I was there for a week with about 12 other students. We were taught by Dr. Fountain, a surgeon that lived and worked in Congo for around 35 years. He established a sustainable community health system in the bush of Africa--not a small thing! At times it was overwhelming to listen to his stories and figure out how to apply them to my 2 short years in Uganda with my lack of formal medical training. But, I certainly learned a lot. And the thing that shocked me most of all? My favorite part of the day was always in the afternoons when we spent time out on the farm.
I guess God has a funny sense of humor in this area of my life. As someone who loves cities and the urban lifestyle, I find it pretty hilarious that God sends me to the remote jungle of Bundibugyo and then develops in me an uncharacteristic interest in agriculture. Weird. But good. The science of agriculture was fascinating and seeing how God gifts people with innovative minds that can make amazing technologies out of simple materials was incredible. I'm so excited to return to Uganda with some of my new found knowledge and passion for gardening (and the huge value it has in development!).
I'll leave the rest of the explanations up to photos and their captions: Enjoy a little photo tour of my time at ECHO!
Who would've guessed that wine corks can be recycled as mulch? Useful information :)
Cranberry hibiscus was one of my favorite plants--delicious leaves add a little tang to the traditional salad!
Definitely a fan of using unorthodox items as planters...
A great interpretation of the tippy-tap; all you need is a stick, a bottle with a hole in the top, soap, and some string. Tap the stick, the bottle tilts down, and you've practically got running water!
These goats were the highlight of my week. They were hilarious and quite verbal.
Moringa--the miracle tree. Below you'll see just two reasons why it is awesome.
Yes, with one moringa seed you can treat 1 liter of water--turning it from what you see on the left to the right!
An incredibly simple but effective drip irrigation system using just a bucket and drip tape. I want one!
There were lots of plants that reminded me of "home"--above are cassava leaves (which look a whole lot like marijuana when they are young, small sprouts, ha!)
Banana tree
Bamboo galore!
Giant elephant leaves
And papayas were everywhere!
A water filtration system made out of PVC pipe, sand, and a trashcan. Amazing!
A treadle pump that uses your leg muscles to pump away...
Energy efficient cook stoves (I think it said that cooking over an open fire in a hut is like the equivalent of smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day!)
Handmade tools using supplies that were available.
ECHO was great and despite all my moaning about heat and humidity while I was there (it was 90 in October), I am ready to return to the warmer climate after our first snowstorm here in Philly!
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