would you like some starch to go with your starch?

The last couple of days have been very interesting with our various project moving pretty rapidly. We have realised that the local innovativeness needs to be encouraged as well as local contribution to ideas and finances. The school project was going well until the worker was chased away by a teacher who was getting disturbed by the hammering of the gutter supports. The banana briquette project had a loyal band of followers. Johannah and her band of trash handlers wearing gloves of course learnt that briquettes can be made, dried and maybe burnt. But the local roosters certainly enjoyed the maggots that were leaving the briquettes, destroying some of the briquettes in the process.
We are way up on our carb loading with nothing but starch in our diet. We have very hospitable hosts. Tomorrow, some of us will make the 2 hour hike to N'tobwe while the rest will go to assess a potential water project at a healthcare centre in nearby village of Rubona. More when we get back!

Productive day in Muhororo

The day started with a realisation that every last saturday in Rwanda is a public works day. Everywhere people are supposed to do public service jobs and no enterprises are supposed to be open. We managed to make measurements at the secondary school and got the headmaster to mobilise labour to start the digging process. At the orphanage as well, we located a tank site and the digging work began. Supplies were bought in Gitarama for the construction work. The project has begun on a good note. Lesson for the day: people can move a mountain in very little time!

Day 1 in Rwanda

Kigali is bustling with all kinds of economic activity. There are many tall buildings in partial stages of construction, all 'gifts' from China to the people of Rwanda.
Spent the day walking around downtown area and visiting the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology. Made key contacts here and saw how a former military camp can be converted into an institution of education. Our drive to Muhororo was eventless other than some of riding with the luggage in the back of the pickup truck. Actually not a bad experience given the 60-70 degree weather and the improved roads, another gift from China. Tomorrow the fun starts!

Travel Day

The team is sitting at Washington Dulles international, getting ready for the second leg to Brussels. Enjoyed watching the awesome USA win and the Germany/Ghana match. More updates from Rwanda when we get there tomorrow.

Travel day minus 1

I just realised that I travel tomorrow; therefore I must pack tonight. The travel team has all its documents and various checklist items have been secured, purchased etc. Now to look forward to the 27 hour journey to Kigali, Rwanda and then the day long journey after that to Muhororo in Western Province of Rwanda.
Travel Team: Chuck Dragga, Bill Lennard, Johannah Itescu, Hansel Ramathal
Objective: Rainwater harvesting water systems for Muhororo Secondary school and for the neighbouring Orphanage.
Please visit here for more updates.

The Children!

The kids at Ntobwe orphanage were having fun while we were there. They enjoy playing football (soccer) - with a ball made of old plastic bags wadded-up and tied into a ball with string.

Pat and Tom got a chance to teach a little English. The kids taught us some Kinyarwanda in return. They are much better students!

Murabeho (Goodbye) Rwanda

Departing KGL...  We are tired but feeling good about our accomplishments. Thanks to all of you that support EWB-GCP and our work in Rwanda.   We could not do it without you!  If you want to contribute or learn more about our work, please contact us through www.ewbgcp.org