Some updates and a few photos

Living at URDT has been fairly uneventful, if sprinkled with the obligatory African surprises. On visiting the metal-working workshop on campus in an attempt to find a pillar drill, Jack, Vish and I stumbled across an apparently recent project; a helicopter. Powered by a two-stroke engine and with flat plank blades, it clearly wasn't entirely a welding exercise. The frame itself is thin strip steel and probably not strong enough to stand on. It doesn't fly, and has no mechanism for tilt or yaw if they manage to make it do so.

Twice this week we've been woken by loud running footsteps on our roof, which turned out to be the baboons. The second time, the locals living in the quadrangle with us decided to tease them with a huge stuffed bear, causing much confusion among the younger baboons. Later, one of the aforementioned was playing on the volleyball net and damaging it, so Jimmy ran at it; the tiny thing stood its ground for a second, before running directly towards Jimmy, reversing the roles and chasing him across the field, much to everyone's amusement. 

The third and final picture is of the final survey site mentioned in a previous post, with locals shown standing nearby for scale.

Marco, who lived in Africa for the first 12 years of his life but has been taking Malarone as an antimalarial precaution anyway, managed to miss a few doses and contract the parasite. Last night, he was considering heading to Kampala to see the European High Commission doctor, but heavy doses of Malarone have seen him improve greatly overnight. Earlier in the week, he badly twisted his ankle playing volleyball, causing it to swell by about 50%. Not a good week for Marco.

On Sunday we were invited to play what we thought was a small game of football against some locals. We were led to what turned out to be the town full-size pitch, where a crowd of between 75 and 100 people waited. The full-size pitch allowed the locals to use their speed and stamina; even with rolling subs we were all shattered. Jo earned himself cheers and the nickname "moobi" (tough) from the crowd after replacing my feeble efforts in goal, and James caused much mirth by attempting an overhead kick. James is Warwick Rugby's first team prop. He redeemed himself by scoring our only goal, resulting in a final score of 2-1 to the locals. Apparently there's a good picture on somebody's camera, I'll try to acquire it.

The beard is coming along nicely, I'll give it a week or so and post a picture.

Who, Where, Why, and Why the Blog

My name is Ethan Fowler, and I'm a student studying Systems Engineering at Warwick University. I'm very into Development Engineering, and co-founded Warwick's branch of Engineers Without Borders in my first year. Next year is my last, and I'll be co-president of the branch.

This project isn't actually affiliated with EWB in any way; Dr. Colin Oram, of Warwick's Development Technology Unit, has begun using his extensive Ugandan experience to supervise what are to be annual projects in the country. Each team of around 7 students choose the next, through a series of interviews, with some members staying on for a second year.

I was lucky enough to be selected, and the project begins in earnest in 3 weeks. The immediate goal is to electrify Mabwe, a trading town just east of the Mountains of the Moon, in Western Uganda. The long term goal is to establish the knowledge and confidence in micro-hydro electricity generation within Uganda, such that the technology spreads of its own accord, without Western interference.

Before that, however, I will be taking part in the university's African Field Course module, initially surveying a separate potential micro-hydro site, before moving on to investigate the cause of an existing scheme's energy saving light-bulbs' untimely demise.

The main reason for this blog is for my own records and future reminscence; if others find it interesting, even better. I fly tomorrow, on the 12th.