Bugasera
Monday and off to Nyamata. Stayed in a convent right next to the genocide memorial. Didn't manage to visit - there's no escaping the genocide even without visiting memorials. Spent the evening with Timothy the water technician. We speak in Swahili, but most of the time I'm nodding politely as his is much better than mine. Over the next couple of days we travel with Emmanuel by Land Cruiser and Timothy on his Yamaha 100 to look at wells and spring renovations. I show my confidence in his work by tasting the water. Then Timothy explains how he tests it: first by taste, then they leave it overnight and next day try washing with it and cooking with it. If it lathers up OK and doesn't turn the food black then it's OK. He thinks his water testing kit is for swimming pools. We checked on Wednesday and, sure enough, there is a domestic pool testing kit, but also a couple of proper kits left by the refugee organisation from whom we're taking over. All he needs is instructions. We managed to visit most of the sites over Tuesday and Wednesday then returned to Kigali on Wednesday afternoon. Much relieved; it had poured most of Tuesday evening and the car got stuck visiting one of the wells. Also hungry... the restaurant in Nyamata ran out of food after it had served Timothy and our driver while Emmanuel and I looked around the local market.
Our furthest visit was to Embyo where the Arch Deacon, Pastor Stephen thanked me for the rainwater catchment tank that CED had organised. It's a dry area and the nearest 'proper' water source is the lake 35km away. They're keen for a couple more tanks; if tanks are available the government tanker would fill them in dry season. This is a famine area and the children in the primary school are provided with lunch to help them along.
Wednesday evening I went to a Bible study with Karen and Doreen. Mainly professional people from their pentecostal church; well read and fun to be with.
Monday and off to Nyamata. Stayed in a convent right next to the genocide memorial. Didn't manage to visit - there's no escaping the genocide even without visiting memorials. Spent the evening with Timothy the water technician. We speak in Swahili, but most of the time I'm nodding politely as his is much better than mine. Over the next couple of days we travel with Emmanuel by Land Cruiser and Timothy on his Yamaha 100 to look at wells and spring renovations. I show my confidence in his work by tasting the water. Then Timothy explains how he tests it: first by taste, then they leave it overnight and next day try washing with it and cooking with it. If it lathers up OK and doesn't turn the food black then it's OK. He thinks his water testing kit is for swimming pools. We checked on Wednesday and, sure enough, there is a domestic pool testing kit, but also a couple of proper kits left by the refugee organisation from whom we're taking over. All he needs is instructions. We managed to visit most of the sites over Tuesday and Wednesday then returned to Kigali on Wednesday afternoon. Much relieved; it had poured most of Tuesday evening and the car got stuck visiting one of the wells. Also hungry... the restaurant in Nyamata ran out of food after it had served Timothy and our driver while Emmanuel and I looked around the local market.
Our furthest visit was to Embyo where the Arch Deacon, Pastor Stephen thanked me for the rainwater catchment tank that CED had organised. It's a dry area and the nearest 'proper' water source is the lake 35km away. They're keen for a couple more tanks; if tanks are available the government tanker would fill them in dry season. This is a famine area and the children in the primary school are provided with lunch to help them along.
Wednesday evening I went to a Bible study with Karen and Doreen. Mainly professional people from their pentecostal church; well read and fun to be with.
posted by Ian at 3:27 AM
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