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Irene and SHARING.
Nakamatte Irene is tough and has a heart of gold, like most African women I have come to know. See this photo and more at: flikr.com/photos/dldt Photo by|Laura Watilo Blake Photo Reflection Blog by| Erin Huber, Director of Drink Local. Drink Tap. Irene has done whatever it takes in her 30 some-odd years on this … Continued
Gonzaga. My brother.
If there were a contest for the greatest smile, attitude and laugh on the planet- I would bet all the cows, elephants, money, and matoke in the world that my brother Gonzaga would win. Tom, Laura and I have laughed so many times about recording and downloading Gonzaga’s laugh as our phone ringer. Just sitting at … Continued
Father Joseph (the youngest priest)
Photo by Elbee Studio| Laura Blake Reflection by Erin Huber| Director Drink Local Drink Tap FATHER JOSEPH reminds me of an intelligent child. He has every quality of someone you … Continued
Patricia.
Patricia. As I look back at some writing I did in my personal journal pre- Africa, I found myself writing about being in love with these children and people of Africa before we ever met. I wondered if it was, in fact possible, to love someone you have never met? Well, it is. Patricia is … Continued
Joseph: The kid in the yellow shirt
PHOTO Reflections (Photo above by Laura Watilo Blake @elbeestudio) Joseph Ssekyanzi didn’t have a name until a few weeks ago after I tracked it down via emails for weeks across the globe to the small village of Mulajji, Uganda. This place is as rural as it gets, and Joseph’s hut is deep in the … Continued
Back from Africa WAVEMAKER presentation Gathering
We are back from Africa and boy do we have stories! Join us for an evening of fun and adventure! There will be raffles, fun, pictures, stories, and surprises! Battery Park Wine Bar Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 5:30-7:30 pm. See what people are saying about this event!
Awakenings in Africa
Awakening in Africa Photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dldt I will not forget the beautiful people we met through our journeys, the simple moments that made us smile, or the endless supply of matoke we consumed from daybreak to dinnertime. Most importantly, I will never forget the feeling of what it’s like to live in survival mode in Africa or … Continued
Bottled Water Facts and Links
August 2011 Bottled Water Facts from our friends at Hydros Presented by Online Education
September 9th, Back from Africa Movie Trailer, Photo-sharing night and more!
(View more photos on Flickr) Photo by: Laura Watilo-Blake at Elbee Studio Kibera Slum, Kenya- July 2011 Join us September 9th after returning home from 30 days in a place where people have never flushed a toilet, seen a lake, had a hot shower, or even know what a “tap” is. Access to safe … Continued
September 10th Beach Party Cleanup and Boat Float!
Join us for food, fun and floating! FREE event and all are welcome! Contact Babette Oestreicher with questions at babsearth@gmail.com Thank you to our food and fun sponsor:
Parting Thoughts
Africa is crazy. So much work to be done. Borrowed the money from Affinity Consultants, Inc. for the engineer to bring his equiptment out during the trip. After being here for weeks, we’ve realized how hard it is to communicate and organize anything in Africa. We have a few options for bringing water to … Continued
The journey home…
We were making cars from water bottles on our last day in Africa.
Celebrations and Sadness
Celebrations and Sadness as Our Visit Comes to an End As much as we were happy about the festivities, it also meant that our departure was imminent. We were all reflecting on our time together. Even though it was only a short time that we’d been at the school, we had really learned a lot … Continued
Parting thoughts
Holy matooke- it’s a hot one! We call today “africa hot” or “equater hot”- the locals laugh. Everyday we wake to roosters, no alarm clock here-power is a luxury. In fact, right now, I am watching the water crew nap near an outlet waking to the sporadic noise of power coming back on only for seconds. If … Continued
Africa Photo Gallery
Laura (also known as Namanda) performs with the kids from St. Charles School (now called St. Bonaventure) during a big celebration on Friday, July 29. People from the community seemed to appreciate the effort. They would come up during the performance and drop to their knees and present and offering of candy or money to … Continued
Name changes but the mission stays the same
While we’ve been raising funds for safe drinking water at the St. Charles School in Mulajje, Uganda, they’ve been going through a growth spurt. The school, which once included primary through high school, split into two schools on July 15. The school for the upper grade levels kept the name St. Charles, while the primary … Continued
A bit from TK…
Here is a snippet from the blog of TK, our cameraman. Visit his full blog here: Briefly, After 1 Week in Uganda I am well. The Ugandans have given me the name Mzunga Mwanda (white prince), which is very flattering. They call Erin Naruquagu (of the “chima” or monkey clan) and Laura Nmanda (of … Continued
The rain has come
We are currently experiencing a downpour, which has interrupted our second water meeting because people must walk from their homes. Erin had to push the meeting back to 5pm because she got stuck in Kampala trying to open a bank account, then got stuck in traffic because the king of Buganda was coming through. People … Continued
The First Drop
The rain has come! If there’s anything needed more than clean, safe drinking water, it’s a good downpour. The rainy season in Uganda usually starts in August, but the country has been going through a year-long drought that has ruined crops and driven prices up, causing people to conserve on even their most basic needs. … Continued
Ok Matoke
Bananas are not created equally. There are many kinds that grow in Uganda, but one is an important form of sustenance and a cultural symbol to the Buganda tribe, which dominates the central part of the country. Matoke. Most often, it’s mashed and steamed inside of banana leaves. In years gone by, it might have … Continued
The Kids are Alright
For one week, we’ve been at the St. Charles school in Mulajje, Uganda. The first day was a blur of 700 children, most wearing their blue school uniforms. But as we have spent more and more time with them, their names have started to roll off my tongue more easily — especially the kids who … Continued
Singing
Rose, Patricia and Gorrett practice for a performance. These kids live at the Ugandan school.
Ants in his pants
Filmmaker Tom Kondilas takes on red ants in Uganda … and loses.
More from Uganda
One of the teachers from St Charles school is off to a wedding: This is how kids get water at a bore hole…
From Uganda…
Three male teachers surround us in the school yard, just as thirsty for information as the kids they teach at the primary school. “Why don’t you drink our water? Is it not as clear as yours? Yes, it looks clear, but there are microscopic things you can’t see in it that causes illness, we explain. … Continued