Hello everyone,
As Melissa posted we made it successfully to the village, although it took about twice as long as it should have due to a flat tire and a late start. We had an unexpected lunch with Olivia's mother (Olivia is our main contact for the project) who whipped up a 3 course meal in about a half hour. We had forgotten that while we are here, we have to follow Cameroonian time, which means that everything takes at least twice as long, and lateness is accepted (patience is a virtue here). Even though the drive is 5 hours, time flies because of the beautiful scenery. Remind us to show you pictures when we return to the States. However, it is difficult to fully enjoy the scenery because your heart breaks every time you slow down to go through a village, and hundreds of adults and children come up to the car and try to sell you food or other goods, just to make 100 CFA (25 cents).
Since our arrival in the village we have been extremely busy. We're pulling about 16 hour days (don't worry moms and dads, we'll be fine, we still manage to have a lot of fun). Dinners are our time to unwind, and we'll just say, if you ever have a chance to meet the storyteller side of Dr. Steve, go for it. Dr. Steve is our entertainment for the trip.
Thursday both the filtration group (Sam, Julie, Taylor) and solar groups (Sarah, Doug, Andrew)travelled to nearby Bafoussam (3rd largest city in the 'roon) to buy materials for part of the day. The filtration group spent most of the day with Nura, the local Peace Corps volunteer who is AMAZING. With Nura, the filtration group walked around Bamendjou to locate wood, cement, sand, and gravel, and to coordinate logistics to the mission (our workspace). The solar group was able to locate the same well repairman we used last June, and he travelled to Bakang to remove the hand pump (which will be replaced with a submersible pump powered by solar panels).
It's amazing how helpful everyone is here. When we met with the director of water and mining in Bafoussam, it took two sentences before he was on the phone tracking down the well repair man. The filtration team asked for plywood to be cut in half to be easy to transport and instead, they cut it to our exact specifications.(saving us lots of time cutting by hand)
As return trip members(Julie and Sam), through working with Nura on this trip(who wasnt here last june) we have been able to be more interactive with the people here, which is a really neat experience. Everyone knows why we are here, as we have had people here on 3 different trips now) and they are so excited for the project to progress.
Moving on to today.... This morning we trecked to the mission, which is on the way to the village, with all of our hand tools(we have a lot) because the vehicle that we normally use decided not to start. (it has already been fixed though! hooray!) We then continued a 45 minute hike to the village to the water committee meeting at the chiefs compound and we truely felt like we were lifting the burden! The water committee meeting, while extremely long, went very well. A local NGO gave a presentation on how to organize a water committee and they helped organize the elections.... there is now a full board for the water committee that was democratically elected, including a woman treasurer! We are meeting with them again on tuesday for water education, more detailed decription of the project, and water committee training. They are extremely happy we are back and they are excited that our website has given a "name" to their village. They report that villagers who have made it to europe(not many) have communicated that Bakang is on the world wide web!!!!!!!
After the meeting we split back into our groups... Solar group clearing a space for the solar racking system and cleaned out the bottom of the bore hole well. The filtration team has completed our first wood mold and we are ready to pour the concrete in the morning. Tomorrow is market day in Bamendjou!!!!! We are excited to experience this and we may even join in a weekly soccer game!
We are storing a lot of our solar panels and equipment in the chiefs home in Bakang, as it is easier not to transport them everyday. When Dr. Steve dropped them off yesterday he apologized to the chief, for not letting him know ahead of time. And the response from the chief was astounding... he said not to worry, that we(EWB UD) have sacrificed so much for Bakang. Which is astounding to us, because we all feel that no matter how much time we spend on this project, we always seem to get so much more back.
We are excited for the next few days, as the project is really coming together. We will try hard to post again soon, but we are very busy.
As always we love and miss everyone back home!
Important note... this trip would not be possible without all of our dedicated design team members and the University of DE community!!!!!
I-Team (Dream Team)
Friday, June 6, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Village arrival
Sam called today to say that they have made it to Mr. Mukam's house, which is their final destination for the trip until they leave. Hooray! I would have talked more with them but my lab gets pretty poor phone reception and it didn't ring in time. Oh well, sounds like they are doing pretty well!
-- Melissa
-- Melissa
Monday, June 2, 2008
Nous Avons Les Betes! (oops...Nous Sommes...)
Our first full day in Africa was successful: we went to the Embassy, exchanged money, and met with Dr. Nkeng of the school of Public works. Dr. Steve and Dr. Nkeng have a research collaboration for improving slow sand filters. The cameroonian student, Valentine, working with Dr. Nkeng seems excited about the project.
Our session with Peter Njodzeka was quite helpful. He's been working further north in Cameroon installing slow sand filters with the Hope College EWB. They report (1) nearly complete removal of bacteria, even from creek waters, and (2) significantly improved health with fewer illnesses reported. So we can anticipate similar success if all goes well in Bakang.
In Yaounde we are eating well. We ate a late lunch with our driver, Gui, at "Dolce Vita"... hamburgers, pizza, spaghetti, even ice cream! It was almost like being in America, except for that whole part where we had to order in french. In bamendjou our fare will be much more limited. For example, even Mr. Mukam's house has no refrigerator. Most cooking in homes uses an open fire.
We even finished our tasks a little early today, so we played a couple rounds of cards before a late dinner. Sam, card shark that she is, has taken everyones money and therefore the games have stopped. (just kidding!)
This is the first trip where we have 4 students returning to the 'roon, and only 2 newbies. The returning members are excited to show Taylor and Andrew the ropes. Taylor overslept a little this morning, but we will write this off as a rookie mistake. (hahah)
Thinking back to our previous trips, our crew seems less impacted by the crowds and conditions here. As a city Yaounde is in better shape than Douala and and most of us have already been through the initial culture shock. So far, anyway.....
Tomorrow we begin our journey to Bamendjou, where the real work begins. There are mixed emotions of excitement and nervousness here, as we are excited to finally implement but we are nervous because we understand what this new water system could mean for the community if it is effective.
Missing Everyone back in the states! Keep watching for blogs, but know that we will be very busy once we get to the village.
I-Team (Dream Team)
Our session with Peter Njodzeka was quite helpful. He's been working further north in Cameroon installing slow sand filters with the Hope College EWB. They report (1) nearly complete removal of bacteria, even from creek waters, and (2) significantly improved health with fewer illnesses reported. So we can anticipate similar success if all goes well in Bakang.
In Yaounde we are eating well. We ate a late lunch with our driver, Gui, at "Dolce Vita"... hamburgers, pizza, spaghetti, even ice cream! It was almost like being in America, except for that whole part where we had to order in french. In bamendjou our fare will be much more limited. For example, even Mr. Mukam's house has no refrigerator. Most cooking in homes uses an open fire.
We even finished our tasks a little early today, so we played a couple rounds of cards before a late dinner. Sam, card shark that she is, has taken everyones money and therefore the games have stopped. (just kidding!)
This is the first trip where we have 4 students returning to the 'roon, and only 2 newbies. The returning members are excited to show Taylor and Andrew the ropes. Taylor overslept a little this morning, but we will write this off as a rookie mistake. (hahah)
Thinking back to our previous trips, our crew seems less impacted by the crowds and conditions here. As a city Yaounde is in better shape than Douala and and most of us have already been through the initial culture shock. So far, anyway.....
Tomorrow we begin our journey to Bamendjou, where the real work begins. There are mixed emotions of excitement and nervousness here, as we are excited to finally implement but we are nervous because we understand what this new water system could mean for the community if it is effective.
Missing Everyone back in the states! Keep watching for blogs, but know that we will be very busy once we get to the village.
I-Team (Dream Team)
WE MADE IT
Hey Everyone,
We made it to our hotel in Yaoude safely. Some interesting re-packaging went on at the Philly airport, but we finally got all our things on the plane. Its a tad humid, but our rooms have air conditioning so we are pretty comfortable. We're going to register with the Embassy tomorrow as well as meet with Dr. Nkang. Hope all is going well in the states!!
I-Team
We made it to our hotel in Yaoude safely. Some interesting re-packaging went on at the Philly airport, but we finally got all our things on the plane. Its a tad humid, but our rooms have air conditioning so we are pretty comfortable. We're going to register with the Embassy tomorrow as well as meet with Dr. Nkang. Hope all is going well in the states!!
I-Team
June Implementation Trip
Exciting times -- yesterday the troops (aka Dr. Steve, Doug, Taylor, Andrew, Sarah, Sam, and Julie) rolled out on their way to Cameroon. I will update this space when I hear from them, but I haven't received any information just yet.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Post Trip Note
Thank you everyone who made this trip possible. If you are new to this blog, please read the past two site assessment trips, starting with the older posts first. The site assessment team has learned a great deal from this trip, but to continue our work we need financial help. Please visit our main site to follow our progress and contact us if you would like to get involved.
Thanks!
Doug, Amelia, and Dr. Steve
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Three reports from your EWB representatives as we wrap up this second trip to Cameroon:
-------------------------------------------------------
If anyone has been trying to follow the itinerary of our trip, then you will have quickly realized that we had to depart from it on many occasions. This trip has given us the opportunity to meet with many new people whose perspectives will surely help us make the best decisions possible. For an issue as important as potable water, we have learned not both sides to it, but at least a half dozen different viewpoints for the same goal. This trip has had its ups and downs, but for every failure we have seen, there have been clearly many more successful solutions in place.On Thursday we had finished talking with nearly everyone we had set out to contact. We decided to continue hiking through some of Bakang’s still unknown areas and discovered two new wells. The women who used them told us the familiar story that the wells were not used for drinking water. After taking pictures together with our digital cameras, I asked to take one more of them with my Polaroid. Giving them the slowly developing picture, it was a priceless moment to see their reaction when they realized they were looking at themselves. We could not understand what they were saying but they were very excited.
Our translator (Kom) teaches English at a local high school in Bamendjou and conversations with him turned to the teachers and facilities available there. Cameroon’s schools lack
the number of teachers needed and the high school has about half as many as it needs. Kom and the local PCV Nura also teach basic computer skills to the students, but a computer lab full of 40 students must share between four well used computers. Nura has tried to use paper keyboards to teach the students but what they need are more computers. Compared to a potable water system, bringing several old computers by American standards to the high school seems to be a small challenge.
After several last things to do in Yaoundé, we will shortly be heading home. This trip has been a great cultural experience and I look forward to sharing our adventures with everyone soon.
Doug
----------------------------------
We are coming to the end of our trip and it feels like we just got here. It is going to be such a drastic change to go from living in the village community where life just happens when it happens to a world where time and money tend to be the driving factors. Over breakfast this morning, I said how I feel like this is one of the first times in a long time where I have been truly relaxed, even though we have been constantly doing things. I have been thinking about the transition back into life at UD and I don’t feel that I will be ashamed for what I have, but rather grateful that I have the opportunities and the amenities to take advantage of these opportunities. It will be different though, not having every single person say “Bonjour” to you as you walk down the street. Life in this village is not easy, by our standards, but it is good. I am looking forward to sharing all of the experiences that I have had over these past few weeks with everyone and reflecting on the entire adventure.
We went to the “marché” yesterday which is the market in the village of Bamendjou. The traditional schedule includes an eight day week so the marché changes every week. There were countless numbers of tables every time you turned another corner. Everyone from the
We are heading back to Yaoundé for the last night. We are planning on having dinner with a friend of Olivia, one of our contacts, and running a few last minute errands. Then it is to Paris and Philadelphia!
-Amelia
--------------------
We left the Bamiléké highlands today, for the capital city of Yaoundé and then home. This was my second trip and I expect several more, but still, leaving was with a touch of remorse. The people here expect so much of us and I hope we will live up to their expectations.
Of course, I will never know life here as they know it. But I have learned more of their traditions and the pride they have in their long history as a people. While keeping their traditions, they are ready for the changes that will bring them better health and a more prosperous life. Education is taken seriously in spite of the pitiable lack of resources in the schools. In the larger cities we have met an educated class that struggles with how to lift the standard of living for their population. I have heard many Cameroonians repeat a popular slogan that “nous sommes ensembles” – “we are together.” I reflect on the fact that, of the many hand-dug wells we surveyed in Bakang, not one was over 25 years old. This means that the most people grew up with their only water source being the streams. Change is accepted, but gradually.
The red dust blows in the dry winds, coating the igneous rocks from which it came. The dirt road takes us along valleys sprinkled with the traditional steep roofs now made of corrugated metal. The population density is high, so even the generous earth is hard pressed to provide for the people. We’ve eaten sumptuously, but primarily of the mainstay foods—plantains, greens, carrots, potatoes, corn—that provide a marginal level of protein. Electricity and potable water are luxuries and simply unavailable in more remote areas such as Bakang.
Word travels fast here without the need for electronics. Everyone who sees us on the roads and footpaths of Bakang knows who we are and what we’re working on. As we’ve passed people, one of the greetings we’ve heard is “bon courage.” They seem to know that we do not have an easy task. But none of them understand that we do not have the financial resources that we need—so far, at least—to engineer and construct their water system. We come from America, the land of wealth and generosity. The most educated of them imagine that we can write a note to Bill Gates for the funding we need. But, of course, it’s much more difficult than this.
I did not know that Engineers Without Borders would place us in this dilemma. As we fly out of Africa tomorrow, I will be wondering: Are we really “together?”
Dr. Steve
-------------------------------------------------------
If anyone has been trying to follow the itinerary of our trip, then you will have quickly realized that we had to depart from it on many occasions. This trip has given us the opportunity to meet with many new people whose perspectives will surely help us make the best decisions possible. For an issue as important as potable water, we have learned not both sides to it, but at least a half dozen different viewpoints for the same goal. This trip has had its ups and downs, but for every failure we have seen, there have been clearly many more successful solutions in place.On Thursday we had finished talking with nearly everyone we had set out to contact. We decided to continue hiking through some of Bakang’s still unknown areas and discovered two new wells. The women who used them told us the familiar story that the wells were not used for drinking water. After taking pictures together with our digital cameras, I asked to take one more of them with my Polaroid. Giving them the slowly developing picture, it was a priceless moment to see their reaction when they realized they were looking at themselves. We could not understand what they were saying but they were very excited.
Our translator (Kom) teaches English at a local high school in Bamendjou and conversations with him turned to the teachers and facilities available there. Cameroon’s schools lack
the number of teachers needed and the high school has about half as many as it needs. Kom and the local PCV Nura also teach basic computer skills to the students, but a computer lab full of 40 students must share between four well used computers. Nura has tried to use paper keyboards to teach the students but what they need are more computers. Compared to a potable water system, bringing several old computers by American standards to the high school seems to be a small challenge.We also visited the church again to learn about their brick making abilities. It turns out that they do not make bricks in an oven, but instead use concrete and molds to make anything they need. It is part of an educational program to teach the technical aspects of the process and they were open to helping us make anything we could need in the future. We had one last meeting with the chief and he answered many of our concerns that had developed over the trip. He is a knowledgeable person and understands the requirements to keep a water system sustainable after we no longer come back to Bakang.
After several last things to do in Yaoundé, we will shortly be heading home. This trip has been a great cultural experience and I look forward to sharing our adventures with everyone soon.
Doug
----------------------------------
We are coming to the end of our trip and it feels like we just got here. It is going to be such a drastic change to go from living in the village community where life just happens when it happens to a world where time and money tend to be the driving factors. Over breakfast this morning, I said how I feel like this is one of the first times in a long time where I have been truly relaxed, even though we have been constantly doing things. I have been thinking about the transition back into life at UD and I don’t feel that I will be ashamed for what I have, but rather grateful that I have the opportunities and the amenities to take advantage of these opportunities. It will be different though, not having every single person say “Bonjour” to you as you walk down the street. Life in this village is not easy, by our standards, but it is good. I am looking forward to sharing all of the experiences that I have had over these past few weeks with everyone and reflecting on the entire adventure.
We went to the “marché” yesterday which is the market in the village of Bamendjou. The traditional schedule includes an eight day week so the marché changes every week. There were countless numbers of tables every time you turned another corner. Everyone from the
region was at the marché buying pretty much everything. There are regions where specific types of tables are set like the bakery section, the fresh produce, the fabric for dresses, the live animal section and various other sections. I was able to purchase the most wonderful piece of traditional art. It is a long stick that is beaded on one end with horse hair on the other end (slightly ignoring the vegetarian thing). This stick is given to the heads of families, a male, and used during various ceremonies to lead the family members in the traditional dances. All the various males used them at the funeral we went to over the weekend. Doug bought a traditional shirt with a beautiful pattern and Dr. Steve bought a blanket in this same pattern. While at the marché, it is expected that you will barter for your purchases. When the initial prices are given, they are so low that my face tends to ruin any ability to barter for a lower price. We were able to get a few things down though. We looked to buy an avocado (so fresh and wonderful) and they expected us to pay 10 cents! We got it down to 5 cents, but still felt that we were getting ripped off. People are constantly running up to you trying to get you to buy from their table. We tended to make big purchases at only a few tables and after thought we should have spread out our spending to more tables. The one thing that got to me was seeing a pig, still alive, strapped to the back of a motorcycle being taken home. The marché is such a big deal that the local beer company, “33”, sent a truck to the center of town that had a live band for the people to listen to. They weren’t that good, but it was fun to see.
We are heading back to Yaoundé for the last night. We are planning on having dinner with a friend of Olivia, one of our contacts, and running a few last minute errands. Then it is to Paris and Philadelphia!
-Amelia
--------------------
We left the Bamiléké highlands today, for the capital city of Yaoundé and then home. This was my second trip and I expect several more, but still, leaving was with a touch of remorse. The people here expect so much of us and I hope we will live up to their expectations.
Of course, I will never know life here as they know it. But I have learned more of their traditions and the pride they have in their long history as a people. While keeping their traditions, they are ready for the changes that will bring them better health and a more prosperous life. Education is taken seriously in spite of the pitiable lack of resources in the schools. In the larger cities we have met an educated class that struggles with how to lift the standard of living for their population. I have heard many Cameroonians repeat a popular slogan that “nous sommes ensembles” – “we are together.” I reflect on the fact that, of the many hand-dug wells we surveyed in Bakang, not one was over 25 years old. This means that the most people grew up with their only water source being the streams. Change is accepted, but gradually.
The red dust blows in the dry winds, coating the igneous rocks from which it came. The dirt road takes us along valleys sprinkled with the traditional steep roofs now made of corrugated metal. The population density is high, so even the generous earth is hard pressed to provide for the people. We’ve eaten sumptuously, but primarily of the mainstay foods—plantains, greens, carrots, potatoes, corn—that provide a marginal level of protein. Electricity and potable water are luxuries and simply unavailable in more remote areas such as Bakang.
Word travels fast here without the need for electronics. Everyone who sees us on the roads and footpaths of Bakang knows who we are and what we’re working on. As we’ve passed people, one of the greetings we’ve heard is “bon courage.” They seem to know that we do not have an easy task. But none of them understand that we do not have the financial resources that we need—so far, at least—to engineer and construct their water system. We come from America, the land of wealth and generosity. The most educated of them imagine that we can write a note to Bill Gates for the funding we need. But, of course, it’s much more difficult than this.
I did not know that Engineers Without Borders would place us in this dilemma. As we fly out of Africa tomorrow, I will be wondering: Are we really “together?”
Dr. Steve
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