes from). While I find this hard to believe, I spend most of my time in Mbarara, which is a pretty well developed town in the southwest. Up in the mountains at the work camp north of Kasese, there is no power for at least 10 miles in any direction.<br />
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So whatever the statistic, power is a precious commodity in much of Uganda. And that's especially true when it comes to health care. Medical emergencies don't wait for daylight - some issues have to be resolved immediately. Delivering a baby or performing a C-Secion by the light of a gas lantern is a dangerous task.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFnp98qj52_T1eCtPprYUsB3b0mSZECSWpBmxbBJWP1fLpF7WJ4_2TKEW-NiCtHMawgQB5WJYt64ytTGscZIbyAeMrJZZSg_ea7ex8ML3rjwDpPTpS3ASSdl-NvyzqCu5I8LyrGUuigbp/s1600/IMG_1400_blogger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFnp98qj52_T1eCtPprYUsB3b0mSZECSWpBmxbBJWP1fLpF7WJ4_2TKEW-NiCtHMawgQB5WJYt64ytTGscZIbyAeMrJZZSg_ea7ex8ML3rjwDpPTpS3ASSdl-NvyzqCu5I8LyrGUuigbp/s320/IMG_1400_blogger.JPG" width="240" /></a>Providing light is therefore important, and it is the primary goal of <a href="http://wecaresolar.com/index.html">WE CARE</a> solar. WE CARE works with clinics in several African countries to provide a packaged solar solution, allowing for quick installation and ease of use. The package comes with the solar equipment (panels, charge controller, breakers, etc) and a series of lights for use in the clinic (headlamps, overhead lights). It also comes with batteries and a cigarette outlet for using DC power cables (for use in charging mobile phones, for example).<br />
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My fiancee is partnering with WE CARE for part of her dissertation research, and so I accompanied her to a small town outside of Ibanda to explain to the clinic what they were receiving, how it should be used, and what they could expect from it. The owner was very happy to participate in my fiancee's study and to utilize the new solar gear. She will be working with the clinic for the next few months to observe how the solar items are used (and of course to conduct her own separate research).<br />
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On the way back from Ibanda, we stopped at a second clinic participating in the study. This clinic received a smaller commercial product called the Pawa Pack by <a href="http://www.barefootpower.com/">Barefoot Power</a>, which comes with some lights and a 5 watt panel. It's quite small, but it will be used only for lighting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqR_Jefn70xYQlwU8fAdt55Avle4vBXVPx0wKZJHKBt18rd7qaLOk362XiA96-OjrcxSHJ6t6UzhJKmAFl4vqjkYG3-b8a7xUFml4fyVvOhXsH-5hN_LudFT9uHWs-XEvSUyBoyFq9g2S0/s1600/IMG_1417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqR_Jefn70xYQlwU8fAdt55Avle4vBXVPx0wKZJHKBt18rd7qaLOk362XiA96-OjrcxSHJ6t6UzhJKmAFl4vqjkYG3-b8a7xUFml4fyVvOhXsH-5hN_LudFT9uHWs-XEvSUyBoyFq9g2S0/s320/IMG_1417.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-11306784529483056742009-11-28T02:15:00.000-08:002009-11-28T02:15:17.991-08:00Clean Water, Almost ThereBeing an engineer, I find it extremely satisfying to participate in construction projects. As foundations are laid or equipment installed, I can take pride in knowing that I'm part of the team that put the infrastructure up. This satisfaction was the best aspect of my previous job, and one of my favorite parts of the work I'm doing in Uganda and DR Congo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgKfk3U3C5tdUVxDs7WzMwT6yhN6eXCrl2W7HCJwgG8jRmcrE6RsRXPlpaUyZd3d8iIut8Wb2cVKEpBP9MXE5nhYIUXXdlPvPbAmBu7FcPEz8p_II2gVK5JgDmaOD9NIhjy-PWKBuivhl/s1600/Goma_Facebook18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgKfk3U3C5tdUVxDs7WzMwT6yhN6eXCrl2W7HCJwgG8jRmcrE6RsRXPlpaUyZd3d8iIut8Wb2cVKEpBP9MXE5nhYIUXXdlPvPbAmBu7FcPEz8p_II2gVK5JgDmaOD9NIhjy-PWKBuivhl/s320/Goma_Facebook18.jpg" /></a>My last day in Goma was a day for construction, and we set about the work with great vigor. All the material had arrived for the water filter, and now it was time to get about putting it all together. The first step was to dig out rock for the foundation of the metal stand which was to hold the filter (the purpose of which is to allow the water to travel by gravity from the roof, through the filter, and into the 250 liter storage tank). To my great surprise, one can actually bust up lava rock if you hit it enough with a pick axe. It's something they're quite used to doing in the lava fields of Goma.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0srZLtxJfBWTDt0dTleKH9VUJFZ9bpHpNUO3d4gfwtFfBZDdGaA6P8qQZyqbBFRt23IF7_LUhkg8dMMntemiZ43IsQoFus7BeybkRkxADcsf21MZzV1jcnJpUW87yl2XcGcTW4UTjYUWc/s1600/Goma_Facebook22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0srZLtxJfBWTDt0dTleKH9VUJFZ9bpHpNUO3d4gfwtFfBZDdGaA6P8qQZyqbBFRt23IF7_LUhkg8dMMntemiZ43IsQoFus7BeybkRkxADcsf21MZzV1jcnJpUW87yl2XcGcTW4UTjYUWc/s320/Goma_Facebook22.jpg" /></a>Not surprisingly, the digging took most of the day. Once complete, we erected the metal stand and placed the 500 liter water tank (filter) on top. We then connected the gutters and began adding gravel at the bottom of the tank (<a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/sand-water-filters.html">click here</a> for more detail on how a slow sand filter works). Unfortunately, it became clear that we were a little short on gravel. The day was also running short, so our work had to come to an end. We left the drain valve on the bottom of the tank open to allow the coming rains to wash the gravel. If all goes well (fingers crossed!) the filter will be finished in the coming weeks by the Heal Africa technical staff. I hope to return in February to evaluate the work and verify completion.<br />
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With the enormous support of donors from the US and the technical staff here, there is now a filter to allow women to collect drinking water from their homes instead of walking 2+ km to fetch their water. While it will only be available during the rainy season, it should be of tremendous help. Very satisfying work indeed!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSkI4SwtMxvTwVwsXXmIYBRGz7F0aI0WHPn7DD4d9LSEwZTrGROuqI3u0e6EZwepSP_TgAQt3epk2NYMfMFy0j81YX0ccX9wnDpMqgY46AEOw28OcXsVrWfZ6CGT-xXrQv_6QzEb8oJcr/s1600/Goma_Facebook23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSkI4SwtMxvTwVwsXXmIYBRGz7F0aI0WHPn7DD4d9LSEwZTrGROuqI3u0e6EZwepSP_TgAQt3epk2NYMfMFy0j81YX0ccX9wnDpMqgY46AEOw28OcXsVrWfZ6CGT-xXrQv_6QzEb8oJcr/s320/Goma_Facebook23.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-52992334417305922432009-11-15T02:41:00.000-08:002009-11-15T02:45:56.206-08:00Corruption!Most people know that when you go to do work in a "developing" country, things operate differently. Projects move slower, priorities are different, and you have to navigate a new and foreign environment. Unfortunately corruption is another common feature of doing work in such a region, and it costs a lot. The price comes in two ways: from the corruption itself, and when legitimate enterprises try to adapt in response.<br />
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I can give one example of the first: traffic stops. Being a mzungu with a foreign car in Goma means I'm a constant target for the traffic cops. So when they stop me, I have to obey. I talk to them, I negotiate, I call their bluff when they say I have to go to the police station. All this takes time, and it saps my ability to get my work done while I'm here.<br />
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Secondly, probably even worse than the corruption itself is the drastic measures that have to be taken to prevent it. For example, in the last few months I have raised enough money to have a large water filter constructed so that women can drink rainwater collected from the roof. The money was raised in the US, and then wired to HEAL Africa. But that's just the beginning - actually withdrawing the money from the internal account is a huge process, requiring special authorization and proof that each dollar has (or will be) properly spent. The delays in dealing with this have been painful, especially since I'm only here in Goma for a few weeks to get the project done.<br />
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A second (more humorous) example involves the police again. A few days ago, I was driving with a 500 liter (125 gallon) water tank on top of my truck. Having been stopped once by the police looking for a bribe, I had to travel along all sorts of back roads to get the filter to its destination. The back roads included traversing through a live soccer match! My car slowly ambled across the pitch with the large tank on top - it was quite a sight I'm sure for the spectators. That trip, funny as it was, took much longer than just driving on the main road. But when the alternative is an encounter with corruption, you do what you can to get by.<br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-22463292667015768692009-11-09T00:14:00.000-08:002009-11-09T01:05:48.909-08:00Failure, Success, and the "Way Forward"I've been in Goma for the last week and a half, working with the HEAL Africa Technical Department to implement two projects. I knew starting and finishing two projects in so short a time was an ambitious goal, but I've been learning these last few days just how ambitious it actually was.<br />
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Firstly, I have been frantically finishing work on a solar refrigerator. There was more work to be done than I anticipated (seems to be a common theme!). I also worked hard toward a solution that in the end did not work out. Essentially, to provide thermal mass to the fridge I wanted to seal a large amount of water inside. Turns out making something water tight is easier said than done. In the end I had to give up using water and instead turn to using concrete. The thermal mass is about half that of water, but still should keep the fridge cold for several hours during a power outage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIot8XMEzhvfXZuSIbKLL-tT_VMNW4OWz7KrN-4Yz23e_gfm2OcBfXKqMBt3pdi_bl1qLM4VdXwC3u32mV1skjPsZuzIgIVgZDb4NnnbBP5-qMor-wZzPEijtbNI_gP91H1_ZgZvAsOrq6/s1600/fridgeConcrete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIot8XMEzhvfXZuSIbKLL-tT_VMNW4OWz7KrN-4Yz23e_gfm2OcBfXKqMBt3pdi_bl1qLM4VdXwC3u32mV1skjPsZuzIgIVgZDb4NnnbBP5-qMor-wZzPEijtbNI_gP91H1_ZgZvAsOrq6/s320/fridgeConcrete.jpg" /></a>Pouring the concrete was a nerve-racking experience. Once poured, my decisions permanent. If it didn't work, I couldn't do much to fix it. Success or failure! After drying, I plugged the fridge in and waited. 3 hours, no change. 5 hours, 1 degree C, but that was likely because the day had gotten cooler. It was looking like failure. And in one way it most certainly was, because I had run out of time - I had been planning on taking the fridge to a rural hospital the next day. I couldn't take it without knowing if it worked or not.<br />
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And so I traveled north to Rwanguba empty-handed. However, while there I did get some great work done. A few years ago the hospital had a small solar lighting system installed by the International Rescue Committee. Last time I visited in July it was not functioning, and probably hadn't been in a while. This visit I was determined to offer something, even if not what I had originally hoped for. And so, after a few hours work with the staff engineer, we got the lights back on. With lighting now for two wards, they will be able to run their generator much less, saving money.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkl1vpT-jCSIYy-0TLGabxst1ZMCtNUzeYPDoov0ssYW-uBhBJZ30tVtG7n-wMDfUgDu5cwxcj0MfBZOovD2DSrmT8cAoqU8DmB_b6OY4GJSTbRok0tBlqnP8qNGEkXExc3qqnqPkSCUc/s1600/solar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkl1vpT-jCSIYy-0TLGabxst1ZMCtNUzeYPDoov0ssYW-uBhBJZ30tVtG7n-wMDfUgDu5cwxcj0MfBZOovD2DSrmT8cAoqU8DmB_b6OY4GJSTbRok0tBlqnP8qNGEkXExc3qqnqPkSCUc/s320/solar.jpg" /></a>Back in Goma, work is progressing on the second project, a water filter for a rainwater collection system. Gutters have been installed, and more items will be purchased and installed in the next few days. With any luck, it will be near completion by the time I leave next Sunday.<br />
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And so now I have to take stock of the next steps. The fridge is still being tested - it's now dropped 6 degrees C in 2.5 days, so I think maybe, just maybe, it's working. Apparently it takes a long time to cool concrete! The benefit though is that with high thermal mass, it will also take a long time to warm up, providing cooling even during power outages. Looks like my calculations were incorrect!<br />
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So much of this work is new for me, I have been learning a lot. The principle lesson is that success is quite unlikely the first time you try something. I'm trying to not be discouraged by failure, but to learn what went wrong and try again. I think we've all heard this before, but it's quite different to be told that than to actually have to go through it.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-38974388443484773322009-10-29T23:48:00.000-07:002009-10-29T23:48:39.836-07:00Tutu onana, Uganda!In this part of Africa, small distances make a big difference. Travel a few kilometers, and you can be in Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda or Congo. But despite the short distances, each of these places has its own unique and often tragic stories. Having just returned to Goma in DR Congo, I am reminded of the stark contrasts that exist in this small part of Africa.<br />
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Though relatively safe, Goma is a place that can keep a mzungu on edge. The border guards, customs, police, or anybody in authority wants one thing - $10. That is the price of no hassles, though only for a moment. Street children, mamas, and others via for your attention on the street.<br />
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But despite this, Goma is a wonderfully beautiful place. Lake Kivu is serene. Mt. Niragongu puffs quietly in the distance, and women parade around in a riot of colors. And the physical beauty is matched by the warmth of the people (provided they're not in a position of governmental authority!). The joy of people here makes the city infectious, and is one of the reasons I keep coming back.<br />
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But Goma is also a place to make you ask, "what am I <i>doing</i> here?". It's expensive, and not exactly a tourist trap. So you probably want to have a pretty good reason to be around. Every time I get here, I seem to continuously ask myself this question: what's my purpose? What am I achieving by being here? It's a good sentiment for keeping myself on task, but it can also lead to deriving my sense of worth from my output. I have to keep in mind that my worth is independent from my work.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-63742788046122226792009-10-21T08:23:00.000-07:002009-10-21T08:56:46.624-07:00Ghosts from the PastThis last week I have been roaming the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains, trying to wrap my head around how we will design a gravity flow water system for the community here. Yesterday, while walking the proposed pipeline, our team came across an unexpected site - a water tank, just like one we're proposing to build a few kilometers away. What was it doing here?<br />
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Turns out it's a reservoir tank for a defunct gravity flow system. The tank looked old, but when I walked around it I found plastic HDPE pipe sticking out of the ground. HDPE has only been used in these systems for the last 30 years or so, clearly dating the system as installed after 1980 or so. Not that old.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The tank (notice the pipe in foreground). Click for larger image</span></i> <br />
</div>I then asked the headmaster of the school when the system failed. "A while back," he said in typical non-specific Ugandan English (I'm trying to get used to this and reformulate my questions to get the answers I need). He did tell me though that it was built in 1994. It's only 15 years old! And it doesn't work anymore.<br />
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Seeing the tank got me worried: why did the system fail? What could have prevented it? Will our system look like this in 15 years? These kind of follow up questions are extremely important for designing a better system than last time. Unfortunately, we don't have the time or the resources to investigate.<br />
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Lastly, some of our system will serve people that used to be served by the broken system. Is that the best use of resources? Might it not be cheaper to investigate why the old system failed and fix it? That would likely cost far less in materials. Unfortunately, such work is beyond the scope of our time and money. So our project will replace the old. It's perhaps not the best solution, but may be the only one available for now. "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" has crossed my mind.<br />
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There is a good chance that our project will succeed where the previous one failed, mainly because of ownership. ACTS conducts its projects so that the community will claim ownership of the system for long after it's gone. Ownership is created in three ways: first, the community participates in construction through building the work camp, digging trenches for the pipe, and excavating for the storage tanks. Secondly, the community is asked to create a water committee for administration. The water committee is responsible for collecting user fees and conducting repairs when needed. The committee is setup before construction begins. Obviously, the user fees are critical to long-term operation. Lastly, ACTS provides training for health and agricultural workers to improve the overall health of the community. These workers will retain knowledge and skills after ACTS has left.<br />
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ACTS has been operating in Uganda for over 20 years, with every system built still operational. That's quite an achievement, given the increasing number of inoperative systems I've been finding here.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-18935256733473040522009-10-15T05:29:00.001-07:002009-10-15T07:39:05.989-07:00Next Stop BuisumbuIn the Rwenzori foothills, Fifteen hundred meters up lies the small community of Buisimbu, Uganda. It's located about halfway between Kasese and Fort Portal and 45km from the Congo border. This community is one of many clinging to the mountain here, forming a dense patchwork of homes, schools and businesses.<br />
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These communities are mostly without protected water. Those lucky enough to live close to a protected source trudge long distances in the early morning to carry their 5 gallon (40 lbs) load back to their homes for cooking, cleaning, and drinking.<br />
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ACTS is just now setting up camp to begin work on a new gravity flow system to serve a population of 5,300 people. The camp consists of about 20 Ugandan crew, working on construction, health, agriculture and support. The camp also has several Mzungu volunteers like me that are assisting with engineering, education and health. We'll be here for about six months during construction.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">living quarters at the work camp</span></i><br />
</div>As I mentioned in a previous post, the secterian divisions in this community present a unique challenge for the project. Normally "mobilization" involves working with the Church of Uganda to get the community involved in construction and the formation of a water committee. Unfortunately, as of now these divisions are still present; they will need to be addressed very soon before construction begins in earnest in about two weeks.<br />
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I'll be here at camp for the next week to develop the preliminary engineering. I'll then be leaving for Congo for a few weeks to work on several projects in association with HEAL Africa.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-30411137955243046342009-09-30T03:28:00.000-07:002009-09-30T03:28:26.563-07:00All together now!There's a lot going on in the water community of Uganda, at least in Mbarara district. The National Water and Sewerage Corporation, the Church of Uganda, and various NGOs all play a part in providing safe water and sanitation to the people here. Yesterday I sat in on a semi-annual coordination meeting between these groups; the purpose is to keep abreast of what each organization is doing and to not duplicate our efforts.<br />
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The chairman, a member of the district government, opened the meeting by expounding at length upon the issues he sees as critical to improving water and sanitation. Among these issues were things such as increasing water coverage for high altitude areas (above <a href="http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=4-9780946688500-0">GFS</a> coverage), planting trees to prevent erosion, empowering water committees to promote sustainability, and bypassing politicians to prevent corruption. On that last point, the chairman made the comment that many local politicians will take bribes to allow people to illegally tap into water lines.<br />
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Most interestingly, a presentation was given on the progress of a water census being conducted in Uganda (WATSUP). The purpose of the census is to track progress in providing water, to prioritize projects, and to report to the UN regarding progress made towards achieving the <a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs</a>. Currently the safe water coverage of the Mbarara district stands at 61%, which is much lower than I expected based on what I have seen. Clearly I haven't been out in the rural areas enough.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-9775089040038573712009-09-22T13:41:00.000-07:002009-09-22T13:41:45.571-07:00You want to build what?I'm trying to get over some confused looks here in Mbarara as I wander from store to store, asking for strange parts, wood cut to odd dimensions, and joining L-brackets to small blocks of aluminum. I'm trying to build a refrigerator and many folks are a little surprised at that. Understandable - I hesitate a moment before explaining to someone what I'm doing. Even I think I'm a little crazy.<br />
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But once I get over my self-consciousness and properly explain what I'm doing, I've been met with a lot of enthusiasm. Several of my suppliers want me to bring in the fridge when I'm done so they can see what all this work is about. They're excited to see something new and unusual.<br />
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In case you're wondering, the fridge itself is actually quite simple. It's based on the "Peltier effect" and uses a small cooling module sometimes used in electronics. When an electric current is passed through the module, one side becomes hot and the other cool. Heat is therefore "pumped" from one side to the other.<br />
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However, despite its simplicity actually constructing and mounting the equipment has proved difficult with limited resources. I'm learning how to source parts and build from whatever supplies I can find in Mbarara (and occasionally Kampala). For example, today I was explaining to a local metal-worker I wanted to join small L-brackets to a block of aluminum. The purpose of this is to seal the cooling unit off from the inside of the refrigerator, which will be filled with water to help maintain temperature during a power outage. It was a very unusual request, and requires working in aluminum, so he wanted 70,000 UGX ($35). Unfortunately that's way more than I can pay to keep the entire project to a reasonable cost. So now I need to go back to the drawing board - how can I achieve the same goal for a lower cost? It's a process of design iteration.<br />
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The purpose of the refrigerator is to demonstrate that a reliable and efficient vaccine cooler can be built in a developing country for low cost. Ideally, the model could be copied in countries all over the world facing the problem of reliably delivering vaccines. This model should be finished in a few weeks and operating in a rural clinic, at which point I will be testing energy use to properly size a solar system to power the unit.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-3973953026950661252009-09-15T07:11:00.000-07:002009-09-15T08:38:48.846-07:00Building relationships before building pipesI was sitting on a small wooden chair in front of about 50 community members of a hilltop village in the Kasese district of Uganda, at the foot of the Rwenzori mountains. With the sun beating down, a confident-looking man stood up to ask a question after a brief presentation by the regional director of the organization with which I'm volunteering. "We (Anglicans) have come out to work, and yet others have done nothing. Why should they benefit from our labor, when they have been invited to join and have refused?"<br /><br />A tricky question that requires a little background. These water projects are done with the invitation of the Church of Uganda, a member of the Anglican Communion. The Church works hand in hand with the central government all over Uganda, in areas such as health care, income generation projects, and community health. In many cases, this partnership works out very well because the pastors are knowledgeable and respected members of their communities. With their buy-in, it is much easier to learn about the local community and receive their support. It is also easier to explain to the community the goals and potential benefits of a project.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2tY3wD9veJHaSjNlKKDRnhvVLnQGF0zmdyXDGHKKH4QN1ykn23AyTW_oFBaG7PQddM9N9cwsCpZHMluWXyxaZGp_utCWkP97tVhxfIbgGXg1MXGZFvELvq0H_oFHeHaDovTLeZAZKW0J/s1600-h/WorkCamp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 44px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2tY3wD9veJHaSjNlKKDRnhvVLnQGF0zmdyXDGHKKH4QN1ykn23AyTW_oFBaG7PQddM9N9cwsCpZHMluWXyxaZGp_utCWkP97tVhxfIbgGXg1MXGZFvELvq0H_oFHeHaDovTLeZAZKW0J/s320/WorkCamp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381716642882685730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">The work camp. Click for larger image.<br /></span></div><br />And this works out fine as long as the Anglican church is the center of the community. In the Kasese area, this is not so much the case - at least fifty percent of the population belongs to the Seventh Day Adventist church, and 5-10% are Muslims. It appears that this particular project started as most do, with an invitation from the Anglican church. However, with that invitation came the impression that it would be solely an <span style="font-style: italic;">Anglican</span> project. And so when the time came to start digging trenches, an Anglican church came out, but nobody else did. <span style="font-style: italic;">What we have here is a failure to communicate</span>.<br /><br />The pipes for the gravity flow system will serve all people within the catchment area, restricted only by the flow rate of the source. It is therefore critically important that the other communities participate in the construction, so that everyone has a sense of ownership and no religious group resents the other (or at least don't resent them for not doing their fair share of the work). Luckily on hand this afternoon was a potential solution - local government. These village leaders represent people of all religions within their cell (the smallest unit of government in Uganda). With their buy-in, it would be possible to convince the Seventh Day Adventists and Muslims that the water would benefit them just as much as the Anglicans. Hopefully in the days ahead they will be able to mobilize their communities to start digging.<br /><br />Working with a respected member of a community is a critical step in any development project. In Uganda, this is often the Anglican church, especially because government so often lacks credibility. However for this project the Anglicans could not legitimately claim to represent the whole community. Thankfully there appears to be effective local government to bring legitimacy to this important project.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-90915757455898490842009-09-04T23:36:00.000-07:002009-09-05T09:30:20.946-07:00Christianity and Development, Part 3: InclusivenessHere's an obvious statement: religion plays a major role in the lives of most people on earth; especially so in the developing world. Customs and habits have been formed and deeply ingrained because of particular religious beliefs. For many, the desire for a better life is intricately linked with their faith. <a href="http://talesfromethehood.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/and-no-religion-too/">And yet many NGO's that address development issues are completely secular</a>. But this is for good reason.<br /><br />Fundamentally there are two reasons why religion and development have a difficult relationship. The first and most serious issue is that of inclusiveness: what happens when the communities you're working in aren't one (or one particular kind) of faith? If I enter into a split Muslim/Christian community (quite common here in Uganda) with a Christian agenda, I will likely exacerbate an already tenuous relationship between the two groups. Even if my aim is not strictly to proselytize, I have to be extremely careful about how I conceive and implement projects so as to work towards community development, not estrangement. For example, I have a friend working in eastern Congo, who told me of a conversation she had with a Muslim family in Ethiopia - the father said simply, "I'll be whatever religion they want me to be if they will feed my family." In a situation like that, not only are these people hungry, but they are forced into the humiliating position of lying about their very identity just to survive. This is not treating your neighbor as yourself.<br /><br />Secondly, when addressing religion (whether through a secular organization or not) one must be well versed in exactly what that religion looks like in that community. Even global religions (such as Islam or Christianity) have been deeply morphed to fit a local context. For example, the saint's days prevalent in Latin America were used to incorporate pre-Christian beliefs into the new religion. If an organization enters a community with a pre-conceived notion of what the people's faith is about, they're bound to make some pretty serious mistakes when attempting to address religion in their projects.<br /><br />But if religion is not constructively engaged, then a central part of a community's identity is missed. Change, even for the good, can breed resentment if it is not framed as a religious imperative. I've had several conversations with Christians here in Uganda in which the speaker has bemoaned the fact that development has simply brought more bars (now I think a great bar is a wonderful thing, but then again I'm not a Ugandan).<br /><br />I've been thinking about these issues as I consider how to holistically engage a small community in the process of development. Many organizations address a particular issue - AIDS, water, nutrition, conflict, micro-finance, etc - at a worldwide level. They work in particular communities, but primarily to address whatever issue is their expertise. However, some (mostly smaller) organizations do the reverse - they work on many issues but only in small communities of which they have a great understanding. Both models have their place, but as I said above I'm personally more interested in working on many issues in a small community. And when that's your model, the role of religion in the community becomes a huge issue.<br /><br />So what is the answer? Um right now I'm still thinking about it. But two organizations I've been associated with in the past are doing a great job trying to address this issue. <a href="http://www.agros.org/">Agros</a> and <a href="http://www.amextra.org/">Amextra</a>, both working in Latin America, attempt to address a wide range of issues in small communities. They are motivated by a Christian belief, but they do not proselytize. Because their staff are mostly (though not required to be) Christian, they have an understanding of how to work with and respect the local community as it works towards its own "transformation."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-27374678722286735712009-08-27T08:52:00.000-07:002009-08-27T09:04:57.232-07:00Music from the CongoThough I've never had the patience to learn any instruments myself, I'm something of a music nut. I have to say I was floored by the wonderful sounds I found during my last visit to the North Kivu area. For example, one Sunday when I was returning from the town of Kiwanja, I noticed there were music bands playing in nearly every town we passed through on the way back to Goma. I presume that these humble gatherings of musicians were the only form of entertainment to be had, and seemed like people were enjoying it.<br /><br />I've put together a compilation of photos and audio I recorded during the trip, which you can watch below:<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SsTreK0JSFE&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SsTreK0JSFE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-52407164860791142832009-08-26T00:08:00.000-07:002009-08-26T00:10:22.222-07:00Christianity and Development Part 2: Development vs. TransformationIn my last post I alluded to the limitations when measuring the progress of a developing nation (or any nation) using GDP. The United States has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29_per_capita">one of the highest GDP per capita</a> in the world, yet lags other developed nations in crucial measures such as life expectancy and infant mortality. In fact, a consensus has emerged in policy circles that GDP should be replaced - the only question is with what. In Bhutan, the government produces an optimistic yet enigmatic statistic called "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_National_Happiness">gross national happiness</a>". The UN, in a more humble attempt at measurement, created the <a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">Millennium Development Goals</a> (MDGs). These 8 goals aim to measure success against physical poverty not by tallying GDP, but by more closely monitoring what impacts an individual's daily life - education, water and sanitation, mother and child health, etc.<br /><br />These new measurement techniques result from the seemingly obvious recognition that we judge success by what we measure. GDP growth in many developing countries masks the horrific income inequality that exists, and may even be growing along with GDP. The basket of statistics that are the MDGs are an improved method of determining our success in reducing physical poverty.<br /><br />I use the term "physical poverty" deliberately, and in the same way that most would simply write "poverty." I do this because what we typically call poverty is only part of the story. There are people in all nations, whether "developing" or "developed" who suffer from many different forms of poverty; poverty of spirit, of community, of hope, and of meaning. Should we not address all forms of poverty, not just physical? What I am saying is that just as success is judged by what we measure, our goals will match the language we give them. Therefore, we need a new term for our goal, rather than "development" or "poverty alleviation". A term that more accurately reflects the movement of a people from desperation, isolation, dis-empowerment and physical poverty towards a life of security, hope, fulfillment, and joy.<br /><br />The word "transformation" means the radical change from one state to another, and more accurately reflects the work Christ wants to do in each of us personally and in societies as a whole. When a community is transformed, it is not simply progressing towards looking like another Europe or Japan, but towards what God envisioned it to be. This vision includes much of what we call development - more education, healthier people, more business opportunities. But it includes so much more - a passion for justice, a love of peace, a desire for community and a longing for truth.<br /><br />When we conceive of our goal as transformation rather than development, we become aware of the myriad ways in which poverty destroys communities and lives. But we also become aware of the richness of life possible when one seeks to be transformed into the fullness of God's creation.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1668867628176293022.post-59498193187397225752009-08-17T23:31:00.000-07:002009-08-18T04:04:45.924-07:00Christianity and Development, Part 1I've decided to do an occasional series of posts called "Christianity and Development", in which I'll discuss how Christian faith influences perceptions (or doesn't) of development, and how that plays out among missionaries and those in the secular development community.<br /><br />As a Christian myself, I'm especially keen to address this topic. I think both communities have a lot to teach each other, but rarely take the time to do so. Unfortunately, there is a lot of parochialism amongst the NGO community, which leads to a lot of groups doing their own thing without attempting to learn from others.<br /><br />I'd been considering a series like this for a while, but I've finally decided to write because of a conversation I had a few days ago with a Ugandan Christian. During our conversation, he made a comment that ran something like this:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">a few years ago an American pastor spoke to our group and said, "the reason America has become so developed and powerful is that many years ago the people there made a decision to turn to God and be faithful to His word." Until Uganda makes the same decision, we will never be a successful country.</span></blockquote>His point was that America's success was a direct result of a collective faithfulness to God. I wasn't sure how to respond to such a sentiment, so I tried to be nuanced. "America prides itself on being a place of diverse opinion and thought. So while there are many faithful Christians in our country, there are many people who do not follow Christ. And many of those people have been successful, along with Christians." My friend was less than convinced.<br /><br />Inside however, I was a little upset. No matter what this pastor had intended, the perception he left behind was that America has been successful solely by being Christian. The reality of course is much more complex. I am afraid that this pastor left the impression that Ugandan Christians should be out converting everyone to Christ before attending to issues of development. Unfortunately, Uganda has been "converted" many times over yet has not achieved the same level of success as the United States (granted, "success" is a relative term. The Christian worldview would attest that measuring a nation's GNP vs. the US is a deeply flawed metric).<br /><br />However, the values central to the Christian faith: honesty, love, faithfulness, and sacrifice play a crucial role in the development of a society. Corruption hinders most developing countries, and I think a transformational commitment to Christ (and these values) would eliminate this most basic of problems. But if Christian groups only pursue altar calls at the expense of "holistic transformation", poverty will continue. The gospel must not just be preached, it must be demonstrated. When we as Christians do work towards transforming lives - and that list is potentially endless - we show to non-Christians the work the Holy Spirit is doing in ourselves. And at the same time, we show that the work done in our lives is overflowing into their own lives. In saving us, God has also blessed others.<br /><br />Only when we proclaim through words that Christ is Lord, while at the same time proving it through our work, will societies truly be lifted up. As James said,<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing for his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%202:14-17;&version=31;">James 2:14-17</a></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://awdensmore.blogspot.com/2009/06/support-water-power-and-health-projects.html">Support water, power and health projects at HEAL Africa!</a></div>Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12631663736146533236noreply@blogger.com0