Water to Thrive

Notes by Joyce Moeller

We flew on Ethiopian Airlines from Gondar, where we visited the ancient castles of 17 kings, to Addis Ababa, the capital city of this country. We held several Water to Thrive meetings with NGO’s (non-government organizations) that implement water projects.

We say goodbye to Kattie Somerfeld of Lutheran World Relief, one of the W2T travelers, who is flying on to Kenya to visit a friend who is working for the United Nations in the Somali pirate trials. They are flying to a beautiful beach…so we are wishing we were going there, too. Tomorrow we will be sightseeing in Addis and then departing for the U.S. Sunday evening.

At the moment, we are in our hotel room after a tasty dinner at a local Mediterranean restaurant. For dinner, we enjoyed the company of Alem Tesfay of Diversity Tours.  Alem assisted in the planning of the June 2011 trip and served as our guide for the trip.  We spent time mapping out possible itineraries for another similar tour in May/June of 2012. Ethiopian food is good, especially the lamb. It tastes more like beef. In Addis one can find any kind of restaurant you can imagine. I would compare Addis to NYC…many people (6-7 million) and a lot going on. Clothing is modern (like skinny jeans) and the women wear makeup and they are very attractive. In the country side, life is like it was 1,000 years ago. There is a wedding on the 2^nd floor and we’re on the 3^rd floor. Loud music until about 11:00.

This is my first trip to Ethiopia and Dick’s 6^th. I have taken about 2,000 photos and I’ve kept a notebook of thoughts, too. It is sad to think about leaving the friendly people that we have met along the way. They are so kind and gentle and have big hearts. Many speak English well enough to converse a little and others are fluent. The children learn English in addition to their own language.  After a good grade on the national exam, kids can go to government universities free of charge.  I am very hopeful for this nation and the people.

As far as the well projects, it is a very good way to help the neediest people in the world with the basic of life…water. We saw the joy of clean water being pumped as well as communities where they desperately need clean water. I understand so much more about the need now …most Americans can’t grasp the need because we’ve simply not seen these remote communities and their incredibly difficult circumstances. Brown runoff puddles and a contaminated spring with leeches!

This is a life-changing adventure.

With our visit to Robit yesterday we have wrapped up our visits to projects and communities for this trip.  Today, we will be meeting with representatives from our implementing partner ORDA and from the local zone administration.  We first meet with Director Dejene from ORDA, who oversees all of the water and sanitation projects for ORDA.  Then we met jointly with the Amare Setia, Vice Administrator  of the North Gondar Zone.  Our purpose in these meetings were to raise the visibility and importance of the collaboration needed between all parties to complete the remediation work needed to improve the sustainability of the W2T projects in Degola Chinchaya.  Also, a critical item for the completion of the borehole project in Robit in the coming months is the timely availability of electricity for the pump needed at the well site.  An agreed upon set of actions were discussed among the parties and our managing partner, Glimmer, will be following up weekly to ensure timely completion of the work.

The afternoon brought a heavy downpour of rain for several hours, so we took the opportunity for lunch.  After lunch, we spent some time touring the Gondar castles.  The six castles constructed on the compound were home to 17 kings over about 200 years starting in 1630.  During this period, Gondar was both the center of commerce and government for Ethiopia.

Tomorrow we depart for Addis, so we take the opportunity to share some social time and conversation at the Dashen Brewery with the staff of Glimmer and ORDA. Their hospitality has been heartwarming and their coordination of our schedule all for three effective days of field work.

Note from Joyce Moeller

I hope the photos that are included here will help you to get the feel of this part of the world. You might enjoy seeing the women’s clothing and their beautiful faces. They bear much of the burden of carrying water, along with their children, work in the fields, herd cattle, child care, cooking, etc. in a mud hut with an open fire inside for cooking. Their huts are very modest and usually without windows and with dirt floors. They are eager to wave at passing vehicles and show their great smiles. The head scarves serve to shield their heads from the hot sun, dust, and for decoration.

The church interior is on the Mekane Jesus (Orthodox Christian) compound where the priest and his family along with the caretakers live and serve the community. The building is very basic with crosses on the front double doors, dirt floors and wooden benches. We enjoyed coffee with the priest and staff, then we visited the water points in the area

We’ll fly from Gondar to Addis tomorrow (Saturday) and then Sunday we will fly back home. Our time here has flown by. Every day was filled with new adventures of all kinds and meeting wonderful Ethiopians along the way. I’ve taken about 2000 photos…really! Some will be deleted, but the majority will be a reminder of the life changing trip to Ethiopia. Wow!

Today is one of the most anticipated days of the trip…..we are headed to Robit!.  Robit is a village of about 7,000 people located south and west of Gondar.  It is one of Glimmer’s 2011 Integrated Community Developments (ICD’s).  The total project includes a new high school, major additions to the primary schools, a large health post and of course, clean, safe water.  As part of this overall project, Water to Thrive and its supporters committed to fund a deep bore hole water well, a reservoir and 8 water points serving the central part of the community.

The logistical challenges of executing this very large project are immense for the staffs of Glimmer and ORDA.  It is typically about a 2 hour drive from Gondar to Robit.  The last 10 miles of the route will normally take about 40 minutes on a good day.  Most of that stretch crosses a very fertile, low lying river bottom that during the rainy season is often completely flooded. When wet, the soil turns to slippery goo.

For our part of the project, the special challenge has been getting a drilling rig to the well site in Robit.  In early May, a drilling rig arrived at the point of entering the last 10 mile stretch and turned back.  While the rainy season had not started in earnest, the road was already too much of a risk for  such heavy equipment and it had to turn back.

But now it’s a different story…….we are drilling in Robit as you read this! The rig arrived on October 31^st. It was a real blessing for us and the community of Robit to see the rig there drilling away.  Today, they reached a depth of 60 meters, approximately 180 feet.  From the assessment, the hydrologist and drilling team are expecting to hit the main aquifer at between 300 and 350 feet sometime next week.  That will allow them to begin assessing the well and water flow in order to size the pump.

The drilling crew was very friendly and helpful, so we received a firsthand briefing about the drilling rig, how it operates and the way the mud flow works to remove the drilling debris from the depths of the bore hole.  The rig is less than one year old and made in India.  Very impressive!

The completed project will have 8 water points: one for the new health post, one for the primary school, one for the new high school and 5 distributed though the village.  While there are challenges that still lie ahead to complete the project, we left with our spirits high and a clear vision that clean safe sustainable water is on its way to the community of Robit.

Notes from Joyce Moeller:

I had so looked forward to going to Robit today. We had rain late yesterday and I knew it might prevent our visit. We started out on a paved road (off and on), then a dusty gravel road, and then across a n unimproved dirt track until we arrived at Robit. The sight of the drilling rig was beautiful! I learned all about mud drilling from the crew. The people of Robit are desperate for water.

We arrived back at the hotel in Gondar for lunch at 3:00 and afterward our hosts drove us to the nearby Ploughshare Women Crafts Training Center. It was begun to assist women who didn’t have husbands and who were single parents. They are taught to make various crafts such as kiln-fired pottery, weavings, baskets and rugs. It was subsidized for 8 years and is now independently operated. The center pays the women and gives them the opportunity to provide for their families. The director gave us a grand tour, including the barn where their milk cows are kept. It was impressive. We enjoyed the gift shop where their products are proudly displayed for sale.

At 7:30 am this morning we depart the hotel headed for the airport to catch a flight for Gondar, our next destination. Today Homer will continue on to Addis Ababa to catch a flight to Washington DC tomorrow in order to make some meetings there on the weekend.  It has been a joy having him share this experience with us.

After a short flight, we land on time in Gondar and are met by the staff members from Glimmer and Organization for the Redevelopment of Amhara (ORDA).  After a quick lunch break, we head to the field for project visits.  We are met by some unexpected rain, but not so much that it keeps us from pressing on…..later the skies clear.

The projects we visit today are in an area called Degola Chinchaya, about an hour’s drive on a nice road south of Gondar.  W2T funded 10 projects in this area in 2010 and another 13 in 2011, so today we are visiting 5 projects that are part of the 2011 funding.

The visits to the first two well sites are a perfect example of why we take regular trips to check on our projects.  The first two sites, Senkor Mensk 1 & 2, are finished and are in full use by the community.  That is the good news.  But we immediately notice a number of items that need remediation, mostly caused by poor site layout and poor drainage.    The issue is compounded by the fact that these two projects are located in a low area that has poor drainage in the rainy season (just ending).  We discuss with local community members the steps that need to be taken to insure the proper sanitation around the projects and to protect the well from contamination. Also, the head of the local water bureau was informed of the problems and we will be meeting face to face with him on Friday to discuss the plans to engage the community to carry out the steps to remediate the problems.

Our final stop of the day was at Tejitu Agam.  For sure it brought a joyful end to our time in the field.  When we arrived at the project, students from a nearby school had just been released for the day.  When they saw us coming, they all reversed direction and started heading for our cars….so we were greeted by 300 to 400 happy, smiling children.  Some went with Kattie and Dick to the well site, but most stayed back to make friends with Joyce.

Notes from Joyce Moeller

While we visited 5 well sites today…the final stop at Tejitu Agam was really special. After bumping down a trail, we could see that school had just let out and about 300-400 kids were suddenly coming our way. We waved and they waved back, and were so excited to see us. We got out of the vehicle and we were immediately surrounded by the kids with wonderful big smiles. They were most anxious to be in a picture. They have had enough English lessons in school to say “hello” and to try to chat with me. It’s not easy to chat without using verbs. Dick and Kattie were at the well surrounded by children, too, but they had the translators with them. I decided to practice English skills or to teach a few words, so I would say “nose” and point to my nose, then “eye”, then “ear” and so on. They knew most of these and were tickled to show me their skills.

When I first arrived in Ethiopia, the dirty and tattered clothing was a distraction for me, but I don’t notice it much anymore…that is swept to the side by those big, beautiful smiles that win me over every time, for sure. They are very polite and I just wanted to hug all of them. It was a unforgettable experience with the children today.

From now to June of 2012, W2T will be funding about 60 projects with our partner in Tigray, REST.  About two thirds of these projects are located in the tabia of Seglamen, a short drive to the west of Axum.

This morning we will make our way to several villages in Seglamen that are in desperate need of clean safe water.  Our purpose is to hear directly from these communities so that we can better understand their circumstances and to become better advocates for helping to solve the water crises in this area.

Our first stop is at the spring collection hole for the community of Enda Aramat.  It is located at the end of a steep, rocky and narrow path.  When we arrive, several community members are waiting for us, along with their cattle who share this water.  Fortunately, this spring runs all year with good water flow, but in its current form it is contaminated by the animals and runoff from the surrounding area.  W2T will be sponsoring a new spring development system that will include capping the spring, building a reservoir and water point with multiple faucets.  In addition, a separate watering trough for the animals will be installed to protect the cleanliness of the spring.

Our second stop is at the community of May Quo.  We reach their water collection spring after crossing a river bed and proceeding up a long hill to a spring source.  The community is waiting to discuss their needs with us.  We learn that, unlike Enda Aramat, the spring at May Quo usually runs dry four or five months of the year.  This requires the women to walk to another river, about 1 ½ hours away to fetch water.  The terrain is so steep that they cannot carry the water on their backs, but must depend on donkeys to transport the water during this time.  Because of the distance, they are only able to fetch once per day. Since the spring is not dependable, the assessment done by REST indicates the best solution for the community will be a shallow borehole well, located several hundred yards up the hill close to the top, making it more accessible.

Third, we visit with the community of May Agam.  This community is also using a natural spring water collection hole for their water source, but, like May Quo, this spring is dry typically 3-4 months of the year.  During this time, the women and children are forced to walk 2-3 hours each way to a nearby river to fetch water.  Some of the women said they would awake as early as midnight to start their journey so they could return in time to do their other household chores.  In addition, the spring is infected with leeches.  The adults are careful not to ingest the leeches because they strain the water, but it is sometimes a problem for the school children who frequent this water hole on the way to school.  W2T will be sponsoring a hand dug well near this spring to solve this community’s need for clean, safe and sustainable supply of water.

While this has been only 3 communities today, we know that circumstances similar to these are repeated at all 60+ (and thousands more just like them) of the water projects that we will be funding.  We leave more committed than ever to our mission of clean water for those in desperate need.

We spend our afternoon sightseeing in Axum, a city of about 100,000. For well over two thousand years, Axum has played a key role in the development and history of this region.  It has been the home of many  kings and has served as the head of the Ethiopian Christian Church for many centuries. There are numerous active archeological sites being worked in the area, but this is such an ancient land that no one really knows what is yet to be uncovered.

The Axum obelisks are pre- and post-Christianity with tombs of kings under them with many chambers. The obelisks are all single pieces of granite taken from a quarry located about 3 miles from Axum. We then drove to a nearby point where farmers found a huge granite “sign” engraved with three languages, Greek and two Ethiopian. It was a “welcome to Axum” sign and then it lists the rules from the king.

Next we visit the compound of The Church of St. Mary of Zion.  This compound houses three different, but very important churches. The most famous is the Church of the Arc of the Covenant.  Many believe the Arc of the Covenant is housed here and protected for life by the Guardian monk. The monks who serve him live in the monastery located in the compound. The third church is the St. Mary’s of Zion, built by Haile Selassie  The church is beautiful and huge. We saw a 500 year old holy book with many hand paintings illustrating the Bible.

The Axum area has many important artifacts of Axumite and Ethiopian history and culture, but many are not properly preserved.  The great news is that the long awaited museum for Axum is now under construction and should be finished in the next several years.

The morning we depart from our hotel on time at 8 am to head north toward Axum, our final destination for the day.  About an hour into the drive, Dick realizes, with a panicked look on his face, that he left his small suitcase in the restaurant at the hotel in Mekele after breakfast…..that brought a screeching halt to our progress!  The bag contained computer, phone, electronic items as well as the backup copy of all the pictures for the trip.  It was decided that the best option was for one car to head back to the hotel to retrieve the bag while the other car proceeded on to the next town, Wukro, to wait.  Fortunately the REST office is near the hotel, so a REST(Relief Society of Tegray) staff member went to the hotel to confirm that the bag was at the reception….a big sigh of relief all around!

After the cars reconnected, we continued on our way north to Adigrat for a lunch stop. Refreshed with some nourishment (spaghetti for some and roasted “lamp” (lamb) for others), we continued westward toward Axum.  Immediately after Adigrat, we entered a beautiful, rugged mountain range called Mugulat.  The drive is very panoramic, with high mountains and deep gorges cut by the river.  The initial part of the drive along the ridge of the mountain range, is the watershed divide for Ethiopia.  On the right of the ridge, water flows north toward the Red Sea, and on our left, the water flows south and west toward the headwaters of the Nile.

About 3 pm, we arrive at the W2T project call Mai Shana-2.  This project is among the very first projects funded by Triumphant Love Lutheran Church, the home congregation of Joyce and Dick. It was completed in the spring of 2008, so the community has enjoyed the blessing of clean water for over 3 ½ years.

We interviewed the water council members present (a few had to leave before we arrived to tend to their animals and crops because we were two hours late) and had a lively discussion about the many benefits that the community had realized.  One of the most important was the elimination of the effects of cysticercosis. This is caused by a parasite that enters the blood stream and can eventually lead to death if untreated.  This area of Tigray is particularly known for the prevalence of this water borne disease. This community no longer suffers the effects this disease at all….. completely gone!

The committee shared with us that the well has continued to provide water year round without interruption.  While the pump has needed a few minor routine repairs, the community has been able to handle these with the training provided by REST.

Comments by Joyce Moeller

For those who are following us on this blog from our church, I want to say that it was an awesome sight to see the well and to meet the people whose lives have been saved because of clean water!!!! When I saw the sign with Funded by TLLC (spelled out), it was very emotional moment. Every $10 donation to W2T has changed the life of one person in that area…and I’ve seen THE well and even chatted with the people via an interpreter. It is a powerful experience, and we thank God that so many people in the U.S. want to reach out to those who have so little.

This morning we head to the field to visit more communities with our partners, Glimmer and REST (Relief Society of Tigray).  We drive about 2 ½ hours north of Mekele to the Gule tabia (village).  This area is similar to Senale which we visited yesterday…..lots of farming, cattle and a major need for clean sustainable water supplies for these rural communities.  REST has recently completed a group of 7 projects for W2T in this tabia.

We spend the majority of the day visiting with the communities at four of these projects, celebrating the new blessing of clean, sustainable water and exchanging expressions of gratitude and thankfulness.  We shared a meal including a local fruit, ambasha (local wheat bread), honey, popcorn and the coffee ceremony.  We were entertained with dancing, singing, drum beat and speeches at several of the locations and always greeted with happy, smiling faces.

The remainder of today’s account will be devoted to three other activities that filled part of our day.  First, near the first village we visited, we were invited into a local home to see firsthand the positive impact of sanitation and hygiene training on the family living.

One of the photos shows the home compound made of local stone. The front door opens into a courtyard and the actual home is one side of the square. One door opens into grain storage, the next is the living room and bedroom, and the third door opens into the kitchen which has a modern open fire “stove top” which vents the smoke out of the room (a new concept). I took photos inside and you must see it to believe it…very efficient, basic, dark and tiny…with dirt floors. From the courtyard, you can see two new “model home” features…a contained latrine and a shower. These are very modern items. Most Ethiopians are farmers and they plant mostly grain in every tiny plot. This is more than an adventure, education and humbling experience.

Second, the group visited the recently completed (by Glimmer of Hope) Gule health post.  It is staffed by two health workers with whom we were able to discuss their health programs.  The health clinic provides exams, family planning, mid-wife deliveries, post-natal support and medications.  The health workers are on-call 24 hours per day.  The health post is also the training center for community volunteers that assist their villages with health and hygiene education.

Back in Mekele, we visited a women’s co-op which employs 33 women who were unemployed and desperately needed jobs. They roast and dry onions, garlic and peppers (among other things) then make shiro (from chickpeas) and also berberi (which is used in daily Ethiopian cooking and can include as many as 18 spices. This group sells their goods to two university campuses and a hospital. 2-3 cows are also a part of their co-op operations. This operation is very successful and growing.

Tomorrow we will be making our way to the historical city of Axum, in northern Tigray.

After a two day break, we are now back in the field visiting with communities and projects in the Senale Tabia.  We head out to the field with our partner, REST, about 8:00 am. The Senale area is about a two hour drive from Mekele, with a lot of rugged, off road driving.  It is beautiful, alternating mountains and valleys, with many cattle and crops of teff and maize.

The surface beauty of the area belies the underlying rugged and difficult nature of the area.  On W2T’s first visit to the area about 18 months ago, Senale had not received any meaningful rain in over 4 years, creating  significant hardships for both gathering water and farming.

W2T responded by funding 12 projects for the area.  These are scattered down a mostly dry river/creek bed valley and serve the communities living in the area with clean, safe, sustainable water.  Currently, 10 of the 12 projects are finished and operational and the other two should be finished by year end.  The two unfinished projects have some special logistical challenges that need to be overcome.

Today we visit 7 of the twelve project sites, 6 completed and one in progress.  It is market day today in this area, so many of the people are occupied with that, but we still had great celebrations with the communities that brought broad smiles all around.  We inaugurated the water projects at May Laele and Genti School and shared special moments with both communities of thankfulness and gratitude.

REST and Glimmer continue major programs in this area to improve safe water coverage for the communities.  W2T will be funding an additional 23 projects in the Senale area that will be constructed from January to June of 2012.

We arrive back at the hotel about 6 pm, exhausted but all agreeing that this had been our best day in the field yet.  After quick refreshing showers, we enjoy some hospitality, local cultural dancing and some great food.  The restaurant specializes in fresh, grilled steak and shiro (vegetarian).  The beef is hanging in the butcher shop and the patrons can watch the butchers select and cut the meat for their dinner!

By Joyce Moeller

Today we traveled all day to arrive in Mekele to meet with the staff of Relief Society of Tigray (REST). For the next two days we will be visiting completed water projects in the Senale and Gule tabias (like a county).

Mekele is a bustling city of commerce and it has a large government university and a nursing school. We traveled from Lalibella, NE through a mountainous region. There were many switchbacks and it seemed like Colorado at times and at other times it felt like West Texas terrain. The scenery for the first third of our journey is dramatic and beautiful.

There were many ups and downs, many small villages and more huts scattered throughout. Almost everyone in Ethiopia is a farmer, so we saw many working in their terraced fields. The farmers are amazing….finding a way to cultivate even the tiniest of parcels on the hillsides. The major crops in the area are teff (a high protein grain), maize (corn for people and stalk for animals), and sorghum. Everyone walks to wherever they are going (great distances) carrying water jerry cans, sticks for cooking, large bags of food from the nearest town, and wearing layers of shawls that protect from the sun. Heads are usually covered to protect against the sun, as well.

We spotted camels for the first time on our trip. They were hauling loads of hay and large bags for the farmers. The children clad in red are walking from school. Children wear uniforms in different colors or partial uniforms according to what they can afford.  Each school typically has its own color.

Lalibella by Joyce Moeller

Wow! I tried to come here with an open mind for a wonderful adventure to Ethiopia after having seen hundreds of photos, reading blogs and hearing from others who have been in the W2T travel group, but none of that could capture the real thing!

The main purpose of the trip is to check on the completed W2T water wells, look at the sites in desperate need of clean water, meet and talk to the people…and then sightseeing on the side. Well, today was our tourist day in Lalibella…along with many other tourists from around the world. We flew here to save a two day drive (Ethiopia is twice the size of Texas). The town  is nestled in the mountains and is the home of the world’s most astounding sacred sites…11 rock-hewn churches, each carved entirely from a single block of granite with its roof at ground level. King Lalibella commissioned these structures around the 12^th century. He wanted support from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and his goal was to create a New Jerusalem for those who could not make the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Tens of thousands of Ethiopians come every Christmas from across the land to make their pilgrimage to Lalibella.

Photographs can’t capture the majestic beauty and awe of these structures. The inside carvings on the ceilings and walls are amazing. 40,000 subjects chiseled for 26 years to complete them. They are among the most extraordinary architectural creations of human civilization. The churches are still used every day. Priests and worshipers are inside praying. It’s one of those “got to see it to believe it” things.

We had an excellent guide, the weather is beautiful, the W2T group travelers are fun and it is truly an adventure beyond belief in so many ways. The people of Ethiopia are so kind and gentle, and always have a smile. English is taught in the schools and the children want to use their skills. They greet us, ask our names and where we live. When we answer, America, they usually say “Obama”! These may be some of the poorest people in the world, but their beautiful smiles light up the world. Today we will drive almost all day to Mekele and another adventure begins. Wish you were here!