Water

Hiya,

I know my last blog may have seemed quite negative…… please forgive if it did, it can be very tiring here. However, I have had so many exciting and productive days just recently, I have a new burst of energy!!

I gave the go ahead to the people who drill wells on the land. They are lovely people who have given me so many great ideas and aspirations for the future of our community. They started drilling a few days ago, and were 76 feet deep yesterday. they say they think that 120 feet will be sufficient. So with luck, we will have well water at our disposal very soon.

In our country we take for granted that fresh clean drinking water is available to us all at the turn of the tap…… its not so here. Dependant on where you live, you may have “Goma” (Water company) water on tap, or you may have well water, (which is in many cases of dubious quality) or you may be lucky enough to have a stand pipe where you can buy safe drinking water. Which is what our well drillers supply in their day jobs. As we can all understand….. Water is life! Without it you have very little. So to have it on our little piece of land is an amazing step forward. It lifts me so much I could burst with joy. I feel we have the first of many steps completed in creating a clean safe environment for people to live in. Blows me away!

Bringing myself right back down to earth, we now have to consider the remaining necessities for this community. Namely sanitation……. human and household refuse! I am no expert in either. I wish I were, but its not so. So I am currently waiting for God to send me the people who are! No rush God, but I’m waiting!!!! I know for sure that whatever we do to tackle both these issue must be done locally and on a small scale. There are no dustmen coming in the near future and there are no sewerage treatment works in Salone to my knowledge! So, if you read this blog, and know a man….. or woman who is an expert, please get it touch. I would love to do something which is in tune with nature and the environment. I have heard of reed bed type filtration for human waste, but have no idea where to start. I also understand that food and bio waste can be composted, but I again need a start. The biggest headache will be what to do with the immense amount of plastic waste produced here…… it litters the entire city of Freetown! Don’t be shy, if you have an idea, or even better a contact, please call or email.

God Bless

Ian