Water Project Update

After many failed attempts at finding an engineer who would actually show up, I am pleased to say I not only found an engineer who shows up, but a very good engineer to boot! We have hired a man who is originally from Italy, living in Cameroon to work on his own water project, who has volunteered to donate his time and energy to our project in Akid. I could not be more thankful. After hiring four separate engineers, all who promised to come to the site on a certain day to begin work, only to fail to appear —eventually making it very clear to us that they were not going to work for us (for example, by ignoring my desperate phone calls or by sending a man to notify me I should look for someone else)—I was ultimately forced to go through the hiring process five distinct times. I was, therefore, imaginably thrilled when our current engineer arrived in Akid on his scheduled date. He met with the community and began inspecting the site. That first day we were able to map out the route from the river to the catchment to the filtration tank to the pipeline down into the village to the different spigot sites. 

The engineer went back to begin calculations and plan the project form a logistical standpoint. He has discovered that a pump engine is not necessary in this case and that he can create a pump that will be powered by harnessing the power of the river. This is wonderful news for the community. If the project required the engine pump, the community would be responsible for buying fuel, going to the site to actually fuel the engine, and repairing any problems with the pump. It’s a lot more responsibility and a lot more costly. This new solution will help the already poor village save money, and will be easier to take care of and fix should problems arise. The community is very happy about it. With the plans complete, the community then began the labor aspect of the work. 

They had to clear bush and jungle to make paths for pipeline and for tanks. They had to shift sand for the filter. They had to cut poles to mark the path. They had to create planks of wood for laying the concrete. They had to dig areas for the tanks. And most importantly, they had to dig meters of pipeline. It was a true community effort. 

Each day, women, men, and sometimes even children and dogs, went out to the work sites and began contributing. 

Sometimes when you work that hard, you deserve a sugarcane break. 

Then it’s back to work, marking the path, clearing, digging, and carrying materials to the site! 

This old pa is making baskets so the women can carry sand and stones up to the filtration tank in them. Literally everyone has a role to play. 

I have been unbelievably impressed by the community’s efforts in this project and the dedication they have shown. While I am out this week, they are supposed to finish all the digging and will begin pouring concrete. It looks like this project might finally be coming to completion! 

When finished, water from a nearby river will be collected at the catchment and pumped to a filtration tank where it will be filtered into clean, drinkable water, which will become accessible to the community at four spigots in the village. Women and children will no longer have to spend time each day trekking to rivers and hauling water home, and the water they use will be clean and free of disease!