Asilomar restarts following rain devastation in Kenya

Norbert reports:

We are now back in action following the aftermath of the heavy rainfall that left many people devastated in many parts of the country. 

We were spared the havoc here in Msumarini. Schools have now resumed this week 13th May 2024 and we hit the ground running. Today we were at the school garden with the young farmers planting fruit trees, bananas and trees. 

We had prepared the plot and planted cowpeas before the rains. They are blossoming. We will add a variety of vegetables by the weekend.

And here l am holding an empty tray  of cake made from nutritious finger millet that the students enjoyed just before we started the planting sessions.

The work on the Water Tower is still on going. The work is tedious and it has to be manually done - with no scaffolding!!

The Asilomar Permaculture Project - Students learn on the first two intensive courses

Norbert writes: on Wednesday 17th April we have kicked off the training workshop. We prayed the rain would hold until later tonight, however, the skies opened...but the training continued on my veranda - 27 students crammed up in my veranda taking notes.

The second day of training went well. It rained most of the day but we had chance to do some practicals -  mulching, growing plants in pyramids and grow bags , companion planting etc.

They also had group assignment to design their own garden on paper.

Third day of training and the groups are making presentations of the farm. We are lucky we have a dry afternoon today and we can sit outside and not crammed up on my veranda!

Norbert interviewed several students about what they had learned and the difference it would make to their food production.

CONGRATULATIONS to Norbert and team and all the students.

The Second Course struggled a bit with the rains. Norbert reports: “The training for this group was interrupted by rain but we made good progress”.

Below are some photos of the course and videos of a few of the students saying what they had learned and what they plan to do with this new knowledge.

Norbert reports that the construction of the Water Tower has also started and the columns are now being set even as the rain pour down!

The next thing to do with the students is to establish the one acre garden in the school compound when schools resume next week.

NEWS - just in from Norbert in Kenya on the Asilomar Project

We have set the ball rolling and 60 students and 2 teachers from Msumarini Secondary School have been visiting Asilomar to see and experience what we are doing with our permaculture programme.

We have had a very dry season and the compound was beginning to turn very brown. We hope and expect the delayed rainfall will come in April. We had a good shower of rainfall one day last week and also this morning. Meanwhile we have been preparing the grounds for planting and have already planted some vegetables.

This is what we wanted the students to see before we embark on the first phase of training programme, which we have now scheduled on April 17th - 27th,  if the funds permitting. It will be an intensive theory training programme with some practical sessions. We will then have weekly practical training sessions during term time. The schools are now on holiday until end of April but the students have offered to come to the training during this holiday time. It actually works out better for the training because there is no interference with the school timetable which was always going to be a great challenge.

My immediate need at Asilomar is Water tower. We have a challenge with the distribution of water in the compound and  the Water tower will make life much easy. The drawing above shows how it will work.

The costings for the water tower are as follows:

PHASE 1

1.     EXCAVATION & BACKFILLING, 2m² = 6,000KSH

2.     CONCRETE FOOTING & FOUNDATION, 0.6m² = 12,600KSH

3.     4 NO. COLUMNS in foundation 0.32m² @24,000 = 7,680KSH

4.     CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB, 2.4㎡²³ @ 12,000 = 28,800KSH

5.     4 NO R.C COLUMNS, S.38M² @ 24,000 = 129,120KSH

6.     12 NO R.C BEAMS, 3.24 M²³ @ 22,000 = 71,280KSH

7.     REINFORCED CONC SLAB (4 x 4 x 0.15)3 7.2m² @ 10,000 = 72,000KSH

8.     FINISHING (Plaster), 164.52 m² @350 = 57,5825KSH

TOTAL for Phase 1 = 385,062KSH

 

PHASE 2

1.     PIPES 55 pcs (Assorted 3/4’ , 1’/15’) @ 750 – 41,250KSH

2.     REDUCERS - 10pcs @ 750 = 7,500KSH

3.     SOCKETS, ELBOWS ETC - 60 pcs @ 60 = 3,600KSH

4.     GATE VALVES - 10 pes @ 1,500 = 15,000KSH

5.     Other Plumbing Items. (Glue, thread Seal, etc) = 3,000KSH

6.     Labour (Approx) = 22,000KSH

TOTAL for Phase 2 = 92,350KSH

TOTAL for Phase 1 & 2 in GBP = approximayely £3,000.00

Get your teeth into this...

Alison writes:

Today is our last clinic day. In the 9 days we have been operating we have given out 800 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste. We have seen and treated 300 children from the local charity school, 500 from a large government school, together with 200 adults, some of whom have walked 2 hours up hill to reach us. We have been based in a classroom of a rural school high above Kabale.

The views are stunning.

I have been joined by 4 local Ugandan dentists, two of whom I’ve worked with on previous outreach projects. Boaz, their leader, was able to borrow and hire portable dental chairs, drills, and a compressor. Donors in UK supplied materials such as gloves , local anaesthetic , and filling materials, and our support team consisted of a local district nurse, my husband Ken, and 3 friends from the UK who are trustees of the school here, which is how this project was born.

The skill of the Ugandan dentists amazed me each day, as does the bravery of the tiny children, but we are all amazed and proud of how much we have accomplished . There probably won’t be another dental visit here, the area being far too remote for the local dentists to reach, without external financial support and I am nearing the end of my dental career now so this is probably my last working trip to Uganda, but we have certainly made a difference to this community.

Thank you so much to all who have contributed to and made a huge difference in this remote mountain community.

Thursday, 14 September: Веселий та неформальний простір для української молоді, яка живе в Уельс

Barnardo's Ukrainian Online Youth Space- Wales

This is for young people aged 11-17 years, living in Wales. This is a 6-week programme taking place weekly on Thursday evenings, remotely via Teams.

Each week will have games and opportunities for discussion. This is a safe place for Young people to practice your English speaking and listening in an informal and fun environment. We also hope this will provide an opportunity to meet new friends. Sessions will have a focus on wellbeing and will be delivered by staff from Barnardo's Ukrainian Support Helpline living in Wales.

Please click the following link for more information and to register: Barnardo's Ukrainian Virtual Youth Space- Wales