Saturday 16th January.
Dominic is an enthusiast for networking. PVDP invited many NGOs involved in the Thar area to come together to discuss water issues there. A university professor and 3 other knowledgeable speakers addressed around 45 attendees and we had an interesting discussion about rainwater harvesting, spate irrigation, sand dams and the like. We may even make the local newspapers... wonder how CED reads in Urdu script?
Met leaders of several local NGOs; some interesting initiatives are taking place. Afterwards we celebrated with tea and ice cream and got back to Mirpurkhas after dark but happy to be still alive. Roads are quite busy here, with fast cars, slow lorries and very slow chinichinis, small motorcycle rickshaws loaded with whole families.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Nagar Parkar
Today we reached Nagar Parker, the area where the CED project will take place... wonderful scenery, travelling from the Thar Desert into Nagar Parker where it's much more rocky, then down to the Indian border on the Raman Kutch (*need to check the spelling!!). We visited several dam sites; although these are not part of the current briefing, we'll explore whether there are possibilities for doing something. Initial impressions of the area are that people are vulnerable because of lack of water but otherwise most have a lifestyle, albeit one with no financial opportunity. They are poor but not totally impoverished. They keep animals for status rather than keeping money and the women are said to love their animals more than their children. Animals generally look really healthy... lots of camels and donkeys... I'l hope to get my act together and publish some pix.
We had a late lunch at the PVDP Nagar Parkar office, followed by a visit to the local army post, then took tea with the Colonel at his home as he'd got fed up waiting for us at the check-point. A strict Muslim from the North, he was concerned about our motives. As PVDP is very mixed faith, I think he was satisfied that we're concerned to help people rather than to preach at them.
Afternoon spent looking at more dams and dam sites then back to Islamkot for the night. Some of the schemes have problems... PVDP are very much into the idea of small NGOs good; large organisation schemes poor, as they often fail to consult properly at community level. One village without even a proper road to it had a state-of-the-art reverse osmosis plant to take the salt out of the water; it lies rusting away, never having been fully commissioned. The village lost interest when they realised it would take a lot of diesel to run the generator for it.
Having a great time... it's a real privilege to be able to travel and get so much support and information. At the Islamkot guest house we have chapatis morning and evening and cups of tea appear at just the right moment.. Lots of chicken biryani and various other curry dishes. Tomorrow we hope to visit a Jain temple, though first we need to visit quite a few villages where the project will take place. (it didn't happen; by the time we got back from the last dam site it took us until dark to get back to Islamkot).
We had a late lunch at the PVDP Nagar Parkar office, followed by a visit to the local army post, then took tea with the Colonel at his home as he'd got fed up waiting for us at the check-point. A strict Muslim from the North, he was concerned about our motives. As PVDP is very mixed faith, I think he was satisfied that we're concerned to help people rather than to preach at them.
Afternoon spent looking at more dams and dam sites then back to Islamkot for the night. Some of the schemes have problems... PVDP are very much into the idea of small NGOs good; large organisation schemes poor, as they often fail to consult properly at community level. One village without even a proper road to it had a state-of-the-art reverse osmosis plant to take the salt out of the water; it lies rusting away, never having been fully commissioned. The village lost interest when they realised it would take a lot of diesel to run the generator for it.
Having a great time... it's a real privilege to be able to travel and get so much support and information. At the Islamkot guest house we have chapatis morning and evening and cups of tea appear at just the right moment.. Lots of chicken biryani and various other curry dishes. Tomorrow we hope to visit a Jain temple, though first we need to visit quite a few villages where the project will take place. (it didn't happen; by the time we got back from the last dam site it took us until dark to get back to Islamkot).
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Packing
just checking the password works... always a struggle... need new specs. Oh, and I'll try out some tweets on CED033... we have 3 followers, counting myself!!
Monday, 3 January 2011
PAKISTAN
Hey, the Scottish Government has awarded CED money to help people in Pakistan. We've been supporting PVDP ( www.pvdpsindh.org ) for a long time but this will be the first large project we've done with them for about a decade. Details of the project can be found under "Pakistan" in the CED website (www.ced.org.uk).
Ian Rankin and Jonathan Appleby leave on 7th January to discuss the project in its early stages. PVDP is an experienced NGO so we hope they'll be able to manage the project closely without a lot of support from ourselves. We've only budgeted a few overseas trips; this means more funds will go to meeting a very demanding list of targets on the ground; again see Pakistan for information.
Below: CED's Eddie Thomas and a
PVDP engineer testing a water sample, 2000.
Ian Rankin and Jonathan Appleby leave on 7th January to discuss the project in its early stages. PVDP is an experienced NGO so we hope they'll be able to manage the project closely without a lot of support from ourselves. We've only budgeted a few overseas trips; this means more funds will go to meeting a very demanding list of targets on the ground; again see Pakistan for information.
Below: CED's Eddie Thomas and a
PVDP engineer testing a water sample, 2000.
To Iringa and home
Well, the bus journey wasn't so bad; the following day, having overdosed on wormwood for the guts, I was feeling strangely euphoric and we had a really good trip visiting the water pipeline. I was suitably impressed with all the simple technology stages, from the intake dam to the settlement tank to the traditional steel reinforced blockwork storage tanks.
After that Rob and I had time to discuss the project and get to know the rest of the team at the Diocese HQ. Sunday was a big day with the consecration and inauguration of a new Bishop.
Good to catch up with Reuben again in Dar before flying home.
After that Rob and I had time to discuss the project and get to know the rest of the team at the Diocese HQ. Sunday was a big day with the consecration and inauguration of a new Bishop.
Good to catch up with Reuben again in Dar before flying home.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
To Tuesday 31 August in Zanzibar then Dar
Tuesday 31 August
Sitting in an internet cafe... can't persuade by webmail to open so I can do e-mail... only positive is it's nice and cool in here after spending just about all morning in Dar es Salaam traffic jams. And either I had a bad lunch yesterday or I shook hands with a child... but in any case my tum is not happy at all. So I'm feeling a bit grumpy on the trip I'd been looking forward to so much. (so what's new!!). Tomorrow's the long bus journey to Iringa; will I survive?
Dar traffic is something else; no sign of community spirit anywhere. Traffic just pushes in from all directions; amazing there are so few accidents (but several times the rate in UK!). Reuben's old Toyota copes fine and I'm amazed so many shiny new cars try to scrape themselves on us.
Big news this morning is that it looks like Barclays will give Dumuni, Reuben's project, an account. There was some doubt as the nursery school is not fully registered... and the land hasn't been surveyed by the government. You can't get registered if you don't hold a proper Title Deed. Anyway, they agreed we were a broad "community project" and will hopefully be willing to take our money. Reuben just has to fill a few more forms, get a solicitor's letter, etc.
Yesterday we also spent in the hot car in traffic; doing the bank, having lunch in a rather greasy cafe etc...
Reuben's kitchen for Dumuni is coming along. Foundations a bit iffy so had a long chat with the builder and he's improving things. As well as the 80 children in the nursery school, Dumuni has several families of pigs, some chickens and a vegetable garden; there are a couple of cows somewhere too... lots of small income generating projects. No water in Mongolandege where Reuben lives. He had a borehole but it stopped working at the time of the Asian Sunami. He's now digging a well; it's 11m deep so far and although damp at the bottom, no water. The diggers insist they'll find it.
Am staying with a lovely family who are in Reuben's committee. Peter works in a pharmaceutical company and the shop floor are working 12 hour shifts, 24 hours/day, on a big government order. They've just built a new house in the suburbs, very nice even with a garage (eventually). Only major drawback is it's about 20 minutes from Reuben who's over an hour from the city centre.
Sunday we all went to Magomeni Church; very passionate lady preacher. We were half an hour late but still got 2.5 hours of service. Met a professor at the university who's just published a book; he gave me a copy. He has great vision to see Tanzania moving forward and the book is called "Think and Communicate". The place is really changing quickly... grid lock in the city centre; an East African version of "Britain's Got Talent" complete with the grumpy judge, the positive judge and the glamorous judge... saying exactly the same sort of thing as they tell the contestants in UK!
Zanzibar
Saturday was good. I found the Zanzibar Coffee House even though it is Ramadan and the restaurants are mostly closed. Survived the 2.5 hour sail to Dar es Salaam and really good to see Reuben waiting.
The Cathedral is still standing though signs of cracks. I spent time on Friday with a local contractor who has agreed to do a budget price for the job. I worry, though, that the church aren't as enthusiastic about their building as I'd expect. There are some good guides to entertain visitors, but the presentation of a dirty, dusty building with lots of damaged stained glass does not inspire. A couple of the wall cracks have opened a little; would be great if we can get things moving early next year. Church gave me a breakdown of the funds they have available; a couple of years ago they climbed Kilimanjaro and raised around #35,000+. However, by the time the event expenses are taken off and the money lent to other church departments discounted, there's not a lot left... anyway, was good to be back and to feel that after all this time something might actually happen!
Sitting in an internet cafe... can't persuade by webmail to open so I can do e-mail... only positive is it's nice and cool in here after spending just about all morning in Dar es Salaam traffic jams. And either I had a bad lunch yesterday or I shook hands with a child... but in any case my tum is not happy at all. So I'm feeling a bit grumpy on the trip I'd been looking forward to so much. (so what's new!!). Tomorrow's the long bus journey to Iringa; will I survive?
Dar traffic is something else; no sign of community spirit anywhere. Traffic just pushes in from all directions; amazing there are so few accidents (but several times the rate in UK!). Reuben's old Toyota copes fine and I'm amazed so many shiny new cars try to scrape themselves on us.
Big news this morning is that it looks like Barclays will give Dumuni, Reuben's project, an account. There was some doubt as the nursery school is not fully registered... and the land hasn't been surveyed by the government. You can't get registered if you don't hold a proper Title Deed. Anyway, they agreed we were a broad "community project" and will hopefully be willing to take our money. Reuben just has to fill a few more forms, get a solicitor's letter, etc.
Yesterday we also spent in the hot car in traffic; doing the bank, having lunch in a rather greasy cafe etc...
Reuben's kitchen for Dumuni is coming along. Foundations a bit iffy so had a long chat with the builder and he's improving things. As well as the 80 children in the nursery school, Dumuni has several families of pigs, some chickens and a vegetable garden; there are a couple of cows somewhere too... lots of small income generating projects. No water in Mongolandege where Reuben lives. He had a borehole but it stopped working at the time of the Asian Sunami. He's now digging a well; it's 11m deep so far and although damp at the bottom, no water. The diggers insist they'll find it.
Am staying with a lovely family who are in Reuben's committee. Peter works in a pharmaceutical company and the shop floor are working 12 hour shifts, 24 hours/day, on a big government order. They've just built a new house in the suburbs, very nice even with a garage (eventually). Only major drawback is it's about 20 minutes from Reuben who's over an hour from the city centre.
Sunday we all went to Magomeni Church; very passionate lady preacher. We were half an hour late but still got 2.5 hours of service. Met a professor at the university who's just published a book; he gave me a copy. He has great vision to see Tanzania moving forward and the book is called "Think and Communicate". The place is really changing quickly... grid lock in the city centre; an East African version of "Britain's Got Talent" complete with the grumpy judge, the positive judge and the glamorous judge... saying exactly the same sort of thing as they tell the contestants in UK!
Zanzibar
Saturday was good. I found the Zanzibar Coffee House even though it is Ramadan and the restaurants are mostly closed. Survived the 2.5 hour sail to Dar es Salaam and really good to see Reuben waiting.
The Cathedral is still standing though signs of cracks. I spent time on Friday with a local contractor who has agreed to do a budget price for the job. I worry, though, that the church aren't as enthusiastic about their building as I'd expect. There are some good guides to entertain visitors, but the presentation of a dirty, dusty building with lots of damaged stained glass does not inspire. A couple of the wall cracks have opened a little; would be great if we can get things moving early next year. Church gave me a breakdown of the funds they have available; a couple of years ago they climbed Kilimanjaro and raised around #35,000+. However, by the time the event expenses are taken off and the money lent to other church departments discounted, there's not a lot left... anyway, was good to be back and to feel that after all this time something might actually happen!
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Packing for Tanzania
Really looking forward to getting back to Tanzania...
Possibility of getting dates for things to happen with Zanzibar Cathedral.
Will be good to catch up with friends again
Will be interesting to visit the CED water project down near Iringa.
... All I have to do is stay sane, find / remember everything and pack.
Possibility of getting dates for things to happen with Zanzibar Cathedral.
Will be good to catch up with friends again
Will be interesting to visit the CED water project down near Iringa.
... All I have to do is stay sane, find / remember everything and pack.
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