Learning a trade and creating their own jobs.

So, to continue the story of those sand filter pots - once those pots have been cemented and the cement has set, all the material inside the pot is removed. The photo below shows Silas removing that material.

The pot is then cleaned and put into place inside the house. It is very very heavy already but then it is filled with layers of stones of different sizes, and sand. All these materials have been washed and cleaned. A hose pipe is put across the top of these materials and a large round pot with a hole in the base is put on top of the construction. One end of the hose pipe comes out of the side of the large sand filter. Water is poured into the round pot on top and the filtration system begins. Displacement theory and  capillary action come into play and clean water eventually comes out of the hose pipe as you can see in the photo. (This is only the trial so the jerry can in this photo is not the one which will be used, that will be a brand new jerry can and used only for the collection of clean, cool drinking water.)

Silas and the other trainees will eventually be presented with a certificate to say that they have been trained in this skill. They already have orders for sand filter pots from as far away as the Sector office.

This next photo is Patrick who is being trained as a plumber. He had his first training when the pipeline was put in by our sister organisation in Canada and now he can do small jobs on that pipeline. Today we have piped water in the village but the service is unreliable and most days water is not available because demand further up the line is too high. Investigations are taking place as to how this can be remedied but we think it will be a costly enterprise and we will need help from a large NGO. However, today Patrick the plumber went out to the water source to practice his skills. 

He walked up and down the hills to the source so that he could turn off the supply in order to do some maintenance work. He got soaked to the skin and covered in mud. But it's all part of the days work and he came back shouldering his tools, barefooted and smiling!

It would be wonderful if we could provide proper training for Patrick who would then have a secure income for his wife and future family.

We still have challenges about the water supply but things are moving forward slowly, slowly in the right direction.

Thankyou for reading and for all your encouraging comments.

Tricia