WELL COMMITTEE MEETING - SELEMBAO MONDAY 2013 07 01

Wells are managed by an elected committee of citizens, some are property owners where wells are located. This is the first monthly meeting for discussing procedures, reporting financial matters, solving issues that arise. The NGO head is present, and Elder Moon, and the site monitor. The committee was instructed on their responsibilities and exhorted to be diligent in collecting water fees so they have money for maintenance.

The committee met in the President's front yard.

The president is seated before the table.

Reporting on each well's revenue. They totaled over $700.00 for the month. Some goes to the mayor's office, and some to the landowners where the wells are located.

Loved the lizard skin shoes.

Eddie who is the site monitor. His role requires oversight to assess the condition of the wells over time.

Felix is one of Elder Moon's translators. The meeting was conducted in Lingala. I am beginning to hear the individual words and when they incorporate Lingala-ized French I can sort of follow the conversations. Spoken Lingala uses French words when no equivalent Lingala words exist, or when the speaker doesn't know the word. I find it amusing.

A large Bread Fruit tree towered over the yard. I mentioned to  Felix that I like bread fruit and he told the President who immediately got his bamboo picker and took one down for me.

A long bamboo pole tipped with a wire hook serves as the fruit picker.

After the meeting we trekked through the village, between houses, across yards, and up and down the trails to visit the wells.

On our trek we passed a group of children playing fort in the yard.

One of the wells where children are filling the bidons and carting water home.

We are always a subject of wonder to the children, as they are to us.

This little boy was not going to smile.

The children love their photos to be taken.

Then they gather in ever increasing numbers.

Increasing numbers.

This little beauty caught my eye, already off the shoulder like the big girls.

The boy in the background took off his leaf hat just as I shot the photo and charged away on his one leg. His right hand holds a wooden stave with which he supports himself when hopping. He fell two or three times and rolled in the dirt, laughing as he arose each time to hop away, until he reached the edge of the yard. Notice the back of the little girl's hairdo from the previous photo.

The little ones stare at us in apparent disbelief.

This young father of three, one was missing, recently lost his wife.

Eddie standing in the water basin of a spring capture with three outlet pipes and an overflow pipe above.

Felix washing his hands.

A bold look of innocence.

The children start young carrying large water containers.

This young mother was pleased by her child on her back, and turned for the photo.

A game of tag with wadded cloth, note the wad caught mid-flight.

Spring capture.

Another of the wells.

I liked the hat made from half of a rubber ball.

Local young men encountered on our walk through the area. Eddie is center, behind.