Hunger, disease and envy...the three worst enemies of Malawi

26th - 31st July... Blantyre!

This week I came down to Blantyre to work with the NGO's Hygiene Village and Water for People. Hygiene Village is an extremely small organization with a big heart! The work they do with so few resources and little funds is incredible! (Talk about effective management!)

Hygiene Village Project is a local NGO based in Blantyre, and works mainly in the per-urban areas of the city, Ndirande and others. I got to walk around Ndirande and see the kind of work that they do. They promote hygiene to the people living in the area and are starting to create a demand for properly constructed latrines. Hygiene is a major problem in Ndirande and other areas, and with people using the alleys or rivers as toilets there are severe health reprocussions such as chloera and other disease outbreaks.

There are two main types of latrines which they promote: Skyloo and VIP latrines.

The Skyloo is perfect for small spaces (such as overcrowded Ndirande). A pit does not need to be constructed as the latrine slab is elevated. There are two sides of the latrine. After use, one handfull of ash and two handfuls of sand are thrown into the latrine. It is amazing..there is virtually NO smell! Once one side of the latrine is full, people switch to use the other side. The full side is left for 6-9 months for decomposition of the waste product, and the end results is fertilizer! Amazing!

The VIP latrine is an improvement from traditional latrines with the addition of a vent pipe to redirect fumes. This latrine has a 1-1.5m pit which is properly lined with bricks and cement, and when full needs to be emptied (either manually [yuck!] or by vacpump trucks). The issue of emptying the latrines and dealing with the waste is still a huge concern in developing work.

Hygiene Village Project is expanding its work all the time, and the impact they are having is clear to see. Owners in Ndirande take great pride in their latrines, and make certain to properly care for and maintain the latrines. HVP also works on providing some clean drinking water stations for schools and communities.
One of the major problems when working in Malawi is Jealousy between communities, or families. If one community is seen to be favoured with the provision of a drinking well (for example), another community will often vandalize the well and break the taps, pumps, or whatever else they can. This behaviour can really devestate the efforts of organizations!

Water for People is a USA NGO which works in many countries. In Malawi, they are partners with HVP and other NGO's, and focus on capacity building for these organizations. They are an amazing organization with dedicated people who go out of their way to help others!

Proper waste management is an issue world wide, whether you live in Canada or Malawi. Canada runs out of space in the landfills even with recycling and composting. Garbage in Malawi lines the streets and clogs the rivers as there is virtually no garbage collection, pickup or processing. HVP and WFP want to start incorporating waste management into their porfolios. This is such a complex issue, and there are so many problems involved. There is no 'solution' for waste management, but looking around Ndirande it is clear that something must be done. As the population worldwide grows there will be an ever increasing need for us to process our waste properly. I have to ask, what are we waiting for?

I can honestly say I've had a fun and interesting week poking around in latrines!

Tomorrow I'm off to Mozambique, then Zimbabwe, and South Africa on holiday! I'll keep you updated on interesting stories, but 'work' for me is done for the summer - phew! Enjoy the day where ever you are, and I'll be seeing some of you back in Canada in under three weeks!
Cheers mates!

P.S. My sisters wedding is in 23 days! :)

Limbe is my life...

Saturday, 11th July - Saturday, 25th July

For the last two weeks... I've been finishing up things with Limbe Leaf. I have submitted my report and said bye to everyone! I have a few days off before I head to Blantyre to work with the NGOs Hygiene Village and Water for People. These organizations have been highly recommended to me by a very friendly, but highly critical and blunt NGO (etc) reviewer. So I am looking forward to a very rich learning experience!

Last weekend I went to Salima, and enjoyed some of Lilongwes night life. Have to say it gets cold here in the winter (go figure)! This weekend I enjoy my last taste of Lilongwe, before heading to Blantyre tomorrow, then on to Tete, Mozambique; Harare, Zims; Johannesburg and Cape Town, SA. I'm absolutely pumped! I'm not sure what my internet access will look like with traveling, but I'll check in soon!

Till then...Ta ta! Have a fabulous weekend!

P.S. My sister's wedding is in less than a month! :)

Comments fixed!

The comment issue has been resolved! So comment away.... :)

Leave a comment issues

Its come to my attention that there is a problem with leaving a comment on the posts! I will try get this sorted out soon!

Meats and treats...

I almost forgot! I have not introduced the local Malawian cuisine yet! Nsima (aka sadza for us Zimbabweans) or rice is usually served with meat and veggies for the lunch/supper meal.

If you are really lucky you can snack on the decadent world famous, Mais sur la spear! Also known as Mice on a Stick! This popular treat is sold on the roadsides in cities and towns along the main highways of the country.

I cannot say that I am too tempted....they do sell birds on a stick as well though, and I am told they taste like chicken!

Zomba, Blantyre, Liwonde, Monkey Bay, and the drive...Oh yeah..and work at Limbe!

Saturday, 4 July - Friday 10th July

On Saturday morning I got up ridiculously early (okay well not any earlier than I do go to work (6am), but freakin' early for a weekend) to go to Zomba, then Blantyre. The drive to Zomba, was full of nap times for myself, and the odd picture snap, but getting to Zomba I was full of energy. The drive up the mountain held spectacular views! It is absolutely insane how people can still bicycle up the mountain with a load which is about 5m long and weighs 150kg.
Once we got to Sunbird lodge and restaurant, the clouds moved in to cover the mountain top, and I enjoyed the cozy warmth of the fire while sipping of hot chocolate and reminiscing about the day in Nyanga.

In Blantrye we stayed at the most lovely and creatively designed house! I haven't posted pictures of the house because I want to ask permission still, but let me just say...I fell in love! The architectural use of arches and open spaces with different levels is entrancing. Blantyre actually also has a movie theatre! It is quite a fancy one and even has a chandelier by the concession stand. It is not doing very well though because it lacks patronage. For the life of me I cannot figure out why!

The next day we drove to Liwonde and enjoyed a sunset beverage while listening to the grumpy old men hippos debate river politics. At the house where we were staying, the hippos will actually come up to the windows to chomp away on the grass. I was hoping to hear them in the night so I could catch the 'hungry hungry hippos' in action, but unfortunately I slept too soundly!

On Monday we drove to Monkey Bay, and I got to the infamous Ilala (Keba would be proud - Jordan please let him know next time you see him!). The last major stop was to snorkel at the bay with the tropical fishies! I tried to catch the perfect pictures, but they are so speedy!
With the drive back to Lilongwe through Dedza, that ended the holiday weekend for me!

Monday morning, bright and early I reported to Limbe Leaf Tobacco Plant to start work. This week at the plant has been full and exhausting but still rewarding. There is just so much to do, and I coming acquainted with the factory hustle and bustle, and the politics that rides along side! I am really enjoying my time here so far!

For now, I'll leave you till next weekend! Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the work week!
Cheers!

From melting hot to chilling cold...Welcome to the Warm Heart of Africa!

Sunday, 28 June 2009 - Friday, 3 July 2009

Three days of travel, and I arrive in Lilongwe, Malawi. My time in London, UK was short and sweet, starting with the coolest hotel I have ever stayed in. The hotel is called Yotel, and is inspired by Japanese pod designs, and sleeper cars on trains. It is tiny, but perfect for catching up on some sleep for a few hours, and having a wonderful monsoon shower. In London they are experiencing a 'heat wave' of 25̊C and humidity...I'm in heaven!

Five hours of sleep, lots of walking and picture snapping and I am catching my 9pm flight to Rome, Italy; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and finally Lilongwe, Malawi.

Lilongwe is sunny, with slight cloud coverage and 25̊C when I arrive. Absolute perfect weather to me, and a lovely change from the 33̊C +75% humidity = 43̊C in Fajara. I was readily unpacking my shorts and tees until the sun set, and it was freezing! I am coming from a country where it snows in the winter, and I still find it quite cold. One would think that I would remember the winter weather in Zimbabwe (in which we wore jackets, scarves and mittens,) and bring more sweaters and jackets, but I did not. I wear my one sweatshirt every day and night...it needs to be washed!

On early Monday morning I go to the C-CODE office to meet Siku and Peter whom I have been emailing for months to set up my placement. I join the Monday morning meeting, and start reading up on the eco-san toilet projects they are implementing. C-CODE wants me to a preliminary design for a rainwater harvesting system in Kaphuka village at a school.

On Tuesday we head towards Dedza, and into a hilly part of the country. The landscape is gorgeous, and although the weather is cloudy and cold, I am in a sunny mood. The school houses classrooms for 1,500 students and teachers. Currently the village experiences large water shortages during the dry season, and are hoping that a rainwater harvesting system would be a good supplement water supply.

On Wednesday, I discover that this project is not C-CODEs project, but they have been asked to do a preliminary design and assessment by another organization. The organization will apply for funding for the project, come up with the final designs, and hire C-CODE to implement the project. In the meantime, there is no budget for the project and no resources for any adequate research to complete a full design for the project. Ground profiles of the area, accurate precipitation data, accurate water shortages (demand-supply), budget restrictions, material availability, and other data is unavailable to me for my design. The best I can do is an extremely rough estimate of materials and costs, for what I think would be the minimum demand of water for the school.

I completed my preliminary design of the rainwater harvesting system for the Kaphuka school today, and next week go to work at Limbe Tobacco Plant.

Limbe Tobacco plant is currently undergoing a look into their environmental management, and have asked me to complete a review of their water management, and make suggestions for water recovery, reuse and recycling. This is going to be a demanding project, but one that I am very excited to get started working on!

Reflections on the Smiling Coast...

Things I have realized during my time in The Gambia

1. Proper greetings are of great importance. You shake hands, ask "How was the morning (or other)? Was it with Peace?"

2. Everything is done with a peace of mind

3. Giving your full names are important as there are very common first and last names

4. Society of tolerance: doesn't matter your religion, culture (different tribes), professions, etc -society lives in peace

5. Inquisitive culture: wants to know your name, where you are from, where you live, what you do

6. Fascination with toubabs seems to be indication of inferiority complex and people see "toubabs" as hard working, smart, rich, etc. and the term is not meant to be derogatory

7. Everyone takes care of everyone: on the bush taxis, strangers will help mothers with their small kids by having the kids sit on their knees without any thought to it

8. When you arrive at work in the morning, between 9-10:30am is breakfast time: having a proper breakfast is important, as they do not often (probably never) stop for a full lunch

9. It is common to discuss things in great detail, no matter how simple or complex the issue

10. It is typical to wear a net material tank top shirt, long pants and a toque in 40C weather while doing manual labour work outside

11. Everyone has at least one, and usually two cellphones for different coverage areas

12. Fufu, a popular local dish...is not tasty if you are not a fish person!

13. Vegetarian is a strange and foreign concept

14. The Gambia is a very very poor nation and even so is a happy and peaceful place


What is Development Work?

Definitions from local development workers here in The Gambia (taken from WACD-TC):

"Community development consists of programs aimed primarily at third world countries in order to alleviate poverty and suffering and to raise standards of living so that they may one day be comparable to that of the more developed industrial nations of the world."

"Community development is taking charge of their own futures. It is people identifying commonly felt problems and needs and taking steps to resolve the problems and meet the needs. It is people struggling to make their community a better place to live."

"Community development is to assist people to develop economically and socially viable communities which can strengthen and support adequately individual and family growth and enhance the quality of life."

"Community development is a process aimed at promoting citizen participation is social affairs, developing people's awareness of problems, enabling them to define their needs in relation to the total environment, making possible their enlightened choice amoung various options and channeling the results into effective action for social change."

"Community development is the holistic development of communities with full participation from its people positively towards the sustainable development of their communities."

"Community development of the people to join their minds fully on their goals and objectives to make a meaningful development."

Let me introduce the concept of development as a relative term. For some they define their development aspirations in comparison to the living standards of others. Some define development as a commitment of a community to improve in terms of what they feel is important. Development is hard work, and a struggle for many. I agree with defining your development in terms of what is important to you and your community. I do not believe in "developed" nations, and I not support terms like "least developed" or "third world" as these terms only help to reinforce superior and inferiority complexes (like inferiority to "toubab").

Wealthier nations, like Canada, Britain, or the United States, are constantly developing but not with as much focus as in many African nations. What if Canada put as much focus and effort on community development as African nations do? What would the development goals and objectives be? Perhaps to

We certainly have a long way to travel on the path of development, which I hope never ends. The pursuit of equality and social justice should never end. There is always room for improvement!

Last week in The Gambia...

22nd June - 26th June - Women and Development

I leave The Gambia today to fly to the UK, and then on to Lilongwe, Malawi. I have tremendously enjoyed myself here, and have met some really wonderful people!


This week I went back to class at WACD-TC for the gender issues module. In The Gambia every tribe has their own traditions and cultures. However, there are similarities between the tribes on the treatment of women, and gender roles.
Males are the dominant sex, and women are seen as someone who works for them. In decision making, the woman's opinion does not matter. Women are the heart of the household, responsible for everyone's well being. Although they play this vital role, they typically have no authority.

A women will likely enter an arranged marriage around the age of 16 years, forcing her to drop out of school. Men begin getting married around the age of 30, having finished school and working for years. When women get married, their families must pay a dowry to the man. Polygamy is common practice.
On a typical day, men will work in the fields till about midday, when they retire to the local 'chill' spot and talk business and politics for four to five hours, then retire to bed. On the same day women will prepare all the meals, fetch the water, search for firewood, take care of the kids, mend and wash clothes, go to the markets to buy and or sell produce, tend to their vegetable gardens and have maybe one hour off before bedtime. There is a large disparity between male and female work loads. The household work that women do, is not considered actual 'work' by the men or women in the community. This gender role has been reinforced so much that it seems 'natural'.

Female genital mutilation is also common practice in The Gambia and surrounding areas. When a women gets married the blockage needs to be removed by the traditional circumcision person, or the women needs to have surgery to do this. It is a very painful process. Women once married rarely have access to birth control, so can have as many as 12 kids, only further burdening their work load.

An equal division of labour in a household is necessary to starting to create gender equality. Gender stereotypes and roles need to be examined. Women play a vital role in keeping families and societies functioning, and this should be recognized.

I am excited for my next adventure, but sad to leave this wonderful country. The Gambia may be a very poor country, but the concept of suffering in poverty did not occur to me here. There is so much beauty in the people and the landscape here. People are friendly, warm, accepting and earnestly trying to make their world a little better for themselves. It really is 'the smiling coast of Africa'.

Back with PIWAMP

14th June - 21st June

This week I returned to work with PIWAMP on my own. The more I am spending time at PIWAMP with Keba, Mr. Bulago and others, the more I realize how much I will miss it!

On Tuesday, 15th June we went back to Bondal Joli to follow up on the road construction. This village is fortunate to have excellent gravel right next to the road.[Gravel pit in Bondal Joli]

The project is coming along, but government supplies of concrete were suppose to arrive three months ago, and are still delayed. The concrete is used to reinforce the water channels, over roadways and for spillway construction. The first rains of the rainy season are beginning to fall. Without the concrete construction finished, much of the work will need to redone with the erosion from the torrential rains.
On the way back, we came across a car accident and waited to give someone a ride. The roads are in the process of being resurfaced, but at the moment are in terribly bmpy condition. Due to the roads someones brake line was hit, and they crashed into a road bank.

Stopping for about an hour meant that I got to take some pictures of the sweet culverts being built right by (for Adam :) ).[Sweet culvert construction on south bank highway]

Before going home, we stopped in Bulok to check the water diversion work for erosion prevention. Needs some tweaking and concrete, but working so far!

From Thursday till Friday Jordan joined me to go on an upcountry trip with Keba to Sapu. In Sapu there is a project underway to use tidal irrigation for rice fields. We left Thursday late morning after dropping and picking people up.

There are always interesting characters you meet during travels. Here I will introduce this guy from Egypt who is working with PIWAMP for four years, called Hussein. Hussein is a civil engineer with expertise in water management who is obsessed with taking pictures...of everything and everyone! He enthusiastically documented every aspect of our trip, until the batteries on his camera ran out (thank goodness).[Hussein making Jordan his photographer]

We stayed overnight at the biggest agriculture center in the country. Originally build in the 50s, and being host to many projects over the years (including World Bank sponsored projects in the 80s), the center is in a huge state of disrepair. Hussein describes our overnight house as 'miserable', and I would tend to agree with him. But, what is life without a little adventure and a leaky roof in a thunderstorm!?

Friday morning we visited the river hoping to see hippos, but unfortunately we could not spot any.[Gambia River near Sapu]

Picking up our local market fried beans in a bun for breakfast we went to the rice fields. We spent two hours just driving around the periphery of the fields. This project is huge!!! Thousands of people will be able to farm rice in these two huge sections of rice fields.

Large water channels with gates to control the water levels and allows water to flood and then drain out of the fields as to the need of the farmer. The field is an intricate maze of channels all eventually exiting back into the River Gambia. A massive dyke has been build around the area to keep external water out. Rice plants need a very specific water level in order to grow, but once harvested, the field needs to be drained in order to replant. When counting on the rains alone, farmers will get one yearly harvest of crops. With irrigation, farmers can harvest their fields two or three time (depending on the crop).

Even with this huge rice field project, which is a livelihood for thousands, the country still imports about 30% of the required rice supply. The green fields and water channels are simply gorgeous! Thousands of acres of green, an oasis in an otherwise currently arid landscape.[Submerged rice field in Sapu]

On the drive back Jordan and I decided to sit in the back of the pick up truck, much to Keba's amusement and Hussein's horror. We got absolutely filthy with the dust from the road, saw the best sunset here yet, and had the most fun I have had yet!

On Saturday we all went to the beach (as per usual) and then a pool bbq at a friends near by. Not a bad day off!

This Sunday we were able to visit an Alkalo (village leader or chief) in Tujering. In Tujering they use the method of Community Policing, instead of having to involved the local police for conflict situations. Anyone can bring forth a complaint against someone (from Tujering, or neighbouring villages) and the council (consisting of both men and women) will hear both sides, and help attain a settlement which both sides will agree to. This is an extremely effective way to resolve conflicts, without wasting time, money or causing further problems. The Alkalo strongly believes in this method, and is the one who set it up in Tujering. Taking matters to the police can also result in more serious rulings.

It has been a fantastic week, and I can only savour my last five days here!

Only two weeks left in the West...

8th June - 12th June

I have thoroughly enjoyed the people, the culture, the weather, well...maybe not all the food, but certainly, I have immensely enjoyed the scenery!

The Gambia is referred to as 'the smiling coast' and you can see this everywhere you go. People are friendly and helpful, and often go out of their way to make you feel welcome!
While working with PIWAMP we have been to see many projects, but are yet to do any engineering work, or get our hands dirty! As I count down to my last three weeks in The Gambia, I grow anxious that my time here will be more of a tourist visit, and not enough of a work visit. Work at PIWAMP has been very interesting (neat for site seeing), but unfortunately I do not feel as if I have contributed anything other than taking up space in the car.

This week, Adam, Jordan, Justin, Megan and I went to start a certificate course with the Western Africa Community Development - Training Center (WACD-TC) which is a division of the Western African Rural Development program (WARD). I have been a little disappointed with my work placement so far (not actually having done any engineering work ourselves) so I was excited for a change of pace and scenery, and the chance to be doing something productive.
Not knowing which course it was that we were taking, I was surprised to find out that it was actually a course on Human Relations and Development, and not the Community Development course that I was expecting.
The human relations course is four weeks long and consists of effective group dynamic studies (including goal setting, working in groups, etc), gender issues, and conflict resolution. The course starts with two weeks of effective groups, then one week of gender issues and one of conflict resolution. The topic I am most keen to study in this module is gender studies. I have a hot button for women issues, and the chance to study this in a development setting seems like an opportunity which I cannot pass up!
Given the short amount of time I have left in The Gambia, I decided that attending the gender issues section would give me the greatest benefit from this course, while still allowing me to do other work before I leave. I spent Monday and Tuesday in the WACD-TC classroom in Churchhill's, and have decided to go back to the course for the start of the gender studies section.

Wednesday we went to Banjul to try and sort out our visas, but unfortunately we have to wait until next week to do that (almost expiring our 28 day tourist visa). The next day I decided to spend some time in a primary school, getting to see the teaching styles and subjects, helping out and talking with all the teachers and kids. I went to a private school called Zenith Preparatory School which is actually owned by my sister's mother-in-law's good friend (if you can follow that one!), Mrs. Clark. The Zenith School has two campuses, one of which is around the corner from where I am staying in Fajara! I was introduced as Auntie Lindsay from Canada, as all the teachers are called either Auntie or Uncle.
The kids are learning to do addition, subtraction, multiplication and division at the age of 5. They start learning their A,B,C's at the age of 3/4. The education level is certainly more advanced for this age than that of Canada's. Most of the children here are in addition learning to read and write in english, which is typically not their native tongue. The children were in revision before exams, so I was able to lead some of their revision exercises.
In the class, I certainly was a novelty and very popular with the girls who all wanted to stand next to me and hold my hand. However, one thing that did strike me, was that I did not get called toubab once while in the school. A common thing when walking down the streets in The Gambia is for the kids to exclaim "Toubab!" and point as they notice us, the same as if we would exclaim "Moose!" (or any other less common animal) when not expecting to see one. I think this attributes to the fact that this is a private school, so the children are typically from better off families, whose parents are lawyers, politicians or doctors.

[Me and the girls from the third grade PE class I helped out in]

Next week I return to PIWAMP on my own, as Adam and Jordan continue to take the WACD-TC course. I am hopeful that I will be able to work on a specific project, and really have to the chance to 'get my hands dirty' per se.

For now, I am off to the beach! Ta ta!

Starting work...well something kind of like work...

Tuesday, 26th May to Friday 29th May at PIWAMP...

Alpha picked us Adam, Jordan and myself Tuesday morning to take us to Yundum where the Department of State for Agriculture (DOSA), Participatory Integrated Watershed Management Program (PIWAMP) office is.

We met Keba, who is our boss for our work with PIWAMP, and turns out to be Alpha's uncle of sorts (everyone is a form of family in Africa!). Keba overseas the projects that PIWAMP does all over the country. Landing Sonko is the director for the Department of Technical Services (division of DOSA which PIWAMP falls under). PIWAMP's main mission is "to help farmers increase productivity", and this includes a large variety of projects.

[Keba in Bulok]

Each of us were given Gambian names after someone in the office. So let me introduce myself as Jalika Boyang, Adam as Ebrima Senghore and Jordan as Landing Sonko. Landing (or Laming) is traditionally reserved for the first born son of a family, but that's okay, we won't tell them Jordan isn't!

Over these two weeks, Keba began to introduce us to the types of projects that PIWAMP does. Salt water intrusion has become a huge concern for Gambian agriculture. The Gambian economy and way of life is largely agriculture based. People who sell tourists crafts in the on-season will travel back to their villages for the off-season (hot and rainy season) to help harvest crops etc.
The first 100km of the Gambia River is perenially salty. The next 100-150km is seasonally salty (it remains salty until the huge and torrential rains come from June-August), and the river after that 200-250km is perenially fresh.

[Africell, One of the major cell-phone providers offers free ploughing, fertilizers and tractors]

Keba took us to visit many sites on the North and South Banks of The Gambia in these two 'orientation' weeks at work.
On the 26th May, we went to Bondal Jola to look at dyke and spillway construction that is being completed for rice field protection. These dykes and spillways are to correct two problems. Firstly, due to climate change there is no longer enough water for the farmers to grow there rice, rice needs typically 35cm of water to submerge the roots and stalk, and still rise above the water level. Secondly, the tributary here which flows into the Gambia River is salty and has been flooding the rice fields and killings the crops. The dyke is to prevent this. All of these dykes have to be surveyed to be on the same elevation line. (Surverying..we can do!)
Many of the bridges in rural areas are also broken now. PIWAMP is replacing and fixing these bridges so that the farmers can have access to their rice fields, and are able to travel across the flood plains to markets, etc.
[Jordan and I on the replaced foot bridge in Bondal Jola - photo Courtesy of Adam]

On the 28th May, we went to Berrending and Gunjur. PIWAMP is constructing more dykes and spillways for rice fields in this area.

Sat, 30th May - Walk to Bakau

Adam, Jordan and I were intending to go to Banjul Market today (via bush taxi, which we have become very adapt at taking to work in Yundum from Fajara everyday). It turns out that the last Saturday of every month, is Clean the Nation Day. This day is meant for residents to clean their homes and businesses and mainly rid them of trash. No cars (except ambulance, army, etc) are allowed on the roads until 1pm.
So dashing our hopes of going to Banjul, we ended up walking to Bakau, and going to the fishing pier there! Being a coastal country, The Gambia has a large fishing industry. Unlike my first introduction to the overwhelming smell of fish (at the market) the pier has a strong smell which you get used to after a little while and doesn't bother you as much any more. A local took around the pier showing us all the different types of fish (barracuda's, shark fish, butter fish, and I forget the others). This included one fish with the widest, grossest teeth!! (Jordan has a pic!)

[Bakau fishing boats and Smoke house]

We managed to take a Bush Taxi back to Fajara for 5 Dalasi each, and not the 200 Dalasi the tourist taxis were trying to ask us for! And we finally made it to Banjul market Sunday morning all via bush taxi!

Mon, 2nd June - Fri, 6th June - More trippin'...
Beware the Mangoes!!! Monday I was ill from food poisoning from a Mangoe. There are in season here, and I have never seen soo many mangoe trees! No idea how they survive in this dusty and dry climate, but none-the-less, they are delicious! Just don't eat the bad ones...

Tuesday we went to Bulok. In Bulok PIWAMP is construction channels and dykes to divert water from flowing through villages. The erosion damage from the rains is unreal! Sometimes a foot or more of building foundations has been uncovered. To correct this water is diverted in stages down slopes to runoff channels which connect to the tributaries of the Gambia river. (It was a cool 41C during the day without considering the humidex..which is significant!)

[Diversion channel and dyke]

Tuesday was also the day we moved from Leybato to Sunbird Lodge. The lodge used to be called Corcodile John's, and was run by Croc John, but is now Sunbird and run my June, her son Alan, and his son Louis! Sunbird Lodge is self catering (meaning Kitchen :) ) and includes wireless internet (huge bonus). The beach is still only a 5 minutes walk away!


On Thursday and Friday we took an over night trip to the North Bank. We took the ferry at Banjul (which was quite an experience on its own, cattle and all) to the North Bank highway and drove to Kani Kunda. Just on the river from Kani Kuna an old bridge has broken down, preventing people from getting to Dankunku Island which is a natural setting for rice production. PIWAMP is constructing a new loading dock and bridge to the island.



The landscape is gorgeous! And there are so many interesting trees...! The area is so dusty and humid, that I have not seen a sunrise or sunset yet, as the sun gets lost behind the haze as it rises and sets.

[Sunset in Kani Kuna]

We took the ferry at Ferafenni to the south bank and stayed the night at an agriculture training center.

The next day we drove back on the South Bank. Compared to the North Bank the South bank roads are not in good condition. They are currently being redone, but as with any road construction it always seems to last forever. The North Bank roads were redone first a couple years ago, and are beautifully paved. The South Bank roads still need to be paved/finished. [Culvert construction on South Bank Road]

One thing Jordan mentioned, and I have begun to notice is that although there are many (expensive) new shiny cars on the road, or new tractors in the fields, or sparkling buildings around, there is not much emphasis put on up keep and maintenance. I believe that this can be attributed to a lack of ability for maintenance, due to the lack of access to the right parts/equipment and lack of knowledge, and also to lack of ability to remove the broken equipment etc. At the Yundum office (and many others) there are decaying tractors just sitting in the yard. At the Farafenni ferry, the old ferry is stuck in the mud, has sunken and is decaying and now blocking one of the causeways.

[Broken tractors at DOSA Yundum office]

Next week we start a two week train course with the Western African Community Development Training Center (WACD-TC) with Alpha Jallow again. We have yet to do some 'real engineering' work yet, so I am hoping that once this course is done, and before I move on to Lilongwe I get to help with some of the PIWAMP projects!

The Beach and El Presidente's Birthday!

Sunday, 24 May - Moving to Leybato in Fajara...

It is currently tourist off season in The Gambia, so as you can imagine, many lodges, hotels etc are quite empty. Leybato bar and restaurant also has about 20 guest rooms, with full bathrooms and a fridge. Megan and Justin started work on a community garden project in Sanyang, so moved into the village leaders house.
Adam, Jordan and I decided to upgrade our living location from the YMCA to Leybato. The move also included getting cheaper rent, a much more appreciable Western breakfast, and living on the Beach!!!

Eagerly we hit the beach as soon as we put our stuff inside our room (we were all sharing one room/bathroom). From the moment we were walking from our room, to the moment we came back we were approached by everyone. Fajara is one of the tourist areas and beaches. Being that it is off season, not only is cheaper rent available, but it also means that there are less toubab's (white persons) to sell to. People are more so desperate to make a sale, and are willing to follow you down the beach trying to convince you if need be. Everyone also offers to be your friend, and help show you around, for just a show of your good heart in Dalasi (the local currency) form. This was our first real experience to having this everywhere we went from then on. It gets quite annoying to be honest. On the beaches, there are also bumsters. Bumsters are unemployed (often young men) who harrass or befriend tourists for money, presents, or a passport out of the country. We have had quite a few 'friendship' offers since our arrival in Fajara (and most other places we go).
All this aside, the beaches are gorgeous white sand, the ocean water is warm, the sun is always shining and there is always a cool breeze!

Monday, 25th May - Happy birthday Mr. President!

So it turned out that the Monday we were intending to start work was actually a national holiday. President Jammeh celebrated his 44th birthday, and the nation joined with many parties and celebrations. There are billboards all through Serrekunda and Banjul (probably elsewhere) saying happy birthday.
Since President Jammeh has obtained power, the country has seen dramatic results for the people. Roadways are being paved and improved (street lights are being installed), local television is available, tourism industry has boomed, and the list continues.
President Jammeh has also developed a HIV/AIDS treatment programme. Using herbs, and a special ceremony he treats patients for HIV/AIDS and many other ailments. Safe sex practices are also widely campaigned through the country!
The people only have good things to say about President Jammeh from what I have heard. A lady from Sierra Leone even told us that they would like to borrow President Jammeh for a few years to get their country in order.

The national holiday for Adam, Jordan and myself...it meant another Beach Day, much to Adam's dismay!

Arriving, and exploring...

Introductions!

• Jordan Atherton - taking his graduate studies in environmental engineering at Western, and hoping to do his research in international development. Jordan spent seven years in Saudi Arabia, and is intensely interested in World Politics.
  
• Adam Crookes - finished his third year at Western for civil and international development. Adam has a huge interest in engineering works, and has been engineering things with his dad since he was little. This is Adam's first trip off of the North American continent (and largely out of Canada)!
• Justin Philippi - also finished his third year at Western for civil and international development. Justin spent five weeks in Tanzania last summer, and has a huge enthusiasm for volunteering and working overseas in developing nations.
• Megan Moore - finished her third year at Western for civil and structural engineering. Megan has done volunteering in Mexico, and New Orleans for community projects. She has also travelled quite a bit, and has a vested interest in international development.
  

and... Myself... Well you all know me! ;)
(See the links to their Blogs on the right-hand side of the page)

20 May - Arrival..... Patience is a Virtue!

After a 9+ hour flight delay, we arrived in Banjul, The Gambia at 12:30am on the 20th May! The airport which is usually closed at this time (as it is off-season for tourists) stayed open for our flight to arrive. The flight was my perfect introduction to the summer travels!
At Heathrow Airport we boarded the flight, and waited for more than two hours as they checked a technical fault. We were then told to wait in the departure lounge for a couple hours, which turned into about 7. None-the-less we boarded the plan again, only to be told that they needed to now re-fuel. Another hour delay and we were on our way! Finally landing at Banjul Airport (where the run way lights were not turned on until halfway through our landing) we ended up with the plane parked at the wrong spot on the tarmac! Welcome back to Africa! :)

Alpha Jallow (our orientation guide and WACD-TC leader) met us at the airport, and took us to the YMCA in Serrekunda where we would begin our stay in The Gambia. The YMCA offers rooms with beds, ceiling fans, t.v.s, a full bathroom, a desk and a closet. Breakfast in the downstairs canteen consists of a large egg, noodle, ketchp, lettuce and tomato (if you are lucky) sandwich which is not for those with a weak stomach (as some found out)! The YMCA was an interesting stay to say the least, and really introduces one to what typical guest houses in the rural areas are like (although Serrekunda is not rural).



Our first day there we explored a small portion of the closest major street, Kairaba Avenue, and visit the shops that were around. Most Western luxuries are readily available (tampax, ), and of course, everywhere has Coca-cola... in glass bottles!

21 - 23 May - Culture of Peace and Tolerance

The next three days comprised of our culture, language and area training by Alpha Jallow, Demba. We had our classes on the beach at a local restuarant and bar called Leybato. I do not believe I am misguided in thinking that this location (or amount of catering to for that matter) would not be a typical for locals taking any kind of classes!

The Gambia has many languages, but the official language is English. Other largely spoken languages unclude Wollof, Mandinka, Fulah, and a fewothers. Megan and Justin took lessons in Mandinka. Mandinka is typically dominant in rural areas. Megan and Justin will be working in rural communities this summer. Adam, Jordan and I took Wollof lessons, as this is the language of commerce in urban areas. We are working with the Department of State for Agriculture (DOSA for short), also known as the Ministry as Agriculture (the names seem to change quite often). DOSA works on projects all over the country, so visits to rural areas will also happen for Adam, Jordan and I.

On the Saturday (23rd) Alpha and Demba took us to Banjul, the Banjul Market (and the introduction of the smell of fish...really stinky fish!), Bakau, the sacred cocrodile pit, Bakau fishing pier and lastly the Serrekunda market.

Banjul is very small (as is The Gambia - only 10,000 km^2)! July 22nd, 1994 is the date of the military coup in The Gambia in which Yahya Jammeh assumed Presidency of the The Gambia.
Yahya Jammeh (head of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction Party ) is still currently the President of The Gambia, which does hold elections five years. Opposition parties are allowed but the country is largely a one party dominant state. The major opposition party is the United Democratic Party.
At the entrance to Banjul, the President constructed Arch 22, which overlooks the city. Only the president and his envoy is allowed to drive under the arch. All other traffic must take the roads around the arch.
At the markets you can get...pretty must anything! From fake designer jeans, bags, watches, shoes to fish, local fruits and vegetables (including local peanut butter), to tourist carvings, jelewry, paintings, textiles, dresses (which can be tailor made by the tens of tailors working right in the market), and the list continues. The art of bartering for a good price is certainly something acquired over time (with knowledge of the local economy and values of goods). We got hasseled by everyone!!! People say many things, "I'll give you Gambian price, not tourist price", "Just take a look, looking is free", "You make me sad if you will not come look at my store"...

In Bakau you can see the large disparity that exists. There are tourist hotels and resorts on the beach, and only a few streets a away are pretty much slums, with seemingly inadequate waste drainage systems. During the British Colonial rule of The Gambia, there was a massive flood. After the rains had subsided, the water had no where to drain so sat and festered disease. The people demanded that the British rulers do something, and concrete lined and covered ditches were constructed for drains. These concrete ditches are still the only drainage system in place although the covers are largely broken now. The water does not move well in these drains and all the waste collects in the drains, and it smells terrible! Not to mention health effects.

There are three Sacred Crocodile pits in The Gambia. One is in Bakua. The pit is concrete lined, and not fenced in. The crocodiles can come and go as they please. They are fed at the pit by the workers, and as a result, the workers tell me that they are 'friendly' crocodiles! I was still not tempted to pose for a picture touching the crocs back!

Photos and Updates...

Good news! We have just moved into a place with internet!
We are going up country over night tomorrow to work on an agriculture project, so I will have updates of stories and pictures in the next few days!
P.S. Beach is gorgeous!

Trip planning underway!

This summer I will be traveling to The Gambia and Malawi to work on community projects in the civil engineering field on behalf of the University of Western Ontario, Civil Engineering and International Development. I cannot think of a better way to spend my last summer before I graduate from university.

I was born and raised in Zimbabwe till I was 14. I have a great passion for helping communities in need. The plan is to leave May 14th for London, UK and spend a few days catching up with friends and exploring the sites. From there myself and four others will travel to Banjul, The Gambia. I will stay for six weeks with them, and then I will be traveling on my own to do work in Malawi. After, it is a week of traveling from Malawi through potentially Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and ending up in South Africa Johannesburg or Cape Town!

The Gambia
May 18th - July 2nd

The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa. Located on the North-Western coast of Africa, the Gambia, is home to a population of 1.7 million people, ranks 160th on the UN Human Development Index, placing it among the lowest tier of countries in the world.

The main economies of The Gambia are farming, fishing and tourism. The official language of The Gambia is English, although Mandinka and Wolof are commonly spoken.

Malawi
July 4th - August 9th

Malawi is considered the warm heart of Africa. It is a land locked country located in mid-eastern Africa.

Malawi is amount the least developed and most densely populated countries. On the United Nations Human Development Index Malawi is ranked 166th. Lake Malawi provides locals with a source for fishing. The economy is largely agriculture based and the government is highly dependent on foreign AID. English and Chichewa are the main spoken languages.


I am in love with the opportunities that life has to offer! I can hardly wait to begin this priceless experience!
UWO Program website