In Heaven There Is No Beer

Muraho, Jacqueline here!

(This blog post was originally written on Saturday, July 23. Due to lack of internet connection it has been uploaded a day late.)

Rwanda is a beautiful country. The mountains are striking, the soil rich, the plants lucious and abundant, the weather pleasant, and the people generous and accommodating. The streets are filled with bicycles carrying impossibly large loads of bamboo, jerry cans, and sometimes friends on the back. Women in bright colors and vibrant patterns expertly balance containers on their heads. Motorcycles skillfuly weave through the busy streets, their red helmets standing out against the crowd. Even now, sitting on Jean's porch I hear children playing, sheep and goats braying, diesel engines chugging along, and the distant hum of drums, singing, and lively conversation. I absolutely love it here.

On Thursday we got our first real experience of the Rwandan landscape as we drove around to learn about all of the previous systems. We got to meet many community members and experience first hand the projects which we had only seen in photos. At Kibaya, the village Chief came out to greet us with his family. Jean informed us that per custom, as long as the Chief's wife was home, we would not be able to leave without seeing inside the house. When we entered the building and sat down, we were surprised by heaping dishes of halved potatoes and beans. We ate with our hands, peeling the potatoes as we went. Just when I thought I couldn't eat any more, the Chief's wife came back out with freshly cooked maize. We learned that these three foods are traditionally eaten at harvest festivals in the first week of August, but that we got to celebrate early. It was an awesome experience.

On our way back we passed by one of the government run taps, where dozens of children were lined up with their jerry cans. Jean explained that the kids wait for hours at a time, often missing school, for water that can run as expensive as $20 a jug, and comes out at random unscheduled times. We got out of the car for a closer look, per the kids requests. We introduced ourselves, gave some highfives and fist bumps, and shared some giggles. When we left they chased after our car.

Yesterday, we visited Janja for the first time, where construction of our eighth (!) rainwater catchement system was already underway. We took in the breathtaking mountain views as we made the ~2 hr drive over curvy mountain passes and bumpy dirt roads. Jean pointed out the river where the village residents must trek to get their water. The path was narrow and steep, and I had trouble conceiving how someone would be able to traverse it with full jerrycans. About 20 minutes of driving later, we arrived, as close as the road would allow, to the build site. We were greeted by shy but happy village residents filling woven plastic sacs with loads of sand for the concrete mixture. We grabbed some ourselves, hoisted them onto our shoulders, and followed the volunteer workers down the steep dirt steps. We were not nearly as adept or sure-footed in navigating the rocky terrain as them.

We dumped our bags, made introductions, and learned about the construction process and design choices for the system (embedded concrete floor supports, concrete columns instead of brick, linear alignment of the 5th tank, additional support beams, etc). The path back up to grab more sand definintely made me notice the altitude, after having been near sea level all summer. After a few more trips, we were guided to a barrel to wash our hands, and then to a small shaded room in the house adjacent to the site. There Hassan prepared some sugar cane for us with a machete. It was sweet and cool, and a welcome after running up and down the hill.

When it was time to leave, Roger got carried up to the car in a traditional nest typically used for married couples and the very sick. It was a sight to see, and entertained the village kids. We returned to Jean's house for beer, crispy chicken, tangy carrots and onions, and freshly made chips (fries). When the sun started to set, we finally got to try the famed Musanze local banana beer. It was 14% alchol, and as Jean says "it makes you want to dance". He taught us a drinking song to go with it:

In Heaven there is no beer

that's why you are drinking here

And when you're no longer here

Your friends will be drinking your beer

We played a few rounds of Egyptian rat screw, and took an early night. More big things to be done in Janja tomorrow!

-Jacqueline

Murakaza Neza

Muraho! It is the end of our second full day here in Rwanda, and our experience has been nothing short of adventure. The team got in late Tuesday night after over 20 hours of flying. I passed the time munching down on chocolate bars I got during our layover in Amsterdam and watching Avatar: The Way of Water. The chocolate was delightful. The movie, however, was a little disapointing, but I'll save this review for another blog. We finally landed in Kigali in the evening on 7/18 and anxiously filtered through customs, wondering if we had forgetten to remove any plastic bags in our luggage. Fun fact: plastic bags are illegal here in Rwanda. We were immediately greeted by Jean D'Amour, who piled us all into his car and shuttled us to our hotel for the night in Kigali. We all sat down in the hotel resturaunt area and indulged in our first taste of Rwandan cuisine: rice, plantaines, pasta noodles, and a beef stew. Our hotel stay was beautiful, and everyone was so friendly and welcoming to us. I woke up to my first actual view of the landscape here illumitated by the sun. I knew that Rwanda was a georgous place to visit coming in, but this is one of the most breathtaking places I have ever been. There is lush green vegetation sprawling everwhere here, filled with exotic plants and vibrant fruit blossoms. There are rolling hills everywhere, although I think they are large enough to be called mountains. The city of Kigali is immaculately clean, and there was not one single bit of trash that I was able to spot. I got to see more of the area as we headed to the Kigali National Geonocide Memorial, where we were able to learn about the tragic yet integral part of Rwanda's history. It is hard to specify my emotions coming out of this; all I can say for sure is it was one of the most powerful exhibits I have ever witnessed. If you are to ever visit Rwanda, I believe this is a very important first stop. To add in a mix to the emotions, we saw Kevin Hart while at the Memorial! We saved approaching him for another time, but hopefully we stumble into him again during our time here. Huge Kevin Hart fan by the way. We then continued our journey with a long car ride through the countryside to Musanze, where Jean lives. We made several stops along the way to check out villages and scenic views. Words really can't describe how beautiful this place is--this entire time I have been captivated by the visuals of blooming tropics mixing in with towering mountains. There is something about Rwanda that radiates life. The ground is incredibly fertile due to the nearby volcanoes, the air is clean and crisp, and the people are warm and welcoming. Rwanda truly is a special place, and the team and I are beyond greatful to experience such a beautiful country. We ended our first day at Jean's home, where he made us a delicious meal of cooked fish, rice, potatoes, and "false lemons" (a citrus fruit that looks like a lemon but tastes like an orange). Jean has been the most generous host, completely acommodating all of our needs with a nonstop smile on his face. It has been a busy couple of days, and we are all winding down now with a game of cards. Signing off, Cooper

Popsicle, Poopsicle, Dreamsicle

Muraho blog — We’ve finally reached our last day here in Rwanda after an incredibly two-weeks. We’ve completed everything we’ve hoped to, met everyone we have partnerships with (along with some new), been on safari, seen the capital Kigali and have made some special friendships along the way. I wanted to write this blog post like a game we’ve been playing almost everyday while being here. One day, over some lattes and strawberry shakes at créma, Jack had the great idea to start this game that he’d previously played working at a summercamp. He called it popsicle, poopsicle, and dreamsicle…i know at first I couldn’t bring myself to seriously refer to something as a poopsicle but we did it anyways. The game is pretty much a reflection of something good, something bad, and something hopefully that happened to you today. We started the game that day, and everyday since, when we had time sitting around together or at the dinner table, we would go around and all give our 3. We shared the game with our friend and partner Hasan, who got a kick out of the word poopsicle; with our host Jean, who would always give the most thought-out, well-said answers, and our friends in the Hingamafaranga club who didn’t know what a popsicle was (a frozen fruit snack in the US is how we described it). So I thought it be only necessary to share it with the blog: 

Popsicle: My popsicle for the trip, would have to have been seeing the impact of this project first hand. I knew this club was important and special when I joined it but the work we completed and the work I know we can complete in the future is incredibly impactful and sustainable on many levels and has the power to help many more communities of Rwanda. The most moving thing to me has been learning how the systems increase the number of children that can attend school since the amount of time it takes to fetch water is reduced. You can imagine how this will positively effect the development of the community and health of the children of future generations. As well as seeing the community buy-in for these projects (see blog post about community day). This popsicle could be many pages long but to keep it brief, being able to see our work first hand and meet the children and families who will benefit from this and maintain it in their future, has been one of the most rewarding things I have participated in my life to date and hope to experience more like this in the future. 

Poopsicle: My poopsicle for the trip is that we couldn’t have stay longer. Teams of the past were able to stay for a month and get to see more of the progression of the project and more of Rwanda. Two-weeks was wonderful but 3-4 would be really special. I hope teams of the future consider staying a tad longer, because once you are here you’ll find that you never want to go. 

Dreamsicle: Finally, my dreamsicle for the trip is that I hope there are many more projects to come in the future and that the impact continues to flow through the communities of Rwanda and change many lives. I hope the best for Jean and Hasan, their families, lives in Rwanda and all the good the future may bring them and hope to be reunited with them, and this team, again someday. 

Simply-put but this game has allowed us to reflect on our travels and thoughts  throughout the trip and if future teams are reading this definitely include this game when traveling or even at meetings. To popsicle, poopsicle, dreamsicle, the 2022 travel team, and Jean and Hasan thank you for a wonderful two-weeks together this experience will never be forgotten.

Catherine

Amazing Amazi!

Muraho inshute, Megan here! The safari continues to exist in my mind as a fever dream of playing the nicest sax I have ever played with an incredible band, the most wonderful hot shower of my life, and seeing 9 giraffes that looked like savanna dinosaurs. When we returned to Kadahenda after our safari in Akagera National Park on Monday morning, the system was nearly finished and the rain had started to come. Aside from providing moral support to the plumber, Claude, and taking turns standing as goal posts for the kids’ soccer game (just as glamorous as it sounds), we felt like most of our work was complete. It was so exciting to see the system in action, with the first flushes and taps working exactly as expected. One of the concrete tap stands was even labeled “ALIA” in honor of Aria’s newfound masonry skills. We collected water samples from the first flush, tap, and original community water source, and then made our way back to Musanze with only two stops for Macgyvered engine repair along the way. We are the only team to have seen rain in the systems, which was very exciting for us. 

The next day and a half continued to bring rain to the systems and gave us the opportunity to rest and recover a bit before the final stretch of the trip. We walked to Crema, which lives up to the hype from past teams, for Aria’s favorite honey latte and we wandered through the shops in downtown Musanze. In the evenings, we have taken advantage of free time to stream the Lion King in painstaking 5 minute segments. This down time has been much appreciated after a very busy week!

Last night, I started feeling pretty sick. I’m taking antibiotics now that will hopefully help me kick this bug, but it’s been tough to sit in bed like banana beer waiting to brew. The rest of the team learned how to make chapati this morning and went to the university, INES, in the afternoon to test water samples we’ve taken over the past few days with help from our pal Hasan. As I write this post, I continue to be pretty useless but hopefully on the mend, looking forward to our last three busy days in Rwanda. I’ll be back on the blog after we return to the US to write a wrap-up post and add pictures to our previous post. Until then, I’ll be trying to drink as much pineapple Fanta as I can and savoring the last of our time with our friends and community!

Megan

Hakuna Matata

Hello world! Back again with another message from your favorite muzungus, 

As the construction at Kadahenda nears completion, the team got a welcome break from the long days and prying children.  We spent Friday night in Kigali, a 2 hour drive from Jean’s home in Musanze, and had to say goodbye to our mentor and friend Travis.  Of course not before heading to one of our new favorite restaurants, an Ethiopian place on the outskirts of town (side note: don’t expect any other customers if you’re there before 9pm).  After a sad round of goodbyes and a night in a hotel, the team set off towards Akagera National Park for our weekend safari.  

 

Three hours and a covid test later, we made it into the park and transitioned from our roles at the site into full blown tourists.  I’d like to take a moment now to reintroduce each of our members.  

 

Megan Finnigan: Navigations expert and pizza critic

Jack Harris: Vice chancellor of wanting to see a lion

Catherine Patton: Sgt. General of animal spotting, claims to have seen a lion

Aria Mundy: Little miss asleep the whole time

Jean d’amour Manirere: Certified tour guide, executive decision maker, comic relief

 

Great.  Now that you are all familiar with each other, let’s talk about our first day in the park.  We opted to take the plains trail in the west of the park for this leg, so a good portion of our time was spent mistaking grass for different African animals.  After enough false alarms, none of us expected Catherine to spot the head of a giraffe peaking over a hill.  Two giraffes (!) eating from a tree right next to the road. Jean tells us this is pretty rareto see here in Akagera, so we were very excited to be there to see it. The rest of the drive included buffalo, zebra, and baboon sightings, and we called it a night. 

 

Arriving at our hotel was a shock to say the least.  We were greeted by hot towels and smoothies in the lobby, quite the change from our concrete covered clothes and packed car rides.  We enjoyed a huge buffet dinner with Rwandan classics and American favorites and ended the night outside with the live band.  Jean continued to show off his fantastic dance moves and was able to convince us all to join him.  And, after some more chatting with the band’s manager, our very own Megan Finnigan got the chance to jam on the saxophone with the hotel band.  We were all very impressed to say the least.

 

The next morning was another trip around the park, this time taking the lakeshore path to the east.  We saw more zebras and baboons on the way, taking time at each break in the plants to look for hippos and crocodiles in the lake.  While trekking through the tall shrubs we saw huge numbers of other critters small and large.  The complete list will be included below.  But as we turned back for the day, we decided to take another shot along the plains trail to look for elephants and whatever else we might see (this was a great idea).  Maybe an hour down the trail, we spotted it again: Giraffes.  And not just the two from last night, a family of three, then five, then seven giraffes all walking together down the hill snacking on the foliage.  What a highlight.  If two giraffes is rare, seven must be a record.  We were all stoked to just sit and watch these giants roll through.  But the daunting drive back to Musanze was weighing on us so we packed up and headed home.  Five hours of Rwandan traffic, and many many car naps later, we made it safely home and straight to bed.  

 

What an adventure! Simultaneously the dirtiest and cleanest we’ve been this trip.  Hope you all get the chance to check out this amazing bit of nature someday :)

 

Thanks for reading,

Jack 

 

Complete Animal List:

Zebra

Buffalo

Monkey

Guinea Fowl

Kingfisher

Giraffe

Hippo

Crocodile

Baboon

Warthog

Topi

Defassa Waterbuck

Honey Badger

Unidentified weasel looking creature

Turtle

Vultures, eagles, ospreys

Herons, cranes, ibis, and all number of other tall water birds

Community Day and the End of Week One

Muraho, friends! Aria here, with some updates for a wonderful few days in Rwanda (Internet access has been a tad unpredictable, so to our (20??) loyal viewers, my apologies for the delay on this post!) 

By Wednesday, we found ourselves feeling a bit more adjusted to life here in Rwanda (that jet lag was no joke). We visited the site on Wednesday morning, and even had the opportunity to work with the masons on the plumbing system - it was great to learn some new skills from the masons, and see the system really start to come together! After visiting the site, the team had the chance to visit INES and University of Rwanda, where we got to meet many of Jean’s colleagues, and even got to take tours of the engineering testing laboratories at INES and plant nursery at University of Rwanda (my goodness - I’ve never seen so many avocado trees, and as an avocado enthusiast I gotta say this was a highlight of the day). Some advice to future teams… be prepared to be spontaneously summoned to speak in front of a class of university students (I was definitely not ready for this one😂). While a bit nerve wracking, it was a great opportunity to engage with the university students (many of whom are pursuing studies related to agriculture), and we had some very eye-opening discussions about the future of water and food security, both in Rwanda and around the world. 

After a busy Wednesday, it was nice to relax a bit on Thursday morning. After breakfast, we took a stroll into the city of Musaze, where we enjoyed some delicious coffee at Crema (one of the best lattes I’ve ever had - the food and coffee here has been nothing short of spectacular). We spent some time exploring the lively streets of Musanze, brimming with speeding motos and vibrant markets. We ventured into one of the markets, where I found myself overwhelmed as we explored story upon story of shops filled with shoes, clothes, kitchen supplies, and toiletries… the list goes on and on. Jack scored a pretty good bargain with a pair of “super legitimate,” albeit pretty classy, Air Jordans. 

After a morning in Musanze, we made our way back to Jean’s house to prepare for Community Day in Kadahenda! After a quick lunch, we packed into the car and drove to the the village. The event was held on the project site, and as we approached the village, we were greeted by lively dancing and music. We took our seats alongside government officials, village chiefs, and university students in front of hundreds of villagers from Kadahenda and the neighboring villages. What a festival! I continue to be touched and inspired by the kindness and sense of community that’s so prevalent in Kadahenda. Among the events of the day, young students were given books and school supplies, and members of the community donated lambs and food to fellow community members in need. At one point during the ceremony, Megan, Catherine, Jack, Travis, and I were presented with beautiful baskets of beans and fruit - an incredibly generous gift from the members of the community. If there’s one virtue I hope to manifest after this trip to Rwanda, it’s to strive to care for others in my community - to engage in gestures of kindness, and to do what I can to support those around me. 

At the end of the ceremony, the secretary of the district invited us up to dance! I’ll admit, the notion of dancing in front of hundreds of villagers pushed the limits of my comfort zone (my dancing abilities are lacking), but with the villagers applauding and singing and dancing with us, I found myself smiling and laughing and enjoying every second of it. Almost as if it were queued, rain starting pouring down on us as we danced. This moment was truly one of the most special things I’ve experienced, and the incredible joy I felt from the smiles, the laughs, the dancing, and the music, is something I’ll always hold very close to my heart. 

On Friday morning, we made our way back to the Kadahenda site, where we helped put some finishing touches on the tap stations. We put our construction skills to the test and tried our hands at applying mortar to the tap stations, but quickly realized that that such masonry is much harder than it looks. We had to ask the professionals for help, and now the tap stations are looking spectacular, as is the system as a whole! After a busy and exciting first week on the site, we are very excited about the progress that’s been made. The rains are supposed to start next week, and we can’t wait to see the system in action soon! Time for a weekend safari break, and then we’ll be back to work!

Aria

Ode to Chapati

To Chapati, 

My dearest, my first culinary love. We first met over a decade ago on a dusty street in Kampala, me at turns high on adventure and utterly overwhelmed, you couched in the glass case of a street food vendor. For mere pocket change, you called to me like a siren, the song of an African street tortilla, and then you danced over my tongue and brought me great delight. Ever since you have held my affection.

Mon amour, I studied your construction. I wondered, is it possible a pancake and a tortilla had a baby? No. Three simple ingredients: water, oil, flour. Pack to the consistency of pizza dough and let rise. Place on a sizzling hot cast iron skillet and flip. I marveled at how your simplicity could produce such satisfaction. Savory and slightly sweet, textured and hearty. [Chef’s kiss.]

Surely this could be replicated in America, right? But, no. I tried and tried, but like my Grandma’s crepe pancakes, no matter how closely I followed the recipe, you never turned out exactly right. There was always some missing ingredient: ambient humidity, perhaps, or a different strain of flour, a different flavor of oil, or maybe just the romantic chaos of an African capital city. I couldn’t figure it out, I still don’t know, and I have given up trying.

Life goes on. I live in America and you live all over the African continent. I grow older, you stay the same, and that’s just fine. It’s amazing to me that I still remember the way you made me feel that first time, and I am grateful that each time I come back to you and take that first bite, I feel the spark of that original joy and all the attendant wonder and wanderlust it carried with it. 

May you enchant EWB students for years to come, as you have me, forever and amen.

With deepest sincerity,

Travis

D’Amour!

I felt it only necessary to write a post about our wonderful host Jean D’Amour. After me only knowing him for almost a year, Aria knowing him since not too long ago and Megan and Jack knowing him for many years now, with our only communication being WhatsApp and Zoom, he is better than words can describe. Jean is thoughtful, caring, smart, funny, a wonderful host, a good friend to all…the list is long. 

As we drive through the ‘African massaging’ streets and near towards Kadahenda, you hear songs filled with his name. Kids jump on the tire on the back of his car, swarms of 15+ kids unite and follow us down the road running to the site. He is friends with and laughs with the masons, the children, the community members, us, and even random people we drive past on the road. He is famous here in Musanze, to say the least. 

What I’ve learned about him so far (even though we are only on day-4) is that he cares so much for his country and it’s people, that where he stands is that he is a humanitarian and has made it his life’s goal to provide rural communities with food and water here in Rwanda. He is well-traveled, speaks 4 languages (English, French, Kinyarwanda, and Swahili), is very smart, having earned is PhD in 4 challenging years from the University of Michigan, and is a member of the rotary club and works with the team based in Boulder. He knows and cares much for his county, friends, family, community and making global connections with us and his students at the university. 

Jean D’Amour has many lessons and stories to share and I cannot do him justice with this writing but am so excited for our next 10days spent with him in his lovely home and lovely county. 

Murakoze 

Catherine

Do you fear worms?

For one Aria Mundy, the answer is most certainly yes. More on this later. 

Muraho, Megan here! After 32.5 hours of travel, we have finally arrived in Rwanda. We have been here for one day now, and although we are all still jet lagged and exhausted, we are soaking everything in. The people here are so kind, the food is amazing, and the views are stunning. The morning after we landed, Jean D’Amour’s friend Yvonne showed us around Kigali. We were treated to coffee and fresh fruit from the market (stay tuned for a poem/ode to coffee in a future post by Aria). We then took motos to the genocide memorial, which was powerful and sad to say the least. In the afternoon, we drove to Musanze from Kigali through beautiful rolling hills of farms and small communities, little kids grinning and pointing at us shouting “Muzungu!” as we passed. To my delight, we also passed lots of goats and cool-looking trees. 

We are now staying at Jean D’Amour’s beautiful house in Musanze. He has dogs, chickens, Guinea fowl, and pigeons, one of which is now (albeit jokingly) named after me. We finally got a chance to relax a bit this evening over some beers and reignite the debate over wanting to fight snake sized worms or worm sized snakes- as a result of this discussion, it was discovered that Aria hates worms, I have a worm-themed playlist (happily available upon request), and there are no worms here in Rwanda to torment Aria. We later had an incredible home-made, garden-grown dinner of potatoes, peas, and vegetables. 

Today, we will be visiting the site at Kadahenda for the first time. We are all so excited to see the progress that has already been made and get to interact with the community.

We will back back on the blog in a few days. Until then, dreams of chapati will fill my head and I will do my best to come around to coffee and beer!

Megan

Summer 2022 Implementation - EWB CU is finally headed back to Rwanda!

 Muraho friends of EWB CU Rwanda!

This is Megan, updating the blog a little more than 2 weeks before we leave for Rwanda for the implementation of our team's seventh rainwater catchment system. A lot has happened since our last post in Summer 2019 (Covid, remote implementation at Gasiza, system upgrades, etc.), so it feels appropriate to write an update before we embark on our upcoming adventure.

Our team this year consists of four students and one professional mentor: myself (current Project Manager and Chapter Vice President), Jack (PM in 2021), Catherine (our team's treasurer), Aria (a newish, but very enthusiastic, team member), and Travis (our professional mentor who works as an engineer and has traveled with the team several times before). We will be setting out to build the team's seventh rainwater catchment system - preceded by Munini, Nyarutosho, Ntarama, Gasebaya, Kibaya, and Gasiza. We'll also be visiting these past systems to evaluate their performance and speak with community members who use them.

Covid-19 has certainly been a major challenge for the team, and we're excited to finally be able to travel again. I joined the team during the remote implementation of Gasiza in Fall 2020, and the struggles of remote, international communication put a lot of stress on us. Like many other clubs, we dealt with substantial turnover and decline in membership, which has been a setback to say the least. I'm excited to have the travel aspect of EWB back and to rekindle relationships with members of the community. It still blows my mind that I'll actually get to meet the people I've been on so many Zoom calls with over the past two years in person!

Pre-Travel Column Progress

Construction started with site clearing about two weeks ago, and so far everything is going smoothly. It's really helpful to have masons and other workers who have built a similar system in the past because they are familiar with our design and easy to work with. Columns have been constructed, and hopefully the tanks will arrive before we do so that we can complete the plumbing and roofing of the system while we're in-country.

Jack and Aria mixing concrete!

Our team has been doing our best to prepare for implementation, not only with required paperwork, but also by spending time together in preparation. We have attended a concrete mixing workshop and watched Hotel Rwanda together in the past few weeks, which have given us the opportunity to get to know each other better and think about the ethical implications of our work. 

Before we get going, I also wanted to take a moment to thank and acknowledge everyone who has helped us along the way. Thanks to everyone on our team, past and present, who has helped work on the project, to all of our generous donors who have helped to fund the trip, and to our incredible community partners at DRD who have supported preparations and been a voice and advocate for the community (thanks Jean!). Thanks also to our friends on the Guatemala team who have shared their wisdom with us, and our past team members who haven given us insights into what it's like to travel to Rwanda with EWB.

That's all folks! Stay tuned for daily-ish blog posts starting when we leave for Rwanda on July 22!

Much love,
Megan

What's in that Monkey Juice?

There is a coffee shop in Musanze right down the street from our Fatima Hotel called Crema, and believe me when I say it is a little piece of Boulder right here in Africa.

Everything, from the smells to the customers to the sounds to the overall environment, just screams stereotypical Boulder life. It has been nice to debrief, rest, enjoy the amazing service, and delight in the best coffee around.






There is one drink that is only found in this coffee shop called the Golden Monkey, and I have fallen in love. Warning: Consider this to be a sappy, love song for my newfound joy. Take a break from the serious blogs written for this beautiful form of entertainment.

Oh Golden Monkey, Oh Golden Monkey, what is in that Monkey Juice?
Your birth was conceived out of the ingenuity of a Congolese barista, and I couldn't be more happy that you have found your way into this world.
How lucky am I, that of any place on this Earth, I found myself in the right place at the right time...the only place at the only time.
I have considered buying lottery tickets, because the luck I have absorbed by finding you is sending me over the top.

What am I most enamored by you?

Is it your technically proficient creation? I witnessed how each grain of coffee is specially chosen, finely ground down, and weighed to the exact specifications. I watched the meditation of precise brews and filter separations. And I couldn't contain my joy once you were soaked in a mixture of honey, cinnamon, apple juice, and ginger soda, hand-pressed until each last drop was finalized.

Is it your beauty? Maybe it is the condensation that finds itself on your glass. Maybe it is the golden color that I can only imagine what heaven's streets are colored with. Maybe it is the ice clanging ever so slightly up against the glass that awakens a what was once lost in my mind. Or maybe it is the beauty found within...

I was always told to seek out the beauty from within, and I now understand why. The first time I tried your delectable taste, a symphony erupted in my heart. The sweetness of the cinnamon, the spice of the ginger, and the purity of the coffee bean all combine for an out-of-body experience.

Your scent makes me come alive, and I can't wait to soak up the goodness you will surely bring. They say long distance is hard, but I know we can work it out. Just the thought of your taste rejuvenates my mind and refreshes the dullest parts of my body.

I know this is selfish of me, but I wish you were closer. I could enjoy a cup of you with each meal, share your beauty with my friends, and always know you are near.

But I guess this is the price you pay for traveling...and for love. You share your heart with others, and that part of you will always remain after you've gone.

It's so hard to say goodbye, but the comfort I reside in is knowing that I will be back...and the taste will be all the sweeter.

Goodbye, my love. Until we meet again.

Your love,

Gary

This Simple Yellow Jerrycan

You cannot go anywhere here without seeing a simple yellow jerrycan. I have been thinking about this a lot, and the drastic need for water that is exemplified by these containers. But I think it is so much more than that.

This simple yellow jerrycan symbolizes strength. There are very few people I know that can take a 40lb awkwardly- sized jerrycan and carry it 10km...let alone multiple trips a day.
Assessing Gasiza was an eye-opening experience for sure, as the hike to and from the village to fetch water is treacherous, with steep, rocky, jagged terrain that would challenge even the most skilled of hikers. On top of all that, they do this without any type of reasonable footwear. I think seeing a simple yellow jerrycan can empower you, inspire you, and cause you to contemplate how blessed you are.

This simple yellow jerrycan allows for a symbol of equality. No matter who you see, no matter where you go, you can always find these yellow jerrycans. From Kigali to Cyanika, from our hostel Mijo to the gas station diner, from the Goico Plaza to the Nyagabugogo Bus Station, there is no lack of these yellow jerrycans. I have seen this resemblance as an indication that everyone needs water...no one is exempt. It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, if it is a crisis, everyone is in the same boat.

This simple yellow jerrycan is a sign of humility, yet ironically, is also a sign of pride. The humble spirit that fetches water can be so overcome with pride for the water that is gathered.

This simple yellow jerrycan is strikingly noticeable. You can pick out one of these miles away, and it always fancies your sight. For some reason, you can't help but look at these marvelous containers. I think deep down, it is a physical representation of how important water is to us.

This simple yellow jerrycan portrays a smile. It could be the little girl using it like a drum, creating an upbeat dance rhythm that draws in a crowd. These jerrycans can ignite a smile when there is enough water at the rainwater catchment system. By using them, people can unite over stories and experiences shared over the water collection with this simple yellow jerrycans.

This simple yellow jerrycan brings about so much pain and sorrow. Wilson, the chief of Nyrautosho, had a daughter that was beaten nearly to death on the way to fetch water at a nearby lake. It was no fault of him or his daughter. It is just a result of a persistent problem that is encompassed by this simple yellow jerrycan.

This simple yellow jerrycan resembles time. We all can agree on one thing...time is one of the most precious gifts we have. With this valuable resource being limited, what we choose to do with it defines us more than we know. How can this simple yellow jerrycan take up so much time? When each trip takes upwards of 4 hours to collect water, you can envision how difficult it is to keep a steady job, maintain a reliable water source, and constantly bathe and wash your clothes. And although most people know the importance of treating your water before use, it is easy to see why many still don't. After spending all day collecting water, the exhaustion of this simple yellow jerrycan can weigh on you more than you know. When the water need is immediate, how can you justify investing more time?

Here's the thing. I can sit on my soapbox all day and talk about how important clean drinking water is to me, to our team, and to the world. But until you realize the struggle people face daily, it is difficult to truly comprehend what so many others around the world have to go through every day. As you go throughout your day, please be reminded of water in all of its beauty, and of this simple yellow jerrycan. 

Excuse Me, Are You Guys Park Rangers?

As the trip nears its end, the team has finally become as acclimated as possible to the people, the culture, the food, the language, and of course, the dancing. Just the other day, we were walking down the street, and a lady asked us if we were park rangers...and I think I will take that as a compliment. LOOK OUT PARK RANGERS, HERE WE COME!

We are nearing the end of our trip now, and it is safe to say that the time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday we were prepping for our first Community Vision Board meeting, and yet our final meeting will be tomorrow. I have a feeling it will be bittersweet, but I am excited to conclude our findings with the chiefs, discuss our future plans, close out the 3 systems that our team has been tirelessly working on for the past five years, and then a feast. Pastor Jacques has invited the team and all the chiefs to a meal at his house where we can break bread and enjoy some quality fellowship. Stay tuned for more on how that goes.

Quick Updates on the past few days.

We went and assessed the third site in Hanika, and I am ecstatic about the potential impact that this team can have in this part of the world.
Man, clean drinking water is unbelievable vital to our success and well-being, and there is not a day I am not reminded of that.

Last weekend the team headed back into Kigali. We went to the Kigali National Genocide Museum and a safari in Akagera National Park. Enjoy some of the quality pictures (group pictures to come later)!

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.

"Hi, I'm a zebra. No one knows what I do, but I look pretty cool, Am I white or black?"

--Ariana Grande

Never seen some monkeys getting attacked by small little birds before. 

Stay tuned for more blog posts!

Big Progress in Week 2!

Muraho! This is Cassidy with a quick recap of our last few days here in Rwanda. 

We've been gaining valuable information about our future projects while having a great time connecting with the community and experiencing the joys of this beautiful country. 

This week has been very informative so far. We started off with our second Community Vision Board meeting where we had the opportunity to speak with the chiefs of the five villages where we've already implemented, as well as one of the officials of the Cyanika sector where our team will continue to be working. We had the opportunity to introduce our mentor, Cole, and he was met with an incredibly warm welcome from the Community Vision Board. 

One of the greatest parts of this trip has been seeing how grateful the community is for the work we've done. The village chiefs come up to us with smiles from ear to ear and look at us deeply as they express their gratitude for our work. This level of appreciation was something I never imagined while working on our projects back in Colorado, and I think it's important for all our members and supporters to understand how valued their work is. The four of us represent such a large team, and we wouldn't be able to do it all without each and every one of you back home, so thank you all!

We started the Community Vision Board by meeting discussing a future latrine project with one of the sector officials of Cyanika. He informed us that there is a need for public latrines in a playground where there are frequent soccer games and practices, as well as some government meetings. We are planning to check out the specific site tomorrow, as well as investigate more about what a good versus bad latrine would look like for this specific community. I think a latrine project offers a new challenge that will be fun to explore. 

At the meeting, we also talked with the chiefs about what they need to have repaired and what they recommend we change about future designs. The information gained through this discussion will help us match our design to the community's specific needs and maximize our impact in the area. We learned that the tanks are dry a few months out of the year, and sometimes they overflow during the rainy season, so I hope that we can adjust our designs to better match the water storage capacity with the roof size. 

After our meeting, we went down to visit Lake Burera, which is where members of the community are walking to fetch water if they are too far from a government tap stand or one of our rainwater catchment systems. The road leading to the lake is steep and rocky. It's hard for me to imagine carrying a 20L jerrycan for so many miles on that terrain. The lake was breathtaking, but the water near the shore was murky and filmy. Hasan described to us that people will typically pay someone to swim a little further out to get the fresh water, but little kids collecting water for their families will stay right on the shore. It was incredibly impactful to see the community's alternative with my own eyes. It really justifies the importance of our work back home. 

Today, we spent some time visiting two of the potential sites for new rainwater catchment system implementation, Gasiza and Kavunda. Gary and Hasan worked on surveys with some of the community members to gain a better idea of the need in the community and their current methods for water collection. As always, Gary was making a lot of friends and forming a good connection with the community. Cole, Casey, and I worked on taking pictures and measurements of the sites for future designs. Unfortunately, Sonrisa was still recovering back at the hotel, working on survey data. We are grateful to have our mentor, Cole, around now, and we've been exploring different design options with him. I feel like I've learned a lot from these discussions, and I think that his input will be a great help as we start our next designs! 

Gasiza and Kavunda are pretty far from the main area in Cyanika, but we were surprised to find a new road leading to Gasiza, which will really help us to get trucks and materials out there next year! We analyzed two plots at Gasiza, and one of them seems well-fit for a new system. It is one of the most densely-populated villages in the region, so it will be a new challenge for our team. The site at Kavunda is small, but we may be able to use the chief's home as our roof structure, adding tanks and gutters for a more simple design. 

We ended the day today taking loads of pictures at the Kibaya site built last year. 

The Kibaya system being put to good use. 

One of the amazing women we interviewed
who thanks us for bringing the Kibaya system into her life. 

It's incredibly rewarding to hear that our systems are impactful, and the connections we've made with the community have been truly life-changing. I have been amazed by how well people can communicate despite different languages and cultures: whether it be a giant smile, like the one we get every time we see Donatien, or giggles from the kids of Cyanika after I turn around and make a funny face. It's a good reminder of how well-connected we all are and how we can truly help each other.

Donatien's giant smile. 

We always find friends in Goico Market. 

The kids of Ntarama love to play follow the leader. 

 

Beginnings of Week No. 2

Hello friends and family! It's Sonrisa again, with the latest updates on our team adventures in Rwanda!

The best news: Cole has arrived! Cole left Denver late last Friday night and arrived in Kigali yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. We left Musanze on Saturday morning and headed to Kigali to meet Cole at the airport. Hasan came with us in order to visit a friend of his from Cyanika that is living in Kigali at the moment. 

When we arrived in Kigali, we met Hasan and his friend, Jessy, who just also happens to be Jacques's niece. We spent most of the rest of the day with Hasan and Jessy in Kigali, going to a HUGE local market in Kigali called Kimironko Market. We nearly lost Cassidy on a moto but thank goodness her driver found us waiting for her fairly quickly. Jessy had taken us to the market to buy local crafts, however, the market was SO crowded and we were nearly the only mzungus in sight so we were promptly swarmed with vendors hollering "Brother! Sister! Come, come, come! Look at this - it is so beautiful!" It was very overwhelming and none of us ended up buying anything because there was just so much to take in and process at the moment. After the market, Jessy took us to a restaurant in town where we had fresh juices, chapatti wraps, and, of course, french fries. 

The next day, Sunday, we had some time to kill before Cole arrived so we went to Caplaki Craft Village. The craft village is for sure a tourist haven and the prices are a bit more than at local markets, but there are lots of good things to purchase in an environment that is much more relaxing to be in.  Caplaki is called a "craft village" because it is an open marking lot type of area lined with vendor stalls. We practiced our bartering skills and headed back to our hostel to drop off our newly purchased items before picking up Cole at the airport. 

(thanks, Google for these photos for the markets - I didn't get the chance to take my own)

Our motos dropped us off and after we paid, one of the drivers immediately pulled a wheely and started to do crazy tricks in the street, giving us quite the show. He even stood on the seat with one leg, using the other to steer and accelerate. And that wasn't even the whackiest part! After pulling a couple leg-pivot-donut-things in the middle of the street, the moto driver got off his bike and offered it to a cyclist training in the neighborhood who happened to be passing by. The cyclist got off his bike and literally hopped over to the moto (he had only one leg), hopped on and took off down the street while swinging his one leg from side to side on the motorcycle in order to shift. By far, this is one of those memories I'll have forever that seems to be uniquely "Africa" in my mind as I could never imagine seeing anything of the sort happen at home. 

Cassidy and Casey went to the airport to pick up Cole while Gary and myself stayed at the hotel that way everyone coming back from the airport could fit into a single cab.  We took Cole for his first meal in Kigali and naturally we ended up going to Now Now Rolex, a staple of last year's travel team that is turning into the same thing this year. 

Now Now Rolex 

We took the (very bumpy and hot) bus back to Musanze from Kigali this morning and have spent the rest of the day not doing much. Gary and Casey went to Goico market to pick up and get clothes made from one of the many seamstresses who work there. Cassidy, Cole, and I spent some time researching and talking about the projects and the possible addition of the latrine project to our team's work. For those not familiar, our team is currently researching and assessing for a possible latrine project in Cyanika that the team would work on in addition to the rainwater harvesting we currently do. We have met with a sector official who has told us that there is a need for good and safe latrines in public areas where football matches and community meeting take place. The rest of this week will see us meet with the sector officials again and have them show us examples of poor and good public latrines in the community that way we have a better idea of what the project would entail before we make any decisions on our involvement with this latrine project. 

Gary, his favorite seamstress, and our translating friend, Amis 

Tomorrow is Tuesday and we will be meeting with the Community Vision Board again in order to introduce Cole to the chiefs and to talk with the chiefs of our current systems about what our future plans for building systems are. They have selected three other villages for the team to assess so that we can plan on what next year's implementation trip will look like. We hope to build two systems next year. 

We have had much more downtime than I had expected when creating a schedule for the trip. I was expecting there to be more repairs that need to be made at the systems in Cyanika but everything looks great! When we have met with the system caretakers and talked with them at the sites, they have explained to us that while there are a few minor things that need repair, they have already ordered the replacement parts and are prepared to fix them ASAP, without any assistance from the travel team.
The only disappointment that I've experienced this trip (other than getting a surprise cold) has been the terrible air quality that is in both Kigali and Musanze. The sky, in both places, is heavy with smoke from fires burning trash and wood. It reminds me of a Colorado sky during a heavy wildfire season. The resulting visibility is so poor that you can't see the Virungas (volcanoes) from Musanze except at night when the red sun allows for a peek at the silhouettes.

Smoky Kigali skies

That time Gary got his shoes cleaned at a car wash...

Hi all!

Since the last update, Gary and Cassidy have completed the community surveys at Kibaya and Ntarma. From what I hear, all things went well, however, Sonrisa and I were not able to help out. We have both been feeling a bit under the weather... probably due to the really, really poor air quality we have had during our stay so far. Hopefully this smokey smog will lift soon and we will all get to feeling better!

Anyways, on to better news. As Gary mentioned in his post, the community has been extremely gracious and welcoming towards us so far. My absolute favorite moment so far happened when Gary, Cassidy and I were surveying the community at Nyarutosho. Cassidy and I had stepped out from under the shade of the structure to get some air, when one of the villagers we had surveyed approached us. She gestured for us to follow her and after a brief hesitation, we did. We had really no idea what she had planned for us since she didn't speak any English. After a short walk, we arrived at her home. She was so happy to show us her livestock and home and offer us to sit with her. We had some very broken communication with her and her daughters, then we made our way back to the system. it may seem like a small gesture, but I just felt like it was really special to be invited into this intimate part of an already isolated village and I really appreciated her kindness.

And now for the main point of this post (sorry for the clickbait title). We had a pretty chill day today in Musanze. We went around surveying building materials to use next summer and ended up at the shopping center, where Gary paid to have a shirt made by one of the tailors. It took a couple of hours to make, so we left and came back. As we were walking back to the shopping center, Gary was insistent that he was also going to find a shoeshine to clean his shoes. I was doubtful, especially since he was wearing sneakers and how do you shine sneakers? Gary got his shirt and we asked our newfound friend (Hamisi) where we should go. He said he would take us to get our shoes cleaned and lead us to car wash right around the corner. After a brief conversation with the workers there, Gary was plopped down on a bench and his shoes taken from him. I was admittedly a bit smug at this point because I had told Gary that this wasn't going to work out for him and this was definitely an unexpected turn. Even better, at this point I had assumed his shoes would be returned to him soaking wet. A few minutes later, the man returned with his shoes. I excitedly walked over to see his work and I can now admit... I was wrong. Gary's shoes looked brand new and were returned completely dry. I still have no idea what he did to them, but it was definitely a memorable experience. Here is a picture of the whole exchange, with Gary's new shirt and all. 

That's all for now. I can't wait to get back and share more stories with the rest of you back home.

Casey

Ay Musanze, How Ya Doin?

The past few days being in the community have been incredible, awe-inspiring, and joy-giving. For starters, the views both from our hotel and in Cyanika are breathtaking. Mt. Muhabura is the largest volcano in the region, and it seems to remain the only constant on the horizon.

Our team met with the Executive Sector Director of the Cyanika Region on Tuesday morning to discuss our schedule for the trip as well as the long term goals our team has with the community. He outlined the areas of need that we will be assessing and indicated the strong desire for latrines that would greatly benefit public area sanitation. He couldn't thank the team back home enough for all their hard work...so GREAT JOB TEAM! We are your representatives, but this couldn't have been possible without the long hours put in from all our members. It is special that people here understand and value that. I miss you all!

Afterward, we were able to meet with the Community Vision Board, composed of all the chiefs and owners of the systems. Not only were they overtly humbled and grateful to be meeting with us, but they all were very proud of the success of the systems. Their kindness and willingness to talk with the team and tell us their stories, meet their families, and invite us into their homes is a true indication of how genuine Rwandans are.

People here are proud to say hi to a muzungu (foreigner), so we have definitely been getting a lot of hello's, handshakes, and head nods from strangers. Everyone, from our taxi driver Misu Niza to our hotel waiter Jean Claude to our translator Hasan, has shown us tremendous hospitality, and we are lucky for the time we have with them.

We have kicked off our survey and community testimonial data collection and will be doing so all week. We were able to attend the Munini site today and hear firsthand how the systems are impacting the community.















Water is a life source that affects all that we, as humans, do. It is unbelievable to see how something as simple as a water catchment system can transform a life, a family, a community and a lifestyle. Time after time, people emphasized how their health has improved, their income has increased and become more reliable, and how their quality of life has soared to new heights. Children can attend school, fathers can work reliable hours, and the family has vastly improved hygiene...all rewards of a seemingly simple idea of obtaining rain for clean drinking water at an accessible and affordable cost.

In the city, you can see the lines of people waiting for water at the government tap stands that charge large sums of money for a jerrycan. In this, the full effect of our systems can be understood. Those that live far from the city cannot reach or afford this water. Even more so, our systems are thriving when compared to the other alternative option, obtaining water from a lake in Uganda 15 kilometers away.
Hasan told us that the favorite drink in the community used to be milk...why, you might ask? Well, many people feared the water they gathered from the lakes and the streams, as it made them very sick. They would much rather drink the milk in confidence that they would not get sick.

The team was invited to Jacques home today after our work with the surveys. Jacques is an employee of our partnered NGO, Village Makeover, and one of our guides on this trip. He truly cares for everyone in his community, and treasures the relationship he has with the team and their friends back in Colorado. The best part about going to his house was meeting his family, and hearing his young son, Shaka, introduce himself. "I am fine, smart, and hard-working".

I just want to end by saying that clean drinking water should never be taken for granted. It is refreshing to see those who understand the power of water. Walking around on this rocky, volcanic terrain and carrying 20L jerrycans is no easy feat, regardless of if you walk for 5 minutes or 6 hours. We are all very blessed, so I encourage you to be conscious of that when you wash that stain out of your clothes, sing in the shower, slurp up at the drinking fountain, or take a dip at the local pool.

Stay tuned for more awesome updates throughout the trip. Thanks for all the support...SKO BUFFS!