Updates, resources and more...

We spent today organising our next project at Sikuwa in Warazas. This will actually run over 4.1km and will supply nearly 1200 people with water. The guys from the water office had organised a list of all the hardware needed so have already purchased that from the local hardware shop. Inflation is huge at the moment and everything has gone up since June although our dollar is buying more. The cost for the labour was higher than I expected so Yalew and I had a quiet c

Today we went back to the kebele of Waraza to visit the community who is next on the priority list for the water office in Gesuba. This is the community from which the senior men have been coming to see us on each of our three trips. It’s a lovely area in the “lowlands” ie only about 1700m ASL! It is very hot, very humid and very tropical. It’s pretty and crowded with banana palms, and productive vegetable gardens. But the people are in huge need of clean drinking w

We had another big day today. We went to the second part of Qanqo, again on motorbikes to save absolutely hours of walking but there was still a lot of extremely steep and slippery walking in hot and humid conditions. We were under the impression that this project was finished and we were a bit disappointed to find that it isn’t done yet. However, the spring has been developed and this involved more work than originally thought to excavate rock (by hand of course) and a

Today was a relatively short day visiting the community of Dalbaza. I have sent you before and after photos of a lady there via Whatsapp FYI. Last time I met her, she was filling her jerry can from a really dirty hole. This time, she stands proudly at her new water source and fills her jerry can quickly with clean water. She is smiling and dignified and elegant. And as a slightly older lady, she is not risking injury. She told us how happy she is and reported to us

Today we visited a massive project in Qanqo. This reservoir has two branches with the longest one running about 1.8km down down the mountain. In total, we have restored the 30 year old spring, built six reservoirs, five water points, five washing tables, five cattle troughs and supplied the school with a bank of four taps for drinking and washing hands and faces . 1300 people have been supplied with water in addition to some school children who come from homes that we ha

We just got back to Wolaita Sodo after another big day in the field. We went to Waraza today to check out all the work which once again was amazing and so well done. This project supplies about 650 people with water. Unfortunately it was market day for this community so we missed seeing some people but despite that, yet again, we were absolutely showered with blessings and thanks. Although the water office was keen to get moving once we had inspected the work, I impres

Yalew and I went with our three colleagues from the water office and the prime contractor to visit the sites at Gumbo and Mirgo. The standard of work is sensational, the prime contractor is delighted with our feedback, the water office is stoked, but best of all, our customers are beside themselves. We did not see a lot of our customers today because they didn’t know we were dropping by and more importantly, it is market day and they had walked into Gesuba. But the ladi

Yalew’s interpretation of a poem that a lady in a small community wrote for us and recited at a special celebration we had to open their improved water source. To be able to have a good life, we must all help and love one another. A bright time is here and there is a new project in the beautiful Simien Mountains Congratulations – the project is complete – your dream has come true and you have given us gold and silver. Always remember that you gave us the best thing – the d

We received an update from Yalew yesterday. The work at Waraza and Dalbaza that commenced in March, has been completed. The guys from the water office (including the head of that department) are going up to the sites soon to inspect the work and send us photos. If everyone is happy, we will then pay the balance on the labour. The huge works at Qanqo have commenced with the community having to improve the access route for the trucks bringing sand, cement and supplies.

Today is Friday and the end of a really busy and productive week. Today we went back to Waraza. The building of this site commenced in March and we went back there on Tuesday but just before we arrived, one of the citizens had passed away so people were busy paying their respects. Today everyone was back working on one of the reservoirs. Everyone was delighted to see Yalew and I and they were very hospitable. It was a really humbling experience to be so welcomed again

We have had a good week in Gesuba Woreda. On Monday and Tuesday we went to the communities of Dalbaza and Woreza where work commenced last time we were here in March. Work has been a little slower than expected due to unusual rainfall. I think it has also been slow because people have been disheartened by NGOs coming here so often, making promises and then walking away. It is not just disheartening for the communities, but also for the water office and the contractors

I'm currently in Istanbul due to the difficulties and expense of flights in the region coupled with a delay in Ethiopia (ie I couldn’t change flights easily - it’s complicated). I'm catching up with some admin work that has been bugging me before I fly to Addis on Friday. Yalew and Mullie (our driver) will collect me on Sunday and we will drive south back to Wolaita Sodo. I will check out progress on the two projects we have going at the moment. Work has been held up a li

’m currently in a teensy-weensy apartment in Istanbul waiting for things to happen in Ehtiopia. Yalew reports today that work is progressing with both sites we have contracted out - the first one was started while I was there and the contractor has headed off to the second. I have thought of some more things that might be of interest to you. In the area we are working, Mulle (my driver), Yalew and I were all struck by the relative peace in this region – it is the first ti

While I was talking to Peter today about some of the logistical bits and bobs I face here, he suggested that you might like to know a little more about them. Having just re-read it though, I’m concerned that it might seem like I’m complaining but I’m certainly not. They are simply some of the things that are so different to the way that we live in Australia and that I have become familiar with here. TRAVEL TO SODDO Currently we are based in Soddo which is about 400km to t

I am back in Addis Ababa after an incredibly busy and demanding 10 days in the south. Yalew flies home today and Mulle my driver went home to his family last evening. The status is: I have signed a contract that will see a spring developed and then three water points established downhill from it over about 1.5 km at Dalbaza. One point will go into a school and another into a clinic. In all it will supply about 1400 people Another contract in Waraza will see water points

A further update for you. We have had a really busy and arduous week but have made a lot of progress. We now have four projects that are so greatly needed. The council workers are completely across them as is the contractor they have selected to oversee the work. We have ironed out a few problems around our understanding of how their system works and the challenges they face. The area is in enormous need. At today’s site, we found out that the people have asked for cl

I want to update you all on our progress in the last day or so. Yalew met me at 1am in Addis yesterday and we were back on the road by 6:30 after a quick sleep. The first driver and vehicle he organised were sequestered by the police to help out at a landslide tragedy in a neighbouring zone. Yalew managed to organise someone else at extremely short notice which is not easy here - drivers and vehicles are not plentiful. Monday was spent driving from Addis to Sodo - about 300

I recently went to inspect a new hand-dug well in Degola. When I arrived, the contractor was just installing the pump. Yalew (in the red shirt) jumped in to give a hand.The ladies were waiting with their jerry cans and were anxious to use it! There was great excitement and amazing smiles on their faces when the first the first buckets were filled so quickly with clean clean water right by their homes.

One of our lady contractors built this magnificent new hand-dug well with a fabulous living fence of an endemic succulent. This is where life can start to change for the people that live here. Women and children scoop water out of a hole in the ground. A pump installed over a new well with a fence of endemic trees.

The village of Denkaz Eyesus is over 3000m above sea level (ASL) and is quite isolated. With the paid help of the people who live there, Gizat (one of our contractors) has built a beautiful new hand-dug well to provide them with all the clean fresh water they desire. It took just 4 weeks and AUD5,000 to replace a hole in the ground with a life-changing pump. Fabulous!