Bringing some light to the situation

 

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.

Children - and other Short-ages

Most people who live in this part of Uganda do not enjoy electricity or water to their houses – and we almost felt like we joined them this week.

On Sunday we experienced another of our regular power cuts – but this time instead of a few hours it lasted for over 2 days. 

We understood that the problem was caused by a fire at the distribution plant in Rwanda, (which supplies electricity to Kisoro), which destroyed the meter.

So we had to get used to life without light, hot water and our fridge for a couple of days.

One problem with no power is that it also affects the water supply as the pumps needed to distribute the water don’t work. Fortunately our storage tank had just enough to see us through. Most people here don’t have piped water, If they are lucky they take a jerry can to kiosks run by the Water Company where they can fill up for about 6p a can. One enterprising lad took advantage of a storm to fill up his can from a gutter of a local shop.

Another child with limited ‘power’ at present is Isaac, the 1 year old baby who was admitted a month ago to Potter’s Village Home for Vulnerable Children. He is getting stronger and now weighs just over 6 kg. Jeremiah, who is about the same size, is just 1 month old.

Children continue to ask Malcolm for photos. Here is one group dressed up for church on Sunday who were very keen to have their photo taken, as long as they could have a print afterwards.

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Nigeria: “Rain may beat a leopard's skin, but it won't wash out the spots”

More Fun and Games

Last week we mentioned that the electricity poles in Kisoro are being replaced. This, and the almost daily power cuts continue. However, Potter’s Village Home for Vulnerable Children are making good use of the old ones.


Are they:

- cutting them to length for caber tossing at the local equivalent of the Highland Games?, or

- making shorter batons for the African relay team? , or

- cutting them for fence posts?


Not to be outdone the students and teachers (in blue tee shirts) of the Vocational Training Centre were relaxing during one of the power cuts with a friendly game of volley ball.

It was good news for the VTC this week. We have been expecting new computers ever since we arrived 2 years ago, and this week most of them were delivered. We can’t wait to get them out of their boxes – for education purposes, of course, not computer games!!!!




For the last 6 months a road building earth mover has been stranded. It had been borrowed in January to help dig the grave of the former Bishop. However it broke down and has been left outside the VTC building ever since.


This week a team of mechanics turned up and reinstalled the engine, repaired the tyres and got the machine going after several days work. They even managed to move it about 50 yards, where is broke down again across the cathedral road. See you again in 6 months time????





This week’s proverb isn’t from the BBC Africa web site, but is very meaningful for us:

“If you think you are too small to make a difference then you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito”

All the Fun of the Fair

A fair came to Kisoro this week – a most unusual sight.

Like most English fairs this had fun rides and stalls

Unlike most English fairs this one was difficult to enter, there being a fence all the way round. So we didn’t bother. We are not sure if you had to pay to enter, or be invited. Not many other people seem to bother, either



It has been a week of daily power cuts. The electricity company is replacing many of their poles, and this means the power to the whole of Kisoro is cut off most days, and even some nights, so the workmen can re-wire the poles. We have been told this could take most of July. Unlike England there is only one power line to the town which means when any maintenance work has to be done the whole town goes into the dark. Still, electricity is cheap here at just 20p per unit.



When Malcolm went to pay the Electric bill at the company shop on friday, he had to wait outside for an hour. Opposite was a typical carpenter’s shop, where chairs were being made



We are settled into Jenny’s house. As well as the pigs we mentioned last week there are 3 other animals – 2 dogs and a cat.



The house overlooks one of the primary schools. On occasions, when it is sunny, classes are held outside – which is not surprising when you see how many children have to fit in a classroom.



This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web site is “A good palm-wine bar doesn't need a signpost”