We had to get going right at dawn this morning because there were planned demonstrations in downtown Tamale. Demonstrations here do not necessarily imply peaceful, so it’s not exactly the best place for white foreigners. The last civil unrest here happened under similar conditions back in 1994 when riots broke out and a few deaths were involved. No one is expecting near that level of excitement but it still required some of us to be up way too early.
My research has been going well so far. While the entire team is studying water quality, everyone is focusing on specific aspects of the problem (reducing turbidity, disinfection, etc.). The most common water source is coming from what’s called a “dugout.” This is essentially a large hole with a built-up outer embankment that keeps the water inside. I’m told they usually place the dugouts near rivers to catch floodwater, but the main input comes from rainfall and surface water runoff.
I’m working on using chlorine to disinfect water in a community-scale, centralized system. Another student with us is working on chlorine disinfection as a household option. I plan to compare the two in terms of economics and the likelihood of user acceptability based on taste and odor, which are often problems with chlorinated water.
Some of us (myself and two others) have set up a lab at the local Peace Corps office. They have all been incredibly gracious with their space and generous with donating their time to help us out. We need a LOT of assistance figuring out what materials we can get, where they might be, how much they might cost, and how feasible it is to translate our lofty ideas into reality. Our projects would be dauntingly more difficult, if not impossible, without the Peace Corps volunteers’ assistance.
Our living situation has been a little interesting thus far as well. Initially we were staying in a guesthouse located within a compound of cabins, each with two kitchens and a handful of bedrooms. The electricity was dependable, the water was relatively clean (probably not clean enough to drink but certainly clean enough to bathe in), our laundry was done for a small fee, and we were served two meals a day. Basically a West African equivalent of a four-star hotel for under $20 per day. The initial plan was to remain there for our entire stay, but Susan rented a house for another purpose and pointed out it might make sense for us to stay in the house instead. We all moved the following day.
We quickly discovered the house was a few steps down from the four-star standards to which we had grown accustomed. Running water is very limited and not available for the showers or toilets. The lights are dim, so the house gets pretty dark after 7 p.m. We initially had a bit of a mouse and cockroach problem, but that seems to be getting better. The electricity switches on and off during peak load hours. And there was dirt and dust everywhere originally, but the maids we hired have done a wonderful job cleaning up. The upsides are it’s a lot cheaper than the guesthouse and much closer to where I’m working, so I’ve been staying here. There were originally only two brave souls out of nine who stayed here after the first night, but two more just rejoined us, so maybe the tide is turning. It’s certainly been an adventure.
Tonight the whole group is going to the Peace Corps office for dinner and drinks. All the beer here is Ghanaian (even the Guinness is brewed and bottled in the capital, Accra). Surprisingly, the girls swear the beer tastes better here than in Boston. I personally think they’re crazy, but I do agree that it may seem better after a long day in the sun when we’re super dirty and dusty.
The group here is all going out to lunch so I am going to join them. My other main goal for tonight is to find a way to watch the playoff football games.
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