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Leaving next week for Nairobi!
A long awaited adventure is about to begin. I’m heading to Africa to feel the warm sun, flip flop around some villages, eat corn porridge, listen to Swahili and Luo, and meet a few sanitation specialists. My traveling companion is William Aludo, a fellow alumni from SIT: School for International Training and I hope you will follow my tale….tail… tale. This is not a safari trip, nor a peecylcing promotional scheme.
It is a chance to see and learn from the people who are working to create realistic and sustainable solutions to the sanitation crisis. I am all ears – and I have something to say. The Rich Earth Institute, our nascent yet powerful team of innovators in Vermont, is committed to advancing the use of human waste as a resource. The idea has taken my full attention.
William and I leave next Wednesday evening. In preparation, he has begun collecting his urine for donation to the Rich Earth research. Here he is at our self service indoor pumping station.
I wanted to be sure that William gets comfortable handling liquid gold, because during the second week, we are going to Kitere and teaching people how to collect and use their urine to fertilize crops. In a village, there is great potential to increase crop yields and improve nutrition.
William’s very large extended family lives in Kitere and we have a partner in the village to carry on after we leave. We’re picking up containers in the market and we have a team of women to start with. We’ve done some translating…..
MBOLEA KUTOKA KWA MKOJO
(fertilizer from urine)
Meanwhile- the Rich Earth Institute Board Retreat is Sunday and there is much to do. Please follow my trip and send your good energy for a successful journey. It is 72 degrees in Nairobi right now!
