iPhone for the Faucet

The iPhone took the world by force. What a cool invention! Is there room for an iPhone advancement in drinking water treatment for the developing world?

Some of you know that I joined the inventor's marathon a couple years back. I was naive before. I thought you just needed a good idea. That would be a 100 meter sprint. Instead, it's a marathon of patent filings, building prototypes, performing lab tests, writing business plans, and--the biggest challenge--finding money. Thanks to a good friend, Chris, and the assistance of Oregon State University and University of Denver, the early steps have been achieved. I'm still working on finding money to develop the idea into a product.

The idea is a household water treatment unit that uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water and is powered by a hand-crank or bicycle. It sounds more complicated than it is and you can see that in the photos of the prototype. It just might make sense in a city like Kampala. One hundred percent of the Ugandans that I quizzed said they treat the water coming out of the city system (with good reason, I would add). Most boil their drinking water using charcoal stoves. This costs money, takes time, uses up scarce firewood, and results in health problems from indoor air pollution. The use of UV disinfection in place of boiling and powering it by a hand-crank or bicycle, since most Kampala residents don't have electricity, makes sense.

To work, the product needs to be durable, find user acceptance, provide reliable treatment, and be affordable. I think the idea achieves all four. I've been in touch with potential investors and hope that one of these organizations or companies decides to fund its development. Then, we'll know.

By the way, most of the Ugandans that I interviewed obtain city water from a community tap. They don't have the luxury of running water in their homes. The bottom photo shows the community tap across the road from our apartment. Not having running water--meaning no flush toilet and no sink to wash your hands or dishes--is a huge thing.

Transportation

Four cases of pop or beer being transported. We send our corner boda boda guys to pick up a box of water, case of pop, or even a large tank of propane for us. At least they're on motorcycles, not on bikes. Probably the biggest single item I've seen transported on a bike is a twin bed. We've also seen loads of lumber and sugar cane, a door, and a plate glass window.

This boy is pushing about 200 lbs. of water

How can she balance a jerry can with over 40 lbs. of water on her head? I never cease to be amazed. And Ugandans are amazed that we can't carry anything on our heads.

Safari photos

A hippo grazing outside our patio door, with the Nile River in the background.

This is a Maribou Stork, possibly the ugliest bird in the world.

On safari: Paul, me, sister Mary, cousin Julie, brother Jim, sister-in-law Vanessa, and cousin-in-law Steve. We had hopped out of the safari van to get a closer look at some giraffes.

Visit to Bishop Salimo

Paul's sister, Mary, cousin, Julie, and brother's wife, Vanessa

Bishop Salimo and wife, Zelda, receiving microscope from Paul

Paul's work on boreholes for the Ngenge villages is done under the auspices of the Church of Uganda (Anglican). We have enjoyed getting to know the clergy with whom he has worked and have great respect for them and their commitment to helping the people in the area.

Last Wednesday, while Paul's family was here, we all visited the villages to check on the progress of borehole repairs. Bishop Salimo invited us to come for dinner afterward. To tell the truth, by the time the long day was over in the villages we were all worn out and I don't think any of us was excited about the dinner. However, we knew it was gracious of the Bishop to have invited us and so we went, hot, dirty, thirsty, and hungry.

There were nine of us in our group, including Rev. David, who had spent the day with us, and our driver, Ojoko. There were probably another five guests already there, plus the Bishop and his wife, Zelda. We sat in their living room, which was large compared to others I've been in. The t.v. was tuned to news and it was hard not to look at it. A young woman brought around a tub and pitcher, and we washed our hands. Meanwhile, Steve, Paul's cousin-in-law, had been outside trying to rearrange the group's flight schedule (their flight home was canceled due to the British Airways strike). He walked back in just when it was his turn for hand-washing. The girl had set the tub on the floor for a moment. Steve had only seen tubs used for foot-washing ceremonies at churches, so he was just about to step into the tub when he caught on that it was only for hands. We got a good laugh afterward thinking about what a surprise he would have given the Ugandans.

Zelda brought out pot after pot of food: matooke, rice, and potatoes, which are standard Ugandan starches, stewed chicken (Mary noticed it was all the parts of the chicken), chappatis (a common flatbread), soup, and fried cabbage. It was quite a feast and generally familiar and tasty. As seems typical, Zelda sat the food on the large coffee tables in the center of the room, and we sat on couches along the walls to eat.

After dinner we exchanged gifts. Paul's family had brought lots of great little things from the States, things like keychains, pocket knives, and post cards, so we handed those out. Paul also gave the Bishop a microscope which had been donated by OSU and which we passed along to the girls' school that the diocese supports. The Bishop and Zelda gave us two large bunches of bananas, and lots of local coffee, both whole beans and ground.

Karen

More Bergs descend on Uganda

The teacher in Kapachirya (the woman on the left in the photo) got the children started singing and dancing for us. They immediately formed themselves into two rows with the taller children in back. She would sing a phrase and they would answer back.

This past week was a full one for us. We got visitors: Paul's sister, Mary; brother, Jim, and his wife Vanessa; and his cousin, Julie, and her husband Steve. We took them to the Ngenge villages where Paul's primary project is located, then on a safari at Murchison Falls. The village part wasn't your typical vacation, but they rolled with the punches and soaked it all in, much as my mom and brother had done when they visited. We saw plenty of animals on the safari and as close as you could ask for. We'll post more pictures and details over the next few days, but here are some pictures to get you started.

Sorry, in this entry the photos and text are not where I want them to be but I can't fix it!

Jim, Mary, and Julie in the safari van

We saw six lions, three one day and three the next. This photo was not taken with a telephoto lense. At one point our van was so close to the lions that I closed the window because one was crouched down, staring me right in the eyes, and I felt like with one spring she could have me. I didn't want to be dinner!

Hiring Practices

For no particular reason, I've been thinking back lately to a conversation I had with two of EMI's Ugandan workers, Stephen and Janet. Stephen is the head of the guards and Janet is the cook. Janet had mentioned that if she knew of a job opening at a place she worked, she would naturally recommend a relative. I asked, "What if you knew the relative (say his name is Robert) was lazy or dishonest? Would you still recommend him?" She thought for a moment, then answered that she would, because after all he was a relative, but would warn him to be careful.

I pressed her a little further to find out what would happen if the boss found out Robert was indeed lazy or dishonest and fired him. I was thinking that her answer would focus on the negative opinion her boss would form of her for having recommended him, but she said maybe Robert would go back to the family and tell them that she didn't look out for him, that she "didn't love him." I may be drawing a wrong conclusion, but it seems like what's most important is the family, both in getting the job and in their opinion of you.

Stephen brought up a reason that it benefits employers to hire employees' relatives. If the new hire does turn out to be bad and runs off, their family member on your staff knows where to find them. In a country with few addresses in the city and none in the villages, it makes sense.

On a completely unrelated subject, I'd like to tell you about my invisibility glasses. I can put them on anytime and disappear. I use them most when I'm tired of being the only white person around - when I'm the only white in a matatu, or when I feel like I'm the only white in all of downtown Kampala. I use them when I'm tired of boda boda drivers calling out to me, "Yes, mzungu, yes sistah." I use them when I want to blend in but can't. They look like sunglasses - but they're not. They're my invisibility glasses, and they're handy to have.

Karen

Ngenge water: Repair of the Cheborom borehole

Cheborom borehole prior to repairs. Some of the village huts are visible in the distance.

The concrete base was cracked

Repair work drew a crowd

The new pump ready for lowering into the well