A New Project Coming Up

Thank You Anonymous.

For the past two or three weeks, I have met the most generous person in my whole life. I was recently Tom Nelson’s guest, and we had so much to discuss. The talk was fun because I feel I have a connection with him; I can be as free as one can be! And his podcast resonates with my favorite topics. We also share the same skeptical view when it comes to climate change.

Anyway, a few days after the interview, a lovely soul reached out to me and asked what would bring a big change to my community - what would improve their lives. I mentioned three things, namely:

1. Water borehole: Drilling a borehole would bring a big change to my community. We have built houses around social amenities like shops and roads, and nearly everyone in my village lives near the road. So, when it isn't raining, we have to walk to the river. Most households store their water in 20L plastic containers, and a typical household has about 200-300 liters of water stored. A family uses about 40-60 liters a day, excluding cattle. Thus, if it doesn't rain for three days, we start fetching water from the river. Additionally, our water springs are usually situated downhill, which makes climbing up quite a task. Drilling a borehole was at the top of the list.

2. LPG cooking stoves: Most people have access to firewood, but LPG is convenient, clean, and time-saving. Firewood gathering brings gender inequality to our village, as only women and children fetch firewood. They usually walk in the bushes, along fences, and under trees, collecting twigs and sticks for cooking. And when it rains, they really suffer. Even if wood is cheap, most people cannot access firewood unless they have planted their own trees. Plus, these are tough economic times.

3. Electricity access: We have electricity in our village, and most people are connected to the grid. However, some are too poor to afford a 10m-long cable to run from the electric pole to their house, which could cost around $150, a significant amount for them. Unless the government does something, they will have to wait for another decade without electricity (one decade has already passed). Others are only a few meters away from the road, which means they need a few poles (each at $100) and some cables to connect to the national grid. Unfortunately, most people can't even dream of ever having access to electricity. So my suggestion was that we could get the 20 or so families connected to the national grid.

A day or two after our chat, the kind soul sent me some big money, which I think will drill a borehole and maybe build a house for a very needy neighbor. I hope we reach the water table at 70-80m because if not, we will miss our target. I visited a guy who drilled a borehole in 2018, and his borehole has water at 36m (120ft). He drilled it at a cost of $7000. I have the hydrogeologic survey scheduled for tomorrow. I will keep you posted.

But I am very happy and thankful that my crying and message can change hearts and, in turn, lives.

Thank you so much, Anonymous.

❤️