I have to say I am a bit overwhelmed by all that’s around me, so many new things to take in, so many things I don’t know. I’m grateful now that we had the first couple days of the trip planned out before we left.
The process of going to Nkokonjeru went smoothly and we were well welcomed into the guest house at the convent. They had made signs saying things like, “You are Welcome!”, “We Love You”, and “Feel at Home”.
And to top it off, there were western style toilets and running water (but not for drinking).
Megan and I met Matt when we got in. I have to say it is a little humorous that the first time I’m meeting Matt is half a world away despite the fact that he was an hours drive away in California.
We have been briefed on the situation going on in town. Supposedly, it's the dry season and out of the 13 boreholes around the town, only a few are working. This puts us in a difficult situation: we could help out with this situation by helping to pay for the fixing of these pumps, but this would only let the leaders in town responsible for the pumps to get away with the whole, "leave if broken for long enough and some Mzungus (foreigners) will come fix it". Leaving it as is...letting the local political system engage...?
Development work certainly isn't easy.
Dagan Trnka, undergraduate student, Engineering, UC Davis
And to top it off, there were western style toilets and running water (but not for drinking).
Megan and I met Matt when we got in. I have to say it is a little humorous that the first time I’m meeting Matt is half a world away despite the fact that he was an hours drive away in California.
We have been briefed on the situation going on in town. Supposedly, it's the dry season and out of the 13 boreholes around the town, only a few are working. This puts us in a difficult situation: we could help out with this situation by helping to pay for the fixing of these pumps, but this would only let the leaders in town responsible for the pumps to get away with the whole, "leave if broken for long enough and some Mzungus (foreigners) will come fix it". Leaving it as is...letting the local political system engage...?
Development work certainly isn't easy.
Dagan Trnka, undergraduate student, Engineering, UC Davis
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