Today was the birthday of Ben, our computer school chief instructor. We picked up some samosas and something that resembled Black Forest cake. Together with warm soft drinks, we wished Ben many Happy Returns. Then we set off for a small community not too far away where we had received a request to rehabilitate a borehole that had collapsed on the grounds of an elementary school. We met with the committee and took pictures of the present water supply. There is water in a protected spring which seems reliable and reasonably clean, but it is about one kilometer away down a very steep slope (picture) The children are sent three times a day for water, so lose a great deal of class time.
Yesterday was the last morning of national exams, so the children were all leaving after lunch for the end of year break. They will return the first week of January when the work on the new well will be underway.
In the evening we attended the Rotary meeting in darkness in the 'best' hotel in town. It seems that the water company has not paid its electricity bill (apparently owing over $60,000), so the power was cut off, stopping all pumping as well as lights. Rod went to the washroom accompanied by a fellow holding a candle which he refused to relinquish. Obviously he had been instructed to hold the light for clients.
Our power is still intermittent because of the storms and we get water about every three days, so we are expecting to have problems once the rains stop and the water people continue to owe a large sum.
No comments:
Post a Comment