Pumping water in Mulenje

This is the final post of the 4 part serries on Mulenje.  Since our last post on this subject we had the water from each borehole tested for the quality of water it would deliver.  The test results indicated that there was a level of coliforms in each of the wells.  So add a step to the process by super chlorinating the borehole, let it sit for 24 hours and then pump water back out of the well to remove the leftover chlorine.  After that we had to test the water again.  This time the tests came back clean.  So now it is back to work on setting pumps and doing the civil work of the aparon and drain.  March 4th we completed the last construction of the 5 boreholes in this project and they are all pumping water. 

 



We started on February 22 by setting the pedistal for the well over the casing that was installed when the borehole was drilled.  We started at the Mulenje Community School.





Once the pedistal is in place the pump was attached to the rod and pipe.

 

 

The pump, rods and pipes are then put in to the pedistal and down into the casing.

 





For this well a total of 39 meters of rod and pipe were installed.  That put the pump far enough below the static water level of 15 meters to maintain a constant flow of water from a hand pump.  The rest of the pump assembly is now installed.

When that is complete we test the pump by drawing up a little water. 

 

 

We did this for the next 3 boreholes and then they were ready for the aparon and drain.  Number 5 borehole was not ready to be installed as the community had not paid their portion to the contractor.  So we started the civil works in hopes that before we finished they could pay and we could complete their well.  The civil work requires form work for the concrete.  The contractor made a steel form for the apron and used timbers for the drain.  Here the form work is set at the Mweetwa well and the village crew is spreading the concrete around the pedistal.

 

 

 Here is what it looks like when it was finished at Nkhokoma. 

 

 

Community number 5 paid most of their money so we decided to do the civil work first on that well.  The community promised to have the rest of the money for the contractor when we set the pump. Doing the civil work first works better except water has to be hauled in to do the concrete instead of getting it form the well.  By the time we got to #5 the crew had learned a few things about form work.  Notice the spreaders and ties used to keep the forms straight. 

 

 

After pouring the concrete on this one we set the pump the next day.  Here is water coming from the 5th well.  Happy Birthday, Marianne.

 

 

Last but not least is the hired transport to move the forms and materials from site to site.

 

 

It is finished.

 

 

 

Drilling and Testing Boreholes in Mulenje

This post is a follow up to two previous posts dated May 31, 2015 and July 19, 2015.  All three deal with the effort of developing water sources for Mulenje Community School and some of the surrounding communities.  The May post dealt with locating the boundaries of the Mulenje Village and the July post dealt with the locating possible sites for wells.  This post now starts to develop the water sources.  It has been hard work getting to the point where we can drill the 5 boreholes.  Convincing the people of the village that we are serious about helping them is a challenge since they don't have a lot experience with organizations providing help.  The other challenge is getting them to contribute funds for the establishment of the water points.  We have persevered for several months through this process and now have a project approved to develop their wells.  Now there is another type of hard work, manual labor.  We are removing the drill rods from the hole we just drilled.  You see it is easy work for the man with the white shirt and tie.

But then he has to sit back and observe.  I had the man that was sitting in the chair get up so I could sit down in his recliner and then he took my picture.  His first with a camera.  I thought he did a pretty good job for a beginner.

  

 Or maybe even take a nap in the shade of the hut.

After we finished drilling we took a break for the week-end and then started into pump testing and taking samples for water quality tests.  Here we are measuring the water level as the pump (generator operated submersible pump) is taking water from the borehole.  The yellow tape measure has a sensor on the end of it that sends a signal when it touches the water.  We record the water level at intervals so we know how fast the water level in the borehole is dropping.

 We also record the water level at intervals after turning off the pump to see how fast the water level is recovering in the borehole.

This one is flowing at about 1.75 liters per second.  We pumped out about 10,000 liters of water while we were doing our test.  This borehole could easily handle a submersible electric pump but there is no electricity anywhere near. 

Now it is time to stop in for a little relaxation.  We found this string instrument in the local Catholic church.  It is close to the school so we stop here because their pit latrine has a concrete floor.  It is the best in town, well maybe best in the bush.  

Finally it is back to work coordinating with the village on what they need to do so we can continue.  They just need to contribute a small amount to the expenses so that they can feel ownership of the well.  Oh well.  We can't break the culture either of the men sitting one place and the women somewhere else.  The water is for the women but the men want to dominate the control.  We require 50% participation from the women on the Water Committee.  

Mom's Water Week

This post is about many experience with water the week of January 18 -24.  It started with a visit on Tuesday to Naluyanda Health Clinic where we have been trying to refurbish a solar well.  On the way we stopped for a short visit at the school.  There was a class room of students inside equal in amount to all of our grandchildren.  But outside there were another group of students and it didn't take long before they were being taught about the parts of the body.

 

 

We went to the Clinic to encourage their committee to collect funds so they could pay for part of the expense of repairing the well.  The amount needed is 600 kwacha which is equivalent to $55.   On Wednesday we traveled to Chongwe to meet our drilling company so we could take them to the sites in Mulenje.  We waited most of the day in Chongwe while they had 3 flat tires repaired.  With the help of our ace negotiator (CKB) we were able to convince them that they needed to go to Mulenje School and spend the night instead of returning to Lusaka.  That way they would be ready to drill in the morning.  We arrived, as promised, at 6 a.m. and waited for them to get ready.  Someone was real happy when they started drilling.

 

 

So while the drilling is going on what else is there to do.  We are drilling at the community school so there are children, some of which are there but can't go to school because they have no money for the school fees.  They are going to get taught something anyhow.

 

 Later in the day we moved the the second location, Nkhokoma community, to drill a second borehole.  We finished late that night but during the drilling you know who found Grama.  The kids.

 

 

This one was one of Mom's favorites.

 

 

 Because we started drilling this one late in the afternoon we left our site monitor there to stay with the locals overnight. We arrived home after 21 hour and then prepared to return the next morning by 7:30. Again we had to wait for the crew to get up and going. The next boreholes to drill was at Kapandila community. Here we set up by a big tree.

 

 

We drilled and then the excitement happened as they were flushing the well.

 

 

There was plenty of water and too much pressure and the poly pipe they were using to blow compressed air into the hole came flying out like a 60 meter long snake.  You don't want to get hit by that pressurized pipe.  We finished here and then moved on to the next site, Chindola B community.  It was late in the day when we started but the kids still found Grama.

 

 

 

We didn't finish that one the same day as they drilled but lost some of the casing in the hole when the glue failed to hold on one of the joints.  It was late and the men were tired so we stopped and returned the next morning at 6 to flush and then move to the last site, Mweetwa.  Here Grama and the kids found a front row seat as the action started.

 

 

And here we are at the end of drilling the last hole with Abinala Daka, the Mulenje Village Secretary; Steven Manyoma, the Village Advisor to the Head Woman; Darius Banda, our engineer; and the missionaries. 

 

 

That water was not to be out done.  We went to Matero Ward the next day, Sunday, to witness the baptism  of two of the children Mom had taught in Primary. All were Mom's water related events in one week.

  

 

 





Completing the Chilenje Maturation Kit Project

We continued to work on our Maturation Kit Project through October and November.  We held one more training at the Chilenje Homecraft Center in October and then one in November.  At the end of November we had a final production session at the Lusaka Stake Center with help from our Sewing Club.  When we finished we had made 128 kits.  The project took us four months to complete. It took a couple of months for me to complete this post.

 

The following pictures are a summary.

 

 

  

 

  

  

 

 

 

  

 

Chindalo is in the area where we have been working on construction of wells.  We gave 27 kits to Sarafina Chindalo (women with the blue top) to distribute to the women and girls in the community. Below is a list of the organization or individual who received kits, the kind of kit they received and the quantity they were given.