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<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Fellow stovers - and briquetteers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Compared to some disasters happening around the globe our
own predicament here is almost insignificant.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>However, after many years of struggling, researching (with
a lot of practical help and encouragement from some people here - THANK YOU) we
are finally moving on in this small and almost forgotten little corner of the
world - The Gambia.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>In 2011/12 we carried out an 18 months pilot under the WB
BEIA initiative researching and finally adapting what in my mind is a GREAT
stove to make it - almost - "our own" - the Furno EES - based on Chispin's Vesto
and adapted to local needs and manufacturing capabilities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Now we are waiting until the "big boys" can agree to
pre-finance the first test batch of 500 to be locally made.The 24 households who
have been doing our long-term (almost by default) on-the-ground research could
not imagine how to do without it anymore!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>At the same time we researched, tested and started making
briquettes with Richard's help and encouragement. As stove and briquettes were
developed side by side they fit like a hand in glove and it's a joy to use them
together.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>2 years ago we found a small follow-on grant to train
and set up our first 2 community briquetting enterprises. In addition we want to
try another one in a local state-run Primary School - the WFP assisted School
Feeding Programme will be slowly phased out accross most of The Gambia so to set
up schools as briquetting enterprises would be a great way to help counteract
this reduction in funding.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>With the usual expected delays this new pilot finally
kicked off just as the rains hit us in July. By the time they finished our road
was washed away. We tried the local way but even a few tons of concrete bricks
ended up in the river. Our building is sinking and cracking and access by
vehicle will be impossible until all that's fixed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>We are trying locally whatever we can do. We will be
planting Vettiver and trees (from our own nursery) along our perimeter to at
least stabilise the road and buildings for the future. But we can not find
local "disaster relief" assistance to fix the road - in the greater scheme of
chaos ours is..... So we need to turn to our networks and ask:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Can YOU help? We started a fundraiser on
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><A
href="http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/support-environmental-sustainability-in-the-gambia/100067"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/support-environmental-sustainability-in-the-gambia/100067</FONT></A></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal>and we would appreciate if YOU
could spread the word. If anybody feels really rich don't be shy - a few bucks
from your pocket go a long way here.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Thanks from the team at PRSP and
the communities of Abuko and Fajikunda to Tom and Erin to allow us to post
this here - after all, this all IS in the spirit of bringing sustainable
development to places like here!</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Cheers</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal>George from the jungle</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal>oooor.... beside the
creek</P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>