Sometimes I have a hard time being out 'in the field' just because things can feel hopeless. So its so incredibly encouraging a day comes along where I get to be a part of the solution and make a real difference in real people's lives.
I was able to go out with the local district water engineers and pump mechanics and have a good root around. Parts were purchased and tuesday we did the repairs for three water pumps. I always forget when I'm looking at a picture that there was someone on the other side of the camera taking the picture and actually living that moment, smelling the air and sweating it out in the sunshine. Sometimes remembering that helps to bring it all back to reality. I'm only saying that because I've been there looking at these pictures that, for all humanity's sense of right and wrong, shouldn't be allowed to exist. Viewing them I could pretty easily just pass them over and move on with life because it didn't really apply to me. But I dunno... I guess I'm just trying to convince you to view these photos as if you were there. Sure, they might look like anything else you've ever seen, and sure the photography might not win any awards (well ok, it definitely won't), but if you're reading this you probably know me, and I was on the other end of the camera that day, and when the shutter snapped and I put the camera down I was still there. Sitting on the ground in one instance hugging a little guy who needed it. Those moments are tough, and I guess I'm still kinda shaken from that moment because it was so surreal.
I just want this to be real to everyone else too.
Anyway, on with the pics. Enough emotional babble.
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
The pump mechanics starting repairs at Balanaga, a small village about 8 kms from Kibaale Community Centre
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Cute little girl looking on
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Fitting a new tank - water comes up from the ground and spills out the spout. The head assembly will fit on top of this. The only tank was rusted out and in bad shape
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
I couldn't get how happy this guy was
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
... I couldn't get my eyes off of this guy. This is Alex and he's a happy kid, but he's suffering
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
As you can see here, the water in this area has a huge amount of iron content. I want to come back to this pump and install an iron removal plant in the future
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Putting the new head assembly on
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Water again! The people here were forced to draw from a scummy pond, but no longer
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Some of the kids were gathered to watch. Once it was working, we spent quite a bit of time educating these kids on how to properly handle the pump to make sure it doesn't break down any sooner than necessary. Kids have a tendency to bang it up and down on its stops, but that shouldn't happen. You can see the effort the kid here is putting forth though - here we installed 14 new sections of metal piping... that's over 200 feet down
We moved onto the second pump for repair. This pump is in Kyakasenene, which is super fun to say ("Chya-kah-SAY-nay-nay") but pretty far out. Its close to a school though and again, the only water source is a scummy pond that the local water committee is attempting to keep as clean as possible by skimming things out of it. Still, no good. Kibaale Community Centre to the rescue!
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Heading off into the bush with parts and tools in hand (and a big white photographer scurrying to catch up)
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
It's rockier out this way. The hills get this cool 'Windows Desktop Wallpaper' look to them because nothing can grow but scrub
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
The local water source
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
... we couldn't find the guy with the key, so we made do with the tools available to get in
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Yanking the piping out. This is a shallow-well and only about 15 feet deep, so its not too tough
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
School got out and the kids came rocketing down the hill with jerry cans in hand to fetch water from the pond
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Two hours later, WATER! Pump fixed
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
This repair will server over 400 kids at a school nearby
With that one finished we headed back to Kibaale and into the local trading centre (Kibaaletown) for another repair. There is a shallow well in town, about 10 feet deep that has been breaking down constantly. We decided to just overhaul the entire thing with new parts and give it new life. This is maybe 400 meters from the new borehole which was put in in early January, but despite this having been broken people were still drawing water from the pond rather than walking to the new borehole. Frustrating, but when you consider they have to lug 20 litres of water at a time, by Jerry Can, on their heads... that extra 400 meters can be a lot.
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
This is the current water source in the centre of town. I've been working to keep it tidied up, so really, you should have seen it before
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Taking it apart
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
I love this picture, but I hate it too
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
The mechanics are great guys and spend a lot of time with the kids educating
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Almost finished the repairs
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
Water!
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
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| From The Davii - Ug Fotos |
2 comments:
Fantastic post...thanks for all that hard work to ensure the people have good water. Th epictures are really good and yes, I did "feel" them.
L
You're doing God's work! I'm so proud of you guys for being Jesus' hands and feet.
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