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Normally
Kisiizi Hospital has a very reliable source of electricity. One of the reasons
the site was chosen for the Hospital sixty years ago was that it was formerly a
flax mill with its own hydro electric scheme. This has been upgraded over the
years and it normally provides power not only for the hospital but also for many
houses in the district. The source of this power is a small river which feeds a
waterfall in the hospital grounds, but also has enough ‘head’ to drive a water
turbine.
And then,
in March, the Hospital was flooded under 3 feet of water. It was thought the turbine was not damaged,
but just before Malcolm arrived the alternator burnt out, probably because the
flood water damaged the insulation.
A hospital
cannot operate without power. Fortunately there is a small standby turbine big
enough to power the hospital but not for the staff houses and other customers.
Cost of
new alternator - £30,000. Delivery time from Germany ?????
Fortunately,
by necessity, East Africans are skilled at mending all sorts of items and a
team of ‘fundis’ from Rwanda have come to rewind the alternator – a job that
can take up to 3 weeks and needs over 350 lbs of copper wire.
In the
meantime, since it gets dark by 7pm, it is usually an early night for all.
Not one
for early nights Malcolm has invested in a small solar panel and battery to
provide some light at night.
What a
bright spark!
PS Some people think Malcolm looks better in the dark.
