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The Congo Project

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Commenced:	01/10/2010
Submitted:	02/11/2011
Last updated:	07/10/2015
Location:	Buyungule Pygmy Community, Kivu Province, CD
Website:	www.congoproject2011.blogspot.com
Climate zone:	Wet/Dry Tropical

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GREEN BEAT FARM- TULUM, MEXICO

Tulum, MX

GREEN BEAT FARM- TULUM, MEXICO

Tulum, MX

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Installing the Rain Water Capturing System

Project: The Congo Project

Posted by Xavier Fux almost 13 years ago

We Installed the gutters to feed the 1000 Lt water tank....

Today was another fruitful and magical day with the Pygmies! We arrived to find the boys had built soccer goals with sticks and were having a match.

After watching and cheering a while, Xavi got started with the men, installing gutters on Chizungu’s roof in order to capture rainwater in the 1000L tank we bought yesterday thanks to our kind donors. Meanwhile, Mel went up to the second field with Jeph and a team of more than 30 men and women, to prepare another set of beds to plant in.

Language is less of a barrier every day. We start out each morning explaining the activities for the day to Chizungu (through Jeph), and while working, simple French and hand signals are more than enough. Everyone works very well and they pick up on every task with just one demonstration.

I (Xavi) worked with pretty much the same group of guys that has been working with us in the last few days. We are getting to know each other, and smiles and laughs are heard while we work. It’s nice to create bonds and break cultural barriers!!

We first cut 3 corrugated iron sheets into 30cm x 3m slabs to make the gutters and proceeded to fold them onto a V shape. We then assembled the pieces with wire and attached them below the roof where we would be collecting rainwater. This was quiet a challenge as the roof is slanted; it took a while to figure out the proper inclination needed to make the water run to one side only. Usually, the inclination is 1 inch per 8 feet of roof, but this was not the case here, because of the slanted roof.

After a while, we managed to fix the gutters, through signs and laughs and the little French the Pygmies and I speak. We placed the tank under the V-shape gutter, and now all we have to do on Monday is connect the gutter properly to the tank with either recycled water bottles or a PVC T-junction.

By the end of the day, the rainwater capture system was almost fully installed and 12 very big raised beds were made. On Monday we’ll finish both tasks in order to start planting the rest of the seedlings from the flats…

We only have 7 days left with the Pygmies, just when we’re starting to bond… As always, time has passed by too quickly and we’re sad it’s almost over…

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