Thursday, December 4, 2014

We spent the day visiting 8 well sites.

Dr. Elton Mwaikwta on the left and one of four nurses assisting him is Biaja Lulandala.  They serve a population of 8,750 and the top disease treated is upper respiratory.  

Just a few moments before I took this picture they students were hoeing the soil.

On the far right is a dairy farmer in the area.  I struck up a conversation with him and he milks about 150 head.  Meet Richard Phillips who has lived in the area all his life.  He joined us as he is involved in the community helping with improvements including some water changes.  Next to him is Erinn Kunik the Peace Corp volunteer. 

Joe Troester has joined us for our days in Iringa, Tanzania.  Joe is the East Africa Regional Representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a Hydro-Geologist.  What a plus it is to have him with us as Joe has lived in Africa for a number of years and involved with water projects in several countries. 

This was the water supply.

This well replaced the unsafe water and open well filled with who knows what stuff.  In our presence today we observed several items that need attention and training.  Like with any issue working with St. Paul Partners training will help considerably.    

-Ed Scharlau

 

 

Friday, December 5, 2014

This was a full day as we visited 12 wells and I will highlight a couple.  Several were very special to me and will share that later in this blog.  We visited two village areas today.  One with 5 wells and another with 7 wells.  Both have set up funds to help with the care of the wells with a central committee.

We started with song and dance as our reception to this community.  Their joy was so evident.  Must say it is a very humbling experience.  Expressions of thanks, differences in lives and happiness!

Note the difference in housing in this area vs the huts of Uganda that I shared in a previous blog.  Another is in the distance on the far right. 

This is one of two wells funded by Wartburg College in this area – Students, Alumni and Friends and that is on the sign.  This Wartburg grad just happened to have the note book for a prop for the picture.   

The curious young children were near by and our hosts encouraged them to come closer.  Many smiles and giggles too.  A story by itself. 

Our final stop of the day was at primary school.  The teacher Michael Joseph Msigwa pictured has been teaching for 20 years with 12 years at this school.  There are 613 students and most go home for lunch. 

As we end the day we have a celebration at the school with the water committee and some community leaders and it is accompanied by food, soft drinks, speeches and the finale.  Yes, I was presented a live chicken and a basket and I am told emphatically that I cannot gift it back.  So the chicken goes in the basket and both leave with us and we re-gift to our hosts later.  This evening we have a few moments over dinner to review our two days with our hosts – St Paul Partners.  And we say farewell to Joe Troester the East Africa Regional Representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 6 is travel day to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Sunday driving (no being driven) South to Hawassa.  Next blog is Sunday evening or Monday.    

-Ed Scharlau

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

We spent the day visiting 8 well sites.

Dr. Elton Mwaikwta on the left and one of four nurses assisting him is Biaja Lulandala.  They serve a population of 8,750 and the top disease treated is upper respiratory.  

Just a few moments before I took this picture they students were hoeing the soil.

On the far right is a dairy farmer in the area.  I struck up a conversation with him and he milks about 150 head.  Meet Richard Phillips who has lived in the area all his life.  He joined us as he is involved in the community helping with improvements including some water changes.  Next to him is Erinn Kunik the Peace Corp volunteer. 

Joe Troester has joined us for our days in Iringa, Tanzania.  Joe is the East Africa Regional Representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a Hydro-Geologist.  What a plus it is to have him with us as Joe has lived in Africa for a number of years and involved with water projects in several countries. 

This was the water supply.

This well replaced the unsafe water and open well filled with who knows what stuff.  In our presence today we observed several items that need attention and training.  Like with any issue working with St. Paul Partners training will help considerably.    

-Ed Scharlau

 

 

Friday, December 5, 2014

This was a full day as we visited 12 wells and I will highlight a couple.  Several were very special to me and will share that later in this blog.  We visited two village areas today.  One with 5 wells and another with 7 wells.  Both have set up funds to help with the care of the wells with a central committee.

We started with song and dance as our reception to this community.  Their joy was so evident.  Must say it is a very humbling experience.  Expressions of thanks, differences in lives and happiness!

Note the difference in housing in this area vs the huts of Uganda that I shared in a previous blog.  Another is in the distance on the far right. 

This is one of two wells funded by Wartburg College in this area – Students, Alumni and Friends and that is on the sign.  This Wartburg grad just happened to have the note book for a prop for the picture.   

The curious young children were near by and our hosts encouraged them to come closer.  Many smiles and giggles too.  A story by itself. 

Our final stop of the day was at primary school.  The teacher Michael Joseph Msigwa pictured has been teaching for 20 years with 12 years at this school.  There are 613 students and most go home for lunch. 

As we end the day we have a celebration at the school with the water committee and some community leaders and it is accompanied by food, soft drinks, speeches and the finale.  Yes, I was presented a live chicken and a basket and I am told emphatically that I cannot gift it back.  So the chicken goes in the basket and both leave with us and we re-gift to our hosts later.  This evening we have a few moments over dinner to review our two days with our hosts – St Paul Partners.  And we say farewell to Joe Troester the East Africa Regional Representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 6 is travel day to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Sunday driving (no being driven) South to Hawassa.  Next blog is Sunday evening or Monday.    

-Ed Scharlau