Update 4/30/06

At the moment I have returned home from Uganda due to a personal medical problem. I decided that returning was the prudent thing to do even though I might have been treated in Uganda. It is not certain what is wrong with me but I am now being tested and examined by my doctors. I hope to return soon to my work.

I've heard that my visa to work in Darfur has been approved but we are still waiting for Mathew's visa. So our stove project in Darfur is now waiting for Mathew's visa and my recovery.

My absence in Lira is being filled with two volunteers from Eugene, Oregon, Phil and Rhonda. I had hoped to be there when they arrived but they have been met by Mathew and are now on their way to Lira. They will be there for three weeks and I wish them a productive and insightful adventure.

I have attempted to write several emails while I was in Lira but due to the difficulties of the internet these were not successfully sent out to everyone. So I am adding them to the bottom of this email. I apologize if you have already received them. Communicating with a large number of people remains a problem.

My time in Lira, while brief, was productive. Two of our biggest problems are cash flow problems and transportation problems. Phil and Rhonda are both accountants and I hope that they can help Mathew and ANCC set up Quick Books Pro so accounting will be easier and cash flow problems can be quickly recognized. We need to know when money becomes short and they need to know that they have money available when they need to spend it. The accounting situation becomes even more complicated because of our now formal AidAfrica 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and our co-mingled expansion of the stove project with the help of Dan Wolf and his Lifeline Fund.

Dan has just purchased, through his foundation, a very nice well drilling rig for ANCC. We have just heard that the drilling rig has been completed and is ready to be shipped from Atlanta. World Emergency Relief, the main support agency for ANCC will provide the shipping to Uganda. They plan to send it by air freight so it should arrive quickly. Mathew hopes to drill two wells per week with this rig. Dan hopes to fund the wells as well. This is a very much needed tool that will help very many people. Clean water and sanitation remain a major problem for this region. Mathew just took a truck full of emergency supplies to South Sudan to help stem a cholera outbreak. 400,000 people in this area rely on one medical officer and five nurses (Adalitus, where are you?). Hundreds are dying. This outbreak really needs a massive intervention of outside help and yet nobody knows about it. The reason I mention it here is that the long term solution to this type of situation is to have clean drinking water, pit latrines, adequate food and proper medical attention. The well drilling rig is a great start, at least for Northern Uganda. Thanks Dan!

Transportation remains the other big problem. Vehicles are scarce and expensive and petrol (gasoline) and diesel costs more than four dollars a gallon. Everything is far away and you don't want to breakdown or get stuck in a remote place. JK and Francis have been riding their bicycles more than 25 miles to Abia camp where they have the latest brick kiln. This kiln should produce the bricks for the stoves for the two closest camps of about 50,000 people. We are establishing two more brick sites in two other directions for even larger camps. So we have provided funds to purchase a small motorcycle for Francis and JK so that they can get around to these sites. The acquisiton of larger vehicles remains a problem. ANCC is constantly battling repair problems on their cars. We need a couple of fuel efficient four wheel drive vehicles. ( Anybody got a SUV or truck they don't need?) Also, we really need to get a mid sized truck that could be used to take people to the hospital and to deliver rice husks one way and bricks the other way. ANCC has an old Leland ambulance that they used for a couple of years until the engine gave up its ghost. I suggested trying to repair it (but parts are nonexistent) or replace it with another type of motor (like an Isuzu diesel), but good mechanics and machinists are also nonexistent in Lira. One morning, Helen and I went to Erute camp and took ten mothers and babies with fevers (say MAD) to PAG Hospital. Seven of them were admitted and the other three were treated and sent home. Without transportation this kind of work becomes very difficult and these babies would die.

I will close for now. I am very happy with the progress we have made in the last year with this project. I hope that future years show growth and success too. Thanks to everyone for your help and support.

Much love to all,

Ken Goyer

P.S. I won't attach the other emails just yet. I will try and straighten out this mailing list first.