Another 2 weeks already passed, and I didn’t have any time to update all of you.
Well, after my last report from Tanzania, we started working, improving, developing and we did big steps forward.

So much work makes tired
But first in order. Before we started with an extensively training for the bricklayers, we had to solve and improve our plastering issue with the cement. Therefore we used a technology that I learned in Dar es Salaam the previous year. A “fireproof” cement, which consist of brick dust, cement, limestone and some sand.

sieving of the crushed bricks

Teamwork

Improved sieve
We tested several mixtures and decided for a mixture of 2 parts brick dust, one part cement, one part limestone and one part sand.

Heat resistant and good plaster
While we were working, we had strong rains every day, what made our so much harder.

Even the chicken are hiding from the rain
But sometimes we also received some curious visit from the monkey gang.
After finalizing the right mixture for plastering, we started to train the bricklayers in order to construct high quality stoves. There are many things to care about and only extensive training will help for this.

One of nine stoves during a 3 days training
We succeeded to construct 9 stoves in three days. If these guys are receiving more training, they will finish each stove within one day.
Within my visit, I was also invited to visit one of the tea factories of Unilever. I was quiet impress for the work and safety standards. So before I was allowed to enter the factory, I had to wear safety shoes and hygienic clothes. I learned a lot this day and it was really interesting.
After two weeks in the cold (9-15C) Mufindi area in Tanzania, I started my journey back to Uganda. In total, I was traveling 41h. From Mufindi to Iringa sleeping there over the night. From Iringa to Dar es Salaam by bus. Another 10h. After sleeping for a couple of hours in a hotel, I went to the airport at 1am to take a flight through Addis Ababa back to Entebbe. How my return to Uganda was, you can read in a seperate blog for my project in Kasese, Uganda.

The area where 1700 stoves are planned this year.