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The program for the evening was a report on the recent trip that the "Gang of Eight" took to Africa from September 1 to 17, 2019. The travelers were Phil & Katha Danz, David Thorman, and Dana Newell, Mark Urban and Terri Friedman, Catherine Survillas and Barbara Riegert. They started with a Kenyan welcoming song "Jambo Bwana" which did not come off very well due to a glitch between the computer and projector. Five of the eight on the trip were there and gave a fairly detailed slide show of 71 slides (although there were at least 2 to 3 thousand pictures taken by all). Each member of the group said something during the slide show. There were also a few videos shown, particularly enjoyable was the Masai warriors who were doing their jumping dance and a video of kids dancing for us at the school that we visited in Kenya.
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Residents came out to greet us at the wells and we had a meeting with them in which they expressed gratitude for our help in building the wells.
We were treated to a lovely dinner at a very nice local hotel and after inspecting more wells the next day and more expression of gratitude from the residents, we left them, assured that the wells were doing their job, providing clean fresh water. We were happy in the knowledge that the young women and girls did not have to travel long distances (kilometers) in order to carry surface water (which was not clean) to their homes (as they did before the wells were built). As the residents told us, their health is better and many of the young women can now go to school.
We went on to the Masai Mara Reserve, to the Samburu reserve and to Sweetwater in Kenya and had nearly two weeks on Safari - see many animals, during which we visited a Masai village and a school, which has been helped greatly by Catherine Survillas's Rotary Club (Elk Grove) and also just a few of the great types and numbers of animals seen.
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John Okumo, Tororo Rotarian sent this comment (to your bulletin editor) on the Tororo Water Project:
“Oh yes. This project had two key legs; Raising the required funds and getting the job done on the ground in Uganda. For us in Rotary Club of Tororo, the latter was the easier part, we did it as a team. You members of Rotary club of CARMICHAEL did the bigger job of putting together the required funds. THANK YOU all, for reaching out to the ordinary people of Iyolwa, Tororo. THANK YOU for loving my country Uganda. As Rotary club of Tororo, we will do all it takes to complete this job. This means ensuring its sustainability. I will rally my club members to walk the talk on SUSTAINABILITY. Kind regards to you all who contributed the funds.”