Mambue Dam Finished -June 2008
This week we were very pleased to be able to arrive in Mambue just as the dam was being finished. We were there to take workers and tools to a new community but did not know we were going to have to do this until we arrived and received the information. We were able to participate a little in building the last part of the dam as you can see in the above picture. It was an interesting experience. The whole community showed up to watch the end of the work. They brought their drums and the women danced to celebrate. They danced around the dam and sprinkled corn flour on the dam. I suppose it was sort of a blessing. They then proceeded to dance around the extension workers, the community chief and Jenny and dropped flour at their feet. I suppose this was a way to say thanks and give honor. I guess they must have forgotten me because I was off to the side. We are very proud of the work they did and as a representative at MCC I was asked to give a speech. I am starting to get good at these “on the spot” speeches. We are happy for the community and hope and pray that come the rainy season this dam will hold water.
We received information that two of our other dams are continuing to have water behind them at this point. That is cause for celebration. At this time last year the water would have been gone. It gives us a lot of hope since this first year the dams have leaked a little. We hope with some experience our dams will get better and better. The technology is spreading, however, and that was our goal. We traveled to Tete Province to visit several new communities where CCM is going to start a new agriculture project which includes sand dams. We also are getting requests from other parts of the country. We hope that in 10 years, Mozambique will be building lots of these dams and making a difference in people’s lives.
This week we were very pleased to be able to arrive in Mambue just as the dam was being finished. We were there to take workers and tools to a new community but did not know we were going to have to do this until we arrived and received the information. We were able to participate a little in building the last part of the dam as you can see in the above picture. It was an interesting experience. The whole community showed up to watch the end of the work. They brought their drums and the women danced to celebrate. They danced around the dam and sprinkled corn flour on the dam. I suppose it was sort of a blessing. They then proceeded to dance around the extension workers, the community chief and Jenny and dropped flour at their feet. I suppose this was a way to say thanks and give honor. I guess they must have forgotten me because I was off to the side. We are very proud of the work they did and as a representative at MCC I was asked to give a speech. I am starting to get good at these “on the spot” speeches. We are happy for the community and hope and pray that come the rainy season this dam will hold water.
We received information that two of our other dams are continuing to have water behind them at this point. That is cause for celebration. At this time last year the water would have been gone. It gives us a lot of hope since this first year the dams have leaked a little. We hope with some experience our dams will get better and better. The technology is spreading, however, and that was our goal. We traveled to Tete Province to visit several new communities where CCM is going to start a new agriculture project which includes sand dams. We also are getting requests from other parts of the country. We hope that in 10 years, Mozambique will be building lots of these dams and making a difference in people’s lives.
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