Rionildo (University Eduardo Mondlane ) & Moniek (Maastricht University)
Monday,
August 26 – Day 3
After
a great night, where we played Werewolves, danced, sang and laughed in the
streets we woke up to a sunny morning in Boane. We all survived and no
werewolves had come to kill us. After breakfast time, we all packed our bags
and waited for the checkout. However the checkout was a bit more chaotic as we
found the camera that had all the videos and pictures of the last night was
missing. We even asked the manager of the Pequenos Libombos accommodation if
somebody had found it, but nobody had. He could only promise to let us know if
it turned up. In the meantime everybody was searching their rooms, bathrooms
and the streets and gardens around. Panic increased as some other participants
locked themselves out of their house. Luckily, one of our Dutch participants
turned out to have some mean breaking in skills, and the sun started shining
again when Ralph found his camera had fallen behind the couch. These are the
kinds of teambuilding exercises that you cannot plan.
Finally
we had to leave the marvelous place were our bonds were formed and headed in
convoy on our second field trip: ETA of Umbeluzi which is the water treatment
plant that provides drinking water to the Maputo city, the capital of Mozambique.
After some discussion amongst the Mozambican participants and Lindsay where
exactly this plant was located, we finally found the sign that pointed us in
the right direction. Once we got there we were received by Robin van Loo, the
project supervisor of Vitens-Evides International who would be our guide during the visit. It started with the
presentation about the involved companies in the Mozambican water sector and a
basic explanation of how the plant works. Even though the plant is being
improved upon regularly and new technologies have been implemented, the system
still loses about 40% of the water and only half of the city’s population is
served. Nonetheless, it is the biggest water treatment in the country reaching
millions of consumers.
After
a tour of the site we headed to Matola city to have a wonderful lunch at an
Italian restaurant called Mimmos. “Madonna mia” that was a good lunch.
Tuesday,
August 27 – Day 4
After
one long day that was yesterday, with the field trips and the trip back to
Maputo city, we all had a very long rest last night.
As
soon as the sun raised in Maputo we all headed to SNV, where the day program
would take place. We were all excited to start working together. The day
started with a brief review on the program manual by Johan, including the
cases, the activities for the two weeks, and some aspects concerning logistics.
Then Lindsay talked about the launch of the Mozambican Water Platform (PLAMA)
that will culminate with the final presentation of the Wetskills project. The
project will be the first of hopefully many international and multi-disciplinal
cooperations.
After
the first presentations we were asked to choose one or two pictures among
dozens of beautiful and breathtaking ones. The picture had to be representative
for the person who picked it and also represent what that person wanted to
bring and to receive in the Wetskils program. Among the chosen ones were
pictures of engines, zebra, sunsets, elephants and even one of a Buda statue.
One thing that we learn for shore was that “images say more than words” after
all.
During
the coffee break the Mozambican student were introduced to the typical Dutch
‘Stroopwafels’, the sweet treats brought by Iris. The next task was to learn
more about posters and elevator pitches. It was a real fun and interesting to
evaluate the posters of the previous Wetskills programs and rank them, because
it made us realize how many things you should think about to make a convincing
poster and how different tastes can be.
When
it was around 1:00 pm we had our lunch served in the facilities of SNV, were we
could eat, chat and then, listen to some guitar played by Ango and Moniek,
while Rionildo was making a video of it, how always happens when something cool
is in the air.
Then,
the afternoon session started and the groups had to be slightly changed because
of the absence of some Mozambicans participants which for study reasons could
not be present in the program. The groups started to have their working
sessions and first tasks, debates and discussions on their cases, until around
5:00 pm when we left the SNV, yet full of energy for the upcoming one and a
half week of Wetskills.
Rionildo & Moniek.
NB. Afzetlint,
afzetlint, ‘t is leuk om af te zetten maar ‘t is beter als je sprint.
Lunch time was more fun for those who were tasting delicious cheap food that is sold in the cars on any street. The food car was parked in front of DNA with a long queue of people who burned with the radiating sun only to have pleasure to sample the food going. People standing in line to highlight Moniek, Iljia, Sander, Jurgen confessed that never had an experience identical where food is sold anywhere in the car without worrying about the municipal police.
After a long day of work we went to The Base where we waited a long time for dinner made by the third group that was totally amazing. Pankecas had as main course and fruit salad which usually dessert here in Mozambique.
After dessert "dinner" the baby Eelco was surprised with a cheerful weariness congratulating him for another year of life, and this in turn retribution gesture with a smile and tears of emotion that almost flooded the kitchen. Received hugs and hippo as a gift wrapped in a huge roll of toilet paper as a way to show him the true value of the reorganization and its future physical condition as a big man like the hippo.
