11 June 2017

Dark and clear day. But in this case you look at the glass half full! I leave very early, just enough time to prepare the sandwiches and a small trolley to put part of the clothes that Mario, Mara and their friends had given me to take them to the villages. We arrive at the village and everything was ready, with the tank invented last night and the fixative to try to keep up the tunnel. We already know that the water will not be enough, we have found a 1,500-liter tank plus 3 200-liter barrels and we will therefore have to do at least two more laps to get the desired result. But in the meantime, let’s start … fingers crossed and after a while we understand that the idea works! The hole holds, the auger, very slowly, digs and spits into the water. At the same time the walls no longer collapse and all the excavated earth comes to the surface. It is slower than usual but it works. After about an hour with the boys we go to refill the barrels but not to Balaka, too far. They take me to the “lake”, which is the place they use to wash, wash and water the garden … unfortunately, every comment is superfluous, you see it in the picture. With a small pump we can fill all the bins and return to the village. Operation that we repeat twice and in the end … WATER!!!! Big party, as always happens when the dream becomes true. And each time it’s like the first time. The “lake” will remain only a memory! After the celebrations I talk to the oldest woman in the village who says to me: “Yesterday when you arrived I thought I had waited all my life before seeing a well in my village.Then when you left in the evening without the water I thought that maybe I would die without seeing the well in my village. Today I hope to live many more years to enjoy the well in my village.” Well, personally my day ended there after that speech. But it was only 1:00 p.m. and a few hours of light was moving forward and therefore, after distributing Francesco’s clothes and elephant (Jonathan, I have the photo;)), we left for the new village with an unpronounceable name (tomorrow I’ll ask Kamanga to write it). A remote village, about 700m high. Lots of people waiting for us and they welcomed us. We knew it was difficult at that height and in fact after 60 meters of excavations we had to stop, only and only the damned rock. Not even a drop of water. Tomorrow morning at dawn we will move 300 meters for a new attempt. I am less optimistic than yesterday, that place does not bode well. If the second hole also goes wrong we should look for a new village. Fingers crossed for all those people! And now to bed, very long day.
Goodnight Malawi.