No really - I am 28

It's already the month of May. I have been spending my week days creating user guides and spent half of the time training the SACCO employees. Everyday the bank manager shakes my hands and tells me that they will benefit greatly from the training. I think the manager is ever so grateful after finding out that the training course for the bank software costs $300 USD a day. Of course the software license costs $2,000. It sorta reminded how SAP and Oracle works where they sell the software for cheap and make bulk of the profit by "consulting" for their clients.

Speaking of the banking software, I found out that my grant proposal was turned down as FSD deemed it too "infrastructural." I found it ironic that FSD was paying salesforce.com tens of thousands dollars to "automate" its system but $1,000 grant request for the microfinance institutions lacked a business case for automation.

Shrug. You win some and of course you lose some. It's definitely a shame.

On a more bright note, I was walking up to town with Scott and his host brother Patrick who is 17. Patrick was complaining that he needed to have a stable job so that he can find himself a nice girlfriend. I asked Patrick if there was a certain age when Ugandans should get married and he replied that there wasn't any specific age.

J: Hey, so how old do I look?
Patrick: Which one? This one? (pointing at me)
Scott: Yes, this one.
Patrick: Hmmm... 21 or 22?
J: Nope try again.
Patrick: Huh? No way. 24
J: Nope older..
Patrick: Oh my god. Uh uh. You can't be serious.
J: Oh I'm serious.
Patrick: 26?
J: Older
Patrick: That's crazy. 27.
J: I am 28.
Patrick: How many kids do you have?
J: Oh I have eight.
Patrick: Oh, ok.

Here it is more believable to say I have eight kids than that I am 28. 

Living in Uganda - Update

I haven't updated the blog in some time... There has been a number of reasons for this.

First, right now Uganda is in the middle of rainy / monsoon season. Every morning I wake up to the sound of cacophony of rain drops pounding against the tin roof of my house. Imagine having a two year old banging a spoon against a metal pot. You probably think that's cute. But multiply that sound by ten-fold. Yes, it's very, very loud.

Rain means two things. First the electricity has 50 / 50 chance of going out. I have never heard the official explanation but I suspect that the rain means power lines get cut here and there thanks to fallen trees. Thanks to that I often sit in the office without power and lights. In addition, when it rains people do not go outside and everyone waits for the rains to stop.

Also, I have been heads down writing a grant proposal for my organization, South Buganda Teachers' SACCO. When I had arrived here, the manager had asked me to train them on this microbanking software. The organization had apparently paid $2,750 USD to purchase 3 used computers and this software but last week I discovered that the copy was actually a trial copy that was downloaded from the internet. So I decided to apply for a grant to purchase an actual licensed copy. After a week I finally completed the 10 page grant proposal and submitted it an hour ago.

On a side note, today people are waiting to watch the second leg of the UEFA Championship game between Lyon and Bayern. A typical scene involves a crowd of 100 gathered around a 22 inch CRT TV and stay glued to the TV until the last whistle blows. I'm going to pass and sleep early tonight so I can watch the Barcelona / Inter game tomorrow.

"Kid with a Fanta"

We boarded the bus 7 PM in Kampala and arrived in Nairobi after 13 hours on the road. It would be an understatement to say that the ride was uncomfortable. The roads were generally marked with potholes that heaved everyone into the stratosphere everytime the bus ran over one. Every time the bus shook violently, we muttered or groaned in unison. I was just glad that the bus didn't break down in the middle of night - it is not uncommon for people to be stranded for hours in the middle of nowhere.

When we arrived, we headed over to our motel and unpacked our belongings and slept for few hours. We then met our friend Collin, a native of Nairobi, who was kind enough to show us around downtown Nairobi. We grabbed lunch and first headed to the Uhuru Park which like Central Park is located in the heart of downtown.

Because Nairobi has the largest population in East Africa (at 3M), there is a true skyline and the city is vibrant and bustling with life. One observation our group made was that people in general walked faster here than people in Kampala. The city has excellent infrastructure like pothole-free oads within the city limits. There are multi-laned roads and drivers that actually pay attention to stop lights!

During the day the city is generally safe as long as you don't do anything that attracts the attention of thieves. However at night, it can be very dangerous as the city is generally poorly lit in many parts and create an environment suitable for crime. In fact, Nairobi is sometimes called "Nairobbery." To be fair, the city has become safer but incidences of crime is still very high.

And there were also some nuisances... many kids prowl in the streets looking for mzungus whom they accost for money. I consider myself compassionate but when it comes to handing out cash, I am strongly against it. Plus, my program coordinator shared that many kids live on the streets instead of going into an orphanage or foster homes because these kids make bank by begging.

We had a number of encounters with street kids but this particular one event sticks out in my mind. We were coming back to the hotel when a swarm of three kids each tagged along, their hands open and wide for donations. The kids usually put one hands in their mouth and say "Shilling for food." Usually, we try to coach them:

Example:

Kid #1: Jambo(hello)! Money please (sticks his hand out).
Me: Do you go to school? Son, if you go to school and learn, you can earn lots of money.
Kid #1: Please... money...
Me: I am giving this advice for free. This advice alone is priceless. You need to learn how to catch a fish instead of having them handed to you. Go to school. Be an inspiration like President Obama.
Kid #1: No...
Me: Trust me. Yes, you can!

But that day, one of the kids approached us clutching a Fanta in his hand. In Africa, soft drinks are relatively pricey and drinks aren't something that you would buy unless you had money. Our pauper offered his free hand out to us. Scott was incredulous...

Scott: Is that a Fanta?
Kid #2: Money please, sir.
Scott: No, no, no. If you can afford a Fanta, you can definitely afford a meal.
Kid #2: I need food.
Scott: Where did you the money to buy this soda? Did you steal it? That's a crime did you know?

The kid of course scrambled and darted away... So make sure you don't give cash to people - if they are truly hungry, offer them food.

But there are definitely advantages being in a city of this size - there were a number of restaurants serving great food. So we went to a place that served excellent pizza. Scott looks especially pleased in this picture.

 

"It's Over" the Sequel

I just remembered a sequel story to the “It’s Over” entry I had posted earlier.

Maurice, our waiter at Bananah Chick, is a young guy in late teens who loves the Arsenal football team. We trade jokes and banter around whenever I run into him. Fennie, Scott, and I had swung by one night to catch the Real Madrid game on TV and grab something to eat. Maurice greeted me by shouting “Jay! From China!” I of course told him he looked Kenyan.

As we started to order our food Maurice rattled off which items were “over” in an animated fashion. Every time we asked for something that was unavailable, he would slap his hand against his head and groan “My God, that’s out too.”

Fennie had asked for some scrambled eggs and Maurice responded by telling her that it was “finished”. Hearing this expression for the first time, we asked if “finished” meant “over.” He nodded head and rattled off an encounter he had with few Germans few months back...

These Germans wanted to order some sausages that were listed on the menu. Maurice told them that “sausages are finished” but Germans mistook it for sausages being ready to be served . After thirty minutes, the Germans were livid from waiting.
German: Where are the sausages?
Maurice: It’s finished.
German: I know it’s finished so where is it?
Maurice: Not here.
German: What? Are you telling me that you don’t have sausages?
Maurice: Oh my God, Yes. That’s why I said it’s finished.

We all thought this was pretty hilarious.

Water Harvesting Tank Part II - Q&As

After posting my last entry, I received a number of great questions. I think this is a reflection of my poor writing skills so let me make a second attempt to provide better details.

Q1: What's the point of creating this water tank if it'll be easily contaminated and breed mosquitoes? Isn't this just a "quick fix" that will later cause more problems?
A1: Because the completed water tanks are sealed by the heavy plastic, nothing will go in or out except through the wooden door / latch. (See the last picture from the previous posting). Contamination will only occur if users leave the door open and unattended for an extended period of time.

Q2: You are proposing that rain water is used for consumption. Rain water is not clean in most places. Won't that make people sick too?
A2: Other than rain, rural villagers only have distant, contaminated wells as an alternative source. These wells get contaminated because they are uncovered, pollution, other contaminants like animal / human feces enter the well. Also the government even advises those who have access to tap water to boil it before drinking.

On the other hand rain water is quite safe compared to the alternatives. Rain water is mostly used for washing, irrigation, and animals. In fact, rain water can be boiled and safely consumed afterwards. 

Q3: Are you trying to build a water tank for each household so that each family has close access to water?
A3: We have built water tanks for communities as well as individual households. If there is a cluster of houses in an area, we will build a tank for the community. If the family lives in a remote area, we will build one for the family.

Q4: Who gets the first water tank? I'm guessing that there is a huge demand?
A4: REAP and our FSD team will give priority to households that have a large number of children (ex: 5+ kids) or a family with a single parent. Other factors like distance to the nearest source of water will be used as a criteria.

Q5: How long does it take to fill up the tank?
A5: Uganda has two periods of rainy season per given year. During the three months of heavy rain, rain will fall copiously and heavily for few hours, sometimes days at a time. Although exact time can't be given, there is abundant rain during this time to fill up the tank.

Q6: What's the lifespan of the tank? Can it be used year after year?
A6: With the straw mat on top to protect the plastic, water tank can last up to three years before upkeep is needed. So the water tanks can be used year after year. Only part that requires replacement is the plastic covering the tank. In the future, we may explore ways to extend the life of the plastic or replace it with another material altogether. 

Thanks again and please let me know if there are more questions.

Water Harvesting Tank Project

Continuing on from my last post, inhabitants who live in rural areas spend a bulk of their time securing a source of water even in a country like Uganda where rain can be plentiful. Some of the consequences are: loss of producitivity/income, illiteracy for children who often walk miles to retrieve water, and diseases from drinking contaminated water.

I had an opportunity to participate in building a water harvesting tank few weeks back. We visited a rural area about 35 KM from Masaka.

To build a tank, a hole is dug that's around 10x10 and this effort takes around 4 to 6 hours for two people.

Once the hole has been dug, few more materials are required.

• cement and bricks for the perimeter
• tarpauline for the pit
• plastic sheet for cover and seal water from contamination
• nails
• wooden planks for cover

Speaking of wooden planks, I was able to capture a photo of ladies from the village carving the trees for us here.

Next, we placed the tarpaulin inside the pit and used the planks and nails to fix the tarp in place. We also nailed a wooden box with a door so that water can be accessible and protected from contamination. Afterwards, planks were place in a grid pattern to create a frame for the plastic cover.

Next, we placed the plastic cover on top of the planks and began laying the bricks around the perimeter.

Once the bricks are in place, we use the cement to fill the gaps.

Once the perimeter has been cemented and filled, it's almost done... You can see that the thick plastic seals the water from the outside - doing so the contaminants won't pollute the reservoir. In this picture, he went inside to to clean.

Finally, we took a straw mat and overlaid it on top of the plastic for extra protection. Here is what the door looks like after our work was completed.

When the rains come, a drainage pipe (not shown) connected to the roof will be placed in the water tank; the rain will be "harvested" for later use.

 Altogether, this took a day (minus the time for digging the ditch) at a total cost of $200 USD.

 What does this mean for the family? This particular tank will supply a family of four for three months (coincidentally the length of dry season in Uganda). Meaning...

• No lost productivity
• No sickness
• No illiteracy

Our team is currently looking to build more tanks. Please let me know if you are interested in helping us out! (Email me at felixjpark@gmail.com)

REAP and Field Survey

I am going to digress a bit and talk about work that I have been involved in.

In Masaka town, there are a number of small NGOs that formed when big organizations operated here several years ago. Many of them operated here when there was a surging epidemic of AIDS/HIV. Although the rate of occurence still approaches around 60%, big organizations left Masaka as they realized progress would require a long term strategy vs. a quick fix.

One of the small organization left behind that still operates today is REAP - Renewed Efforts to Alleviate Poverty. REAP works together with my organization - FSD - to build water harvesting tanks and plant trees in areas that have been deforested for firewood. Here you can see their mission statement and program scope.

REAP promotes the idea of "Model Homestead." This is a concept that having a home equipped with an outhouse for sanitation, farm for income-generating activities, water tank for irrigation and drinking, etc. enable people to live in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.

My fellow intern Fennie and I decided to go out in the field and see the work that REAP has been spearheading on a Saturday afternoon. First, we headed out to an area about 20 KMs west of Masaka. Molly from REAP took us to a farm that has worked with REAP previously and now raise pigs and harvests water. Here is a field planted with beans.

 We also saw banana trees planted all across the field. These trees grow well without much upkeep so people plant them wherever land is available.

We also saw some coffee plants that people also used to sell and supplement their income.

We also witnessed some interesting farming techniques that have increased the yield and produced better crop. Below you see an avocado plant that has been grafted to another plant. This enables the plant to produce the fruit faster. Also farmers use brown banana leaf to shield the sappling from the sun. And a water bottle is used to fill up and planted in the ground near the sappling. In time, the water slowly seeps through the clay-like soil and ends up "irrigating" the plant. Organizations like SEAP transfer such knowledge and better techniques to these subsistence farmers.

Next we visited a family that was raising pigs. These are the two boys from this home. When I took my cap off, they were absolutely amazed by my hair color.

In the back there were pig pens and the farmer spoke to us about challenges and past succeses.

And here I encountered my favorite pig "Babe." He was kind enough to smile for the camera.

We went and visited another house/farm probably 1 KM down the road. And I came across an amazing device:

This bicycle above was built from scratch by a seven year old. It's amazing. People just need the right tools and materials and they will help themselves.

Molly also took us to a hand washing station. Many households still lack running water so they take a jerry can and rig it up to a stick that can be pressed to pour water on your hands.

 Kids around the neighborhood saw us and followed us around. This girl kept staring us in awe...

Before we left the area, we then saw some examples of water tanks in rural Masaka. In the town, most building have water tanks that harvest rain water for general use like washing, etc. in addition to the running water that people pay to use. In rural areas, people don't have money to purchase these giant tanks. Instead they go to a contaminated well miles away to retrieve water. As a result, kids and women spend a good deal of time carrying 50 lb. cans of water just for irrigation or drinking...

Instead people dig open holes/wells to collect rain water. Those who can afford it may even place plastic on the bottom to keep water from leaking into the soil. But this breeds mosquitoes and further contaminates the water.

In another farm, we saw a covered water harvesting tank. This keeps the contaminants out... I'll cover the construction of these tanks in the next entry.