May 20, 2005

Apwoyo Ba,
Here are some more photos from our last work day.  We built about 450 or so stoves during out time here.  We also repaired more than 20 from those built when Ken was here last Autumn.  Naturally, would have liked to build more, but getting the logistics was more hassle than even we had anticipated.  However, Ken is here another week and will organize more stove building sessions as the bricks are finished from the kilns in the 3 different brickyards that have been set up.  It was exhausting work, and today the sun was especially relentless.  I think I personally sweated about two water bottles full.  Our stoves are so popular that near riots break out and we have to be careful that some people don't hoard 2 or 3.

 
1. Photo of me with kids in Erute Refugee Camp.  (You can see our trusty 2-door Land Rover in the background from UK's World Emergency Relief organisation.)

 
2. Photo of little girl holding her little brother or sister.  Girls here do all the traditional roles and as soon as they are big enough to carry children on their hips or backs, they have that responsibility.  It is still common to have over 10 births, hoping that at least half will make it to adulthood.

 
3. Photo of our finished product.  A stove with a clay pot on top.  They are 12 inches high and take very little wood.  That's why we build them, so they are very efficient, instead of an open fire between 3 big rocks with the pot balance on them.
 
Tomorrow it looks like we leave for Kampala.  Will spend 3 days as a tourist.
Will send email from there soon.

Bye Bye,

Chuck