…we’ll be ready.
On the Plateau, we have begun to looking towards the future as though it will not rain anymore. The rain patterns have changed so drastically, that we simply can no longer depend on any “rainy” season.
As we continue to seek viable long-term solutions, one way in which we can immediately address the water problem is by capitalizing on rain water run-off from the mountains. When it rains heavily in the mountains to the Northwest, water often comes gushing down a ravine, passing through the Plateau, and continuing on until it hits the sea. This usually happens a couple of times a year. The roaring of its approach can be heard several minutes before we actually can see it. It looks something like this:
For a short time, a river runs through the desert.
It is agonizing to watch all of that desperately needed water rush by without being able to retain any of it, apart from a few gardens that are irrigated through canals.
We already have some huge, hand-dug rainwater catchment holes, but they were dug to catch the run-off when it rains on the Plateau. So, now Plan B.
Through Food-4-Work, we are digging canals that will bring water from the Metsiyen Ravine (that’s the name of the dry river course that the water travels through) into the rainwater catchment holes that we already have.
Yes, this is all done by hand with shovels, pick-axes, muscle, and sweat.
The men are also deepening and widening the water holes.
Bring it on, Metsiyen.