Building toilet slabs

GOOD MORNING, I hope you are well! In my last Blog I discussed the technical aspect of the job to date. I apologise that the title 'Sudanese Children are Deceptively Good at Football' was slightly misleading.

Sudanese Children are Deceptively Good at Football

To clarify this previous title; I have begun playing football with one of the countless teams. They meet Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays about 1 hour before sunset.

I am not sure if I will ever adapt to their style of football. They rarely pass, going on incredibly ambitious runs around the opposition, and when they do pass, they are usually short and misplaced. In their defence, the reason for this could be the uneven surface they play on. To their credit, they NEVER STOP RUNNING! These are the fittest footballers I have ever played with! To run their distances in this heat, they seem inhuman! I have had to substitute myself twice now, and switch with the goal keeper also (much to the amusement of the onlookers). I say they are deceptive because they are all 6ft+ tall pipe cleaners (SKINNY).

Football is THE BIG INTEREST here in Wadakona. Their football pitch spills onto the dusty road (which is barely distinguishable), and further down the road two other teams can be seen playing! They take it to the next level, some playing in bare feet, still sporting their favourite club shirts; Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona - and lots of 'Totti' shirts (AC Roma star player).

Weeks Re-cap

So the past few weeks has been very interesting, as the team travelled to a place called Ayeth to survey their existing water supply. We knew they were taking water from the Nile, but the distance they were travelling to collect it was humbling. During the wet season young boys travel 1.5km to collect water. In the dry season the collection point turns to mud, and they are forced to travel an additional 1.5km. Using GPS we were able to assess these distances, and develop a water distribution system strategy along with a treatment design.

The community was home to approximately 2,000 people, with an additional 6,000 nomads joining them in the dry season. This number expected to grow around the referendum as people return home to vote. We are hoping to have the system installed before we leave for Christmas.

Life continues in the compound, my Arabic slowly progressing (along with peoples frustration from repeating the same phrases). I wanted to put it to the test on the weekend, so attended the local church which is 100% classical Arabic. I did not understand anything! After talking with the Bishop afterwards he told me the message was about the rich man and Lazarus.

Seeing the church packed with about 500 people reminded me that this was probably what church used to be like in the UK. THE CENTRE OF THE COMMUNITY. A place to meet and chat with your pals.

I realised that I was not the only white person in the county (as I had originally thought). I met Sister Mary, an elderly Irish nun posted at the convent adjacent to the church. I hope to join her for tea at some point this week.

Building Toilet Slabs

So the main project for the past week has been the construction of trial latrine slabs. The significance of these slabs, are that they do not have any reinforcement. They designed as a dome with the knowledge that arches transfer the central load to the abutments. The concrete mix contains more aggregate and sand then usual concrete mixes making it very strong.

Sudanese children are deceptively good at football!

Good evening friends, family and folks!

I hope as you read this you are savouring the ebbing heat of the British summer. If you are unhappy saying goodbye to the heat, remember that Sudanese climate has begun it's turn around towards the summer. Temperatures are a moderate 24 deg.C at night, and in the afternoon 40 deg.C. Just a taste of things to come I understand!

So, the adventure has not disappointed. My manager (JP) is slowly easing me into various projects we are managing and implementing. My experience is working with an engineering consultant, and Medair operate in a very similar way. They conduct the needs/feasibility assessment, design a strategy, seek funding, prepare tender documents, appoint a contractor, and supervise the implementation and manage contracts.

The significant difference is that Medair is flexible to act as a contractor for their own projects to save costs. Doing this has drawbacks, such as the increase in Medair staff, and the additional associated implementation risks. I am involved in about five different projects in the Upper Nile State off South Sudan. The overview mandate is to provide access to improved drinking water to over 40,000 people before December 2011. This pivots largely on the outcome of the election in early January (this is a huge topic, I will talk about another time).

So Medair have decided to implement three of the projects themselves, bringing on casual labour from the community, sourcing and purchasing all materials. While this is an exciting variation to my usual work, I am sure it will bring enormous HR problems. Before employing local labour for jobs like trenching, excavation, concrete work and simple building we will request the community authority pledge labour support for free - after all, it is for their benefit.

Following construction, we formally hand over the infrastructure to the water committee (facilitated and supported by Medair). The Kiosk staff then charge customers a small amount for clean water, supplying more then enough revenue for maintenance and staff payment. Finally turning the water supply into a self-funding system, without bankrupting the local population.

So, I am sorry if this entry was a bit boring and technical for you, next time I will supply some classic Damon cheesiness about feelings and hearty things.

Keep well, Damon

APOLOGIES ALL.

After talking to my perceptive girlfriend Joanne - she tells me the post is 'Too Cold'... So, here is some soppyness.

The scale of the task is starting to be revealed to me. I am transerred fortnightly between Melut and Wadakona to supervise construction activities. During my last transfer I met a gentleman named Samuel. He was fortunate to have been driven about 6 hours to Melut, where he was diagnosed (at a Medair Public Health Unit) with an excruciatingly painful Cyst. From Melut he joined us on our four and a half hour boat journey North to Wadakona. During this time he was incapacitated, barely able to move, having to be lifted in and out of the boat, each time enduring unfathomable pain. Upon arrival, we unloaded the boat and he continued North for another four hours to the Medair Public Health Care Centre in the larger town of Renk where I understand he was operated on upon immediately!

Three days on we look back at his ordeal, and about seven of us are going to Renk (on the weekend) to wish him speedy recovery. As I look at his journey I remember something else odd that day. A random lady was also on the boat and never left his side. When I asked Stephan, our driver, he told me she was his mother.

Samuel travelled almost the distance of England, via land and river to receive treatment from one of 200 registered doctors in the country. Humbling statistics. But he survived, and is testimony to the value of life. Live it!