WOW, it's hot!

It's about 87F here right now (whatever that is in C) and that's in the shade. The sun is so hot you really could fry an egg on the pavement (what pavement there is). It's difficult to move, let alone do any real work. I fixed some computers here this morning (surprised?) and I'm surfing the internet looking for answers to some well drilling issues that seem to have the locals stumped. The wells are caving in when they drill them because they are drilling in a sort of sticky sand that is the consistency of sand mixed with honey. When the drill gets down in the hole the walls collapse down on top of the drill and keep it from being pulled up out of the hole. Very frustrating.

I met the guy last night that designed and upgraded the whole water system here at the base and we talked windmills and desalination. He was intrigued by the idea of running a desalination plant using wind power, which by the way, is possible. There is so much need for this stuff here. I wish I could just go on-line and order it, but unfortunately the red tape is considerable. It's not going to be impossible, just challenging. We're all healthy so far with no major issues but it's a constant struggle to avoid infections in tiny cuts and to avoid food and water related bugs. One of the guys in my dorm got food poisoning yesterday and spent a rather unpleasant 24 hrs. but we haven't had that problem yet. We are all feeling a bit tired out by the constant heat.

Lots of Work

There is no end of stuff that we could be doing here, the infrastructure is so poor. We've been without electricity all weekend except for when the generator runs to fill up the water cisterns. Everything seems to hang together with duct tape and hay wire. I have made some great contacts in the well drilling arena and actually got to watch the guys drill a test hole with the new rig. Don't know if they hit water or not but the rig disappeared...maybe broken, they are so hard on gear here. I have run into a number of people that would LOVE to have a windmill pump for their village or compound so there is definitely a need. All I have to do is connect the dots now and get them in here.

We were served 'lunch' in one of the native villages...a very scary thing when we are so vulnerable to whatever bugs might be floating around, but none of us has died yet or even been sick. The people are so hospitable and just wanted to treat us and thank us for our help so we couldn't turn it down.

The community gazebo that is being built in Noviana (your money) now has a roof. As soon as the roof was completed the people of the village brought out a bed and set it in the dirt under the roof and invited us to come sit with them in the shade...they are so excited about it. Thanks for your help...those dollars are really making a difference here.

We're Here

I don't have much time to update this...just to let you know that we've arrived and it's VERY hot. I am traveling to Mieze this afternoon where I expect to meet up with the well drillers to get connected into the water projects going on here. They have told us that it's even hotter there with no sea breeze so I'm trying to prepare for that.

Tomorrow we will be helping with the work on the community gathering area in Noviana. I will get pictures for you to bring home. This is where your cash donations are going. It's so hot I can't imagine that we'll be much help there. I won't be posting any pictures here right now because the internet is so slow.

Gotta go, our driver is waiting (we're riding in the back of a big truck which they call a camion here).

Update you later when I get a chance to get back here.

Update Oct 8 / 08

A week and a half until we blast off for Africa! It's exciting and scary at the same time.

Support for our little project has been amazing! Thank-you so much to everyone who has contributed in one way or another.

We received the $2000. in cash we were hoping for to take with us! The latest word we have on this is that it will be used to build a thatched central gathering place in the new Noviana compound. We will get the opportunity to help raise this building while we're there and of course will take lots of pictures so you can see where your money is being used!

The total cost of our trip for the four of us is $13,850. which includes the $2000. above, sixteen BOGO lights that we will hand carry, other items for the kids, airfare, ground transportation, taxes and fees, and many misc charges. To date we have received donations totalling $6330.

We have also received donations in kind: hinges, screws, a digital camera, a loaner GPS, and gifts for the kids.

THANK-YOU!

Mozambique Excursion Oct-Nov 2008

On October 19, 2008 a team of four of us leave for Mozambique, which is on the southeast coast of the continent of Africa. My two youngest daughters Jen and Sarah are accompanying me along with my friend Marcus. Jen and Sarah will be working in an orphanage in Pemba while Marcus and I will be networking and setting the groundwork for the first of many windmills we expect to install on future visits. These windmills will generate electricity primarily for pumping water in large villages which have no connection to the power grid. We also hope to provide villagers with light, replacing candles, kerosene or gas lanterns, and battery flashlights with solar lighting.

If you are interested in seeing the area where we will be working check out Pemba and Ibo Island, Mozambique on Google Earth. When you find Pemba (it's right on the coast), navigate to the northern edge of the city. Follow along the north shore until you see a large blue and white tent. This tent is part of the compound that we will be calling home during our visit there.

*********************** NEWS FLASH!! *************************
I just got word that a new well driller has been commissioned by Iris in the area we are visiting. This is great news because it means that our project will have wells in place to pump water from!

You can go here for more pictures of the drill rig.
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We are currently paying for our travel and accommodations for this trip out of own pockets.

Some other things we could really use some help with :

1. Cash donations. We would like to have at least $2000 cash in hand to present to our hosts in Mozambique to be used 100% to provide for the needs of the native people. (Any amount gratefully accepted!). We currently have had corporate donations totalling $700. and many individuals contributing a total of over $800.

2. Hinges. The staff at Iris want to provide all of the kids in the orphanage with wooden boxes to put their personal stuff in. They are looking for 420 - 3" plated steel hinges for the lids. We can take some of these with us but they are bulky and heavy. Please search through your basement inventories to see what you can come up with.

3. Screws. They call them casket screws down there but I think what they are looking for (to hold the boxes together) is a 1 1/2" #8 screw. They need 1000. We can take these with us.

4. BOGO lights. We hope to take eight of these with us (two apiece) followed up with another eight shipped directly to Iris from the US. Each light is $30 with a second one being donated by the BOGO people, so the 16 lights will cost about $300. landed in Mozambique.

Please leave a comment on this blog, email me at gregj@greenskyenergy.ca, or call me at 650-2027 if you can help with any of the above items.

My sincere thanks to those who have already contributed!

Greg