Two days ago we successfully opened a water treatment center in the village of Tantuani. After such an exciting day, we enter the last phase of implementation: monitoring. This is the beginning of weekly checks on the village to ensure that the water treatment center continues to run smoothly into the future. We returned to the village for random household checks just to ensure everyone was following the rules associated with the safe storage containers. In teams of two with our translator Amina by our side, we inspected eight households. Entering each household, we checked the safe storage containers to make sure they contained clean fresh water from the Polytank or rainwater taken directly from metal roofs. We thoroughly explained to members of each household the importance of keeping the safe storage containers clean and isolated in order to avoid recontamination of the water from other materials within the household. We made sure each household we visited understood the importance of drinking clean water rather than water from the dugout. They were able to clearly convey why this new water treatment center was beneficial to their health and the impacts it already has on their family members, especially the children. Many households we visited praised us for coming to their village and for implementing such a useful business. The best part of monitoring so far was seeing our samples from the households’ safe storage containers test negative for fecal contamination and e.coli. Keep it up Tantuani, we love you!
– Amina, Ashley, John H., Kate, and Lauren
Ashley checks a safe storage container while monitoring.Lauren snaps a selfie with Tantuani’s new entrepreneurs!Clean water in Tantuani!
After the solar project was implemented, Team Eric began monitoring the business and individual households to see the community’s response to our project and make sure that everything’s running smoothly.
Photographed by: Ayodele Mason
Since the project is mainly finished, we were finally able to get some of that beauty sleep back and wake up a bit later, at 7 o’clock, in the morning. After a long drive to the village, we first checked out our village’s dugout and the polytank there to make sure that the previously implemented water project is working successfully to provide clean water to the village. Komlan Yili’s dugout is actually a stream that is a long walk from the village. The water levels rise later in the rainy season, so the villagers have built a bridge that people can use to cross over the stream during these times of the year to reach villages further down the road. The wood for the bridge is replaced every year to ensure that it is safe to walk on. Still, it’s pretty scary and super uneven. It’s one of the many quirky and amazing things about Komlan Yili.
Photographed by: Ayodele Mason
After checking on the polytank and finding no problems, we met with Safiatu and Nina, the water and solar entrepreneurs to discuss how the solar business is going since opening night and to hear about any water business updates. Everything is going well and it is clear that the business is in great hands.
Next, we visited nine households to ask about their lanterns and safe storage water containers. We learned that one woman had already gone back to the charging station even though her batteries were still charged, just for fun! It was great talking to women in each of the households and hearing all of the ways they were already using their lanterns at night (cooking, the kids doing homework, and processing shea nuts). It was amazing to see how much we had already been able to impact these people’s lives.
At the end of the day, Safiatu took us to her household for a good ending to our day. Our translator, Eric, has been looking for a pet kitten and Safiatu had three baby kittens! They were all so cute, Eric is going to buy two now instead of one.
Ayodele with a kitten
Monitoring has been a great part of this experience, because now that most of our work is done, we can see how these businesses are impacting people’s lives. It is also a great opportunity to just talk to people on a more individual level and learn about their daily lives. We are definitely not ready to leave Tamale yet, but it is good to know that the business that we helped to create will continue after we leave.
The car that’s been coming to our village the last few weeks showed up again today, for the first time at nightfall. The 3 salamingas that have been building the solar center jumped out of their wheel machine smelling like water instead of their typical smells of dirt and sweat. They also wore nicer clothing and seemed prepared for some sort of celebration. Little did I know I was in for a surprise…
The three met with Fatima, Fatimata, and Hamshowu; the owners of me and my goat family. During the last two weeks I’ve heard them talking about how excited they are about running what they call a “solar business.” I’m not sure what that is, but they mentioned how they will finally be able to see and do work at night. The group gathered in the structure they built next to those shiny panels aimed at the sun. Shortly after, the rest of the villagers made their way from prayers towards this building each with a gadget in their hand.
Fatima, Fatimata, and Hamshowu
The sun was completely gone and had been for a while now. I was hungry so I decided to do some grazing. And then it happened… I’ll never forget it. The boy Mohamed lifted his gadget and a beautiful white light lit up his face! It was unlike anything I had ever seen! Then there was another light, and another! One-by-one these gadgets lit up the sky. My owners, the villagers, the 3 salamingas, all of them started dancing and laughing. All of the sudden my owner walked towards me, like he was choosing me for some special purpose. He put a rope around me and started bringing me towards all the fun. I must admit I was pretty scared. It’s a great honor to be selected by your master.
Silence fell as he brought me into the center of the group and handed my rope to TJ. “Yo TJ!” He brought our village clean water the last time he was here. He’s a good guy. I thought we might just be hanging out together, but then TJ and one of the salamingas lifted me into the back of their wheel machine.
And so here I am, telling you this story because, well… it’s been the wildest day of my life. My new owners have even given me a name, Minga! I’ve never been in a wheel machine before, let alone one with these three who now smell like sweat and dirt instead of like water. The village is all that I know, I’m not sure if I’ll see it again. I want to remember it. So I’m sharing my story with you now. Why wait? Life is short.
Singing off,
Minga the goat
Adventurer and Narrator
Formerly of the village of Moya
Today we realized we could use more organization and communication in our group. We had a short day yesterday we were suppose to ground and install the panels on the poles but we made the mistake of not picking the things we needed yesterday before going to the village. So today we are doing all this shopping for all the things we need like rubbing alcohol and sales books. We are also picking up the solar panel poles from the welder and we are buying more paint and other things we need. We also picked up our lanterns. This day taught us more than anything that every mistake is a lesson learned rather than a step back in our timeline for opening night. We are definitely on a tighter schedule but at the end we predict success and we have a great feeling of empowering our village which is the most important thing. It’s not about how fast we get there, it’s about the journey!
Amin, Shuoyang, Tim and JhoannyTim discusses the solar business with a householdThe solar entrepreneurs by the center in Kpanshegu
Our team arrived late afternoon at 4:00pm in Mahamuyili for the celebration of the opening day of the water treatment center. We headed to the dugout along with the people from the village. The water center had a successful turnout; all 25 households attended opening day (almost at the same time) turning the opening into a lively event. Everyone was very eager to have their turn at the Polytank to fill their containers. The two women elected to run the water business, Fatimah and Hawa, opened the center up for business and quickly got to work taking money and filling containers.
Within moments of getting started a container was about to overflow so one woman caught all of the extra in her container lid and proceeded to chug the entire amount of water. A loud “BURPPP” leaped out from her and the crowd all reacted with laughter and excitement. Three containers in, we started to have some customers who had leaky taps and after this first one it seemed that every container after it also had a leak. Our team arranged an assembly line to adjust any leaky or faulty taps and successfully fixed each and every one.
To celebrate opening day, we brought bubbles and candy to share with the children. It quickly turned chaotic with Savannah and Chelsea nearly being tackled to the ground by a swarm of very excited children (including the men and women of the village). Music filled the air the entire duration, keeping the atmosphere fun and lively with dancing and many tickling attacks. We finished opening day with a sunset walk back to Mahamuyili with music and our two women entrepreneurs.
The team and new entrepreneurs pose at the water center.Savannah walks back from the dugout and water center after a successful opening day with Mahamuyili community members.Mahamuyili water treatment center group selfie!
Yesterday, Team Sherifa returned from Bamvim where we spent the day working with our three entrepreneurs on installing the solar system. This included mounting the two solar panels to custom built metal poles, stringing the wires throughout the center and grounding the entire system with a copper pole and mixture of charcoal, salt and water. Our installation was a great success! We were able to charge Laura’s iPhone (for a fee of 50 peswas.) We discussed and finalized the prices for charging batteries (30 peswas) and cellphones (50 peswas.) Today, we painted the wood on the exterior of the solar center blue, at the request of our entrepreneurs. Anita and Laura went over the process for cleaning the solar panels and how to properly care for the genset.
Yanshu considered the solar panels and his handbook
This included reminding the women to always turn off the system at night, unplug all powerstrips and chargers and being sure to not overload the system with too many chargers. Meanwhile, Jack and Yanshu walked around and began to distribute lanterns to families. Our village consists of 25 households, each with roughly eight members. Every household is receiving a lantern at the cost of one Ghana Cedi. Today, we were able to give out seven lanterns and hope to finish distributing the other 18 tomorrow! We will also review the process of charging and installing the batteries for the lanterns with our entrepreneurs. We are hoping our day will go smoothly, and that we won’t get another flat tire!
Bamvim’s new solar entrepreneurs hook up the system!
Starting a safe drinking water treatment center in Kanjeyili has been a community effort through and through. Kanjeyili’s community elected women entrepreneurs Aisha, Aishatu, Awau and Mayama are eagerly learning and getting involved in every aspect of the center from water treatment to managing the business. They are supported by other community members who help in whatever way they can and enthusiastically take ownership of the benefits of the center for their village. Kanjeyili’s successful treatment center depends on both the entrepreneurs and the community’s support and understanding of the business.
Kanjeyili’s women entrepreneurs quickly took the reins of the treatment process. We demonstrated how to use the alum to clear sediment from the water and they took a hands-on approach to trying the process themselves. By day two of training, they didn’t hesitate to fill the blue drums with dugout water and started treating it with alum right away. Alum treatment is an overnight process and they understand how important it is to the business to have water ready to treat and serve. Again, the community came out to support this process by carrying the heavy drums of water and helping form a six-month supply of alum balls. Having completed the first step of the process, the entrepreneurs moved on to disinfection.
Having successfully cleared the first batch of water with alum, the women entrepreneurs began scooping the water into the Polytank.* The Polytank disinfection step is the last in ensuring all E.Coli is removed from the water and is safe to drink. The community knew their dugout was making them sick, but showing them the results of the lab tests drove home the importance of the safe water center. The women entrepreneur’s primary responsibility is to continue the operation of the treatment center. Although they were apprehensive about charging a small fee for the water, both entrepreneurs and community came to understand the fee ensured the longevity of the safe water center. The women entrepreneurs keep in mind the price of filling a household’s safe storage container must be affordable for the entire village. This way, the entrepreneurs can provide an important service for the community, and in turn, the community drives the profitability and continuity of the business.
Kanjeyili’s safe water treatment center will continue to be successful because the community both needs and supports its service. Their entrepreneurs are highly competent and efficient at both water treatment and management because they dove into all aspects of the process. The community is helping with every step along the way, whether lending a hand to paint or carrying water to treat. This shared sense of ownership puts Kanjeyili on the road to better health and the success of their water treatment center.
*Polytank: Large drum with a tap commonly found in Ghana to store drinking water.
Kanjeyili kids help carry the polytank.Lucy helps train their entrepreneurs about alum, the first step of the water treatment process.One of the new entrepreneurs from Kanjeyili fills a blue drum to get ready for alum treatment.
Attempting to fix a broken down car in the middle of a dirt road miles into the African bush was not the ideal start to the first day traveling to the community that team Jaleel would be working in; but for the team it was not at all surprising. Both before the program and during orientation we were told that whatever can go wrong will and that statement has definitely been true. In our case that would mostly entail car troubles.These troubles have ranged from the random necessary push start to having a fan belt gear literally fall out of the car. These car issues may sound bad but they have helped the team bond and realize how ridiculous some of the situations which have been encountered are.In these situations all we have been able to do is laugh about it and know that what we need to accomplish that day will still get done.
In the case of the car breaking down on the way to visit the community of Warivi for the first time everything turned out for the best and into one of the team’s, Davis, Morgan, Rachael, and Vivian, most memorable life experiences.
Team Jaleel poses on top of Giddipass for their scavenger hunt
We were given the amazing opportunity to meet with the village chief and a few of the elders to explain that we would like to work in their village for the next few weeks to help implement a sustainable solar charging business. The reactions and gratitude that were exhibited by the chief, elders, and community really left a lasting impact on all of the members of the team. The days following the meeting have been amazing, both in seeing how the community functions in daily routines and in how they have rallied together to help implement the solar center.
Davis, Morgan pose with their carpenter!
In the case of the car breaking down on the way to visit the community of Warivi for the first time everything turned out for the best and into one of the team’s, Davis, Morgan, Rachael, and Vivian, most memorable life experiences.
A Welcome Note from Saha’s Co-founder & Board Member, Vanessa Green
Last Thursday marked our 5th Annual Benefit in Boston at the W Hotel! It was a great success and we were able to raise just shy of $20,000. The evening would have not been possible without the help of our sponsors Wolf Greenfield (gold sponsor), Dwell Proper (silver sponsor) and Oasys Water. Thank you all for your continued support. Another big thank you all of our attendees and volunteers for coming together for such a memorable evening.
With your help we will be able to continue to expand our impact in Ghana to bring clean drinking water to more people and job opportunities to more women. Your donations truly have a direct impact on so many lives in our partner communities and we are so grateful for your support.
What better way to recap the evening with some pictures? (See below). You can view more from our awesome photobooth here.
If you were unable to make the evening but are still looking to show your support please donate here. You can even set up monthly recurring donations so you can support our villages in Ghana throughout the year!
RafflePhoto BoothThank you to all of our silent auction donors!
Benefit Volunteer Mike Kearney gets his raffle tickets in!
And now, we hand it over to the Field Reps! In the next series of blog posts, water and solar teams will discuss their work from their perspective. Take it away Team Wahab….
Day 1 In Yepala
Ti Puhiriyah, we are so happy to greet you!!! We five will be working together on this Solar Electricity project in Tamale, Ghana (third largest city in Ghana) for the rural village community of Yepala in East Gonja District in the Northern Region of Ghana. We are staying in GILLBT Hostel near Tamale and our drive from campus to Yepala is about 30 minutes with smooth roads. We take turns sleeping in the trunk. “OH NO, no one gets to have the trunk everyday,” half-jokes Kristen. Our next teammate is Tomas, or Kobe for his cool friends, who is the taxi driver, in the smooth station wagon.
The mornings are cool and cloudy, we wake early in the day before 06:00 AM breakfast and leave for Yepala at 06:30 AM. The first day we went to Yepala was 7 June 2016, the drive there we saw wide open fields with plenty of lush green vegetation and red brown dirt on the roads and the sides. As we pull into Yepala, a man is chilling on a bench in a black traditional shirt with white traditional religious hat, greeting us with good morning in Dagbani, Desibah with we returned with: well, Nnaa. We got out of the taxi and Wahab told the man who we are, Saha Global Field Representatives who are looking for the Chief, Na. We want to schedule meeting with Na. We learned that this man in black shirt was the Chairman of the Yepala Community, literally right-hand man of the Na. He says that Na has gone to the farm to handle some business. We will schedule meeting with Council of Elders, because anything that they decide, Na will go agree with because they work together and he is one part of many. We go to speak with the Elders about wuntan buhum (solar electricity) and they say Thank you, we were not expecting you or this opportunity today, and of course they want to add wantan buhum to their community because it is a good thing. We ask them if they use any electricity at night, and they say that a few people have some small lanterns that they use disposable, lead-acid batteries in —Tigerwatt and Sun, locally retailed Chinese brands.
When we met the Elders they were standing around a young goat, who was suspended in the grip of two men, upside down. A veterinarian was standing, administering some white liquid in a syringe to his mouth, then a different brown syringe to his butt, then checked his vitals and let him go on his way. The vet was dressed in more Western-type clothes, so we knew that he and his assistant were from outside of the community.
We returned to the spot where we left Kobe at the taxi where we met the Chairman, with the Elders this time. We shared some Cola Nuts, for a ritual sign of respect in the tradition. Each person is to take a small bite to seal the deal, sign the ending.The ColaNut tasted a bit bitter and the taste stayed in my mouth for about 20 minutes throughout the ride home. They did not take the Cola immediately because of respect to Ramadan, Islamic month of fasting for Allah has just started, yet they expressed much gratitude at our coming and sharing. We agreed to meet at the same time tomorrow, around 7AM.
Team Wahab meets with elders from the community of Yepala to discuss a solar charging center!
