On Tuesday a contingent of 15 Austinites will travel to Burundi to visit the water projects, meet with the locals, and explore other areas of the country. They’ll be there for two weeks, and joined half-way through by Lynne Dobson of Austin and Ravi Reddy of New York.

You can follow all of the stories, experiences, and adventures at www.workforthewater.com. Blogs and pictures will be posted regularly – or as internet is available.

Murakoze!

Early this morning we received a note from the government officials of the Songa Commune – the area in which the first three water projects have been constructed – via our project manager. Since they do not have internet connection in Songa the process to send communication is by using a typewriter, taking a picture of the document, and then traveling to a more urban area to send the image. It’s a note of encouragement and a plea for the Gazelle Foundation to help more people in Burundi. Our hope is that you will be just as moved by this request for assistance as we were.

“Dear Representatives,

We…honor your high authority in order to address you my great thanks about all the enormous realizations you’ve already done in SONGA Commune and for the ones you intend to realize.

In fact, Dear Representative, the Commune of SONGA….takes this occasion to address once again our thanks to you for all the efforts already made to our Commune, such as the projects of construction of the water supply of JENDA, NYAMWANGO, MUTSINDA-BIHARI which are already finsihed and for the other ones which are being fulfilled. We signal you that apart from water supply, there is creation of employment and formation of new technicians in water supply. We thank you very much and we beg you to continue supporting us in that area because the cover in water supply for our Commune is still weak (60%).

We also beg you to extend your action field in the whole Commune beacuse the needs in water supply are still enormous. We will address you all our needs in details even in other sectors.

Administrator of Commune SONGA”

correspondence from Songa commune