Legacy

This is a tale of surprise and hope that takes place in the lower Congo highlands.  Now I know that sounds like a contradiction so let me explain the topography of the Congo.  The lower Congo is broad rivers and steamy jungle.  The river is home to many creatures and steamboats of some size ply the water’s  as traders.

The upper Congo is of higher elevation and has a rather mild climate and is excellent farm land.  So when one says lower Congo highlands, they mean sort of in between the lower and higher. I hope that’s not to confusing.

Anyway, I’m Kevin N’yanga, a native born Congolese who was fortunate enough to be educated in England.  I’m a Christian and was blessed with both a degree in Engineering and Hydrology.  I returned to the Congo armed with my education to help my people.

I admit that I’m somewhat of a self appointed missionary also.  Spreading the word is something I feel strongly about.  The health and welfare of my people I also feel strongly about.  One of the most important needs of my people is safe water to drink.

The upper Congo sits pretty well mostly on top of the Great Escarpment.  The water there is pristine.  It flows down numerous waterfalls of varied height to varied streams and rivers below on its way to the big rivers of the lower Congo.  The problem is that the pristine water once it leaves the upper Congo its drinkability diminishes rapidly, becomes parasite infested, and is only fit for watering crops.

That is exactly why farmers in the lower upper drill wells for drinking water while using river water just for irrigating crops.

This story really gets started in the village of  Bolgan, a small community of farmers of about two hundred.  I had been called there to help as there was a problem with the village well. To be specific it was slowly but surely going dry.

The village was about two miles from the river which they irrigated from.  But the river water was not potable, hauling water from it to the village would be back breaking and time consuming, even more so then with having to boil it before drinking it.

I checked the well and the problem was in that the water table was depleting after a hundred years of well use.  I calculated it would be bone dry in about four months.  That wasn’t a whole lot of time to find a solution in.  Drilling another well would not help since it were a water table problem.

Even though the village was two miles from the river, I noted the river ran in a curve.  I did a triangulation sort of measure and discovered a short water fall was only about one mile from the village in a straight line.

I said to myself, if there was only a way to get the waterfall water to the village before it hit the river, then that water also would be pristine.

I made a rudimentary survey of the area and as the river bank rose on its sides as I got nearer the water fall, the land also sloped upwards  at about a twenty five degree angle to the bank line just above the water fall.

It seemed that if one could put a diverter at about a thirty degree angle and five feet long out into that upper pristine stream, dig out a wide spot to divert the flow over the bank edge into a funnel like trough that fed into a six inch PVC pipe; then the downhill flow would create enough pressure to carry very well over the flatter parts and right into the town well.

Seemed like a good idea.  I spent several days drawing plans and outlining the specifics of materials and installation methods.  True a mile was a long way, but with mattocks and a lot of village labor it could be done.  Not sure about in less than four months though.

Then there was the problem of getting materials. Cost of them and transporting would be great.  I started writing letters to various African countries with companies dealing with the materials I needed.

Of course I was soliciting for donations as neither I nor the village had any money to speak of.

I got the usual bunch of tea and sympathy replies, you know we have already reached our charity budget limit for the year, yada, yada, yada, it was getting depressing, almost hopeless.

Then I got the miracle letter I was hoping for.  I’d of course sent specifications and plans with each solicitation to support the level of request.  Those plans piqued the interest of one company who found them innovative and a ground breaking new technology in a primitive sort of way, but still groundbreaking.

That letter was from Peter Piper of The Pied Piper Pipe Company in Kenya.  No I’m not joking, those names are a fact.  Peter Piper went on to say that the needed material along with two trenching machines, himself and four of his regular work crew would be at the village in three days.

He was there right on schedule; and my what a grand entrance.  Two huge helicopters loaded with all that stuff along with crews sat down like a feather from heaven.

Peter and I took a quick tour of the proposed pipe route.  He said he thought my idea and plans nailed it down good.  Work began and while it was in process my curiosity forced me to inquire about his unique Companies name.

He said well, that’s an interesting story.  Yes I was born Peter Piper son of an Englishman third generation in Kenya.  I endured a lot of razzing growing up and was frequently being asked whether or not I’d picked a peck of pickled peppers.  Well I thought Okay, when I grow up I’ll start my own company; I’ll go into the pepper business. That announcement which I made more than once also got me a lot of razzing.

Then one razzing jokester added, Peter the idea of you succeeding in a business is a Pipe Dream.  That got more group chuckles.  But I took it as a new revelation for inspiration.

Thus I Peter Piper became the President and CEO of the Pied Piper Pipe Company.  And I’m happy to say I’ve been very successful.  One of the crew I brought with me is the fellow that said my success in owning a company was a Pipe Dream.

All is forgiven and he now works for me.  Actually I owe him thanks, but I’d not tell him that, he’d just think I was being sarcastic.  He is an excellent worker.

And now here we are Kevin, working together to shall we say full fill your Pipe Dream.  With that we shared a hearty laugh.  The work was completed and the well now is full of pristine water again.