More Progress!

Emmanuel sent us some great photos of the enclosure and well pump/line.  Wish we were there to see this happening in person!   Here is Emmanuel's update (edited for clarity):

Hi Steve,

How are things moving with you and Joss over there?, i hope not bad. We are also doing great here.

I Just want to draw your attention to what is going on with the antelope project, i mean the money spent and where we have gotten to.

1. I bought 20 piece of governess pipe for GHc 880.00, GHc 44.00 per one and GHc 30.00 for transportation.
2. 125 piece of pam branches mesh for GHc 750, GHc 6.00 each.
3. 28 piece of 1 and half inch PVC pipe for GHc 252.00, GHc 9.00 each.
4. Pumping Machine cost GHc 820.00 with transportation.
5. 25 bundles of budding wire cost GHc 300.00, GHc each.
6. Gate: 1 piece of 2 inch governess pipe cost GHc 48.00.
           3 piece of 1 and half inch governess pipe cost GHc 132.00.
           4 piece of 1 inch governess pipe cost GHc 120.00, GHc 30.00 each.
            Workmanship and transportation cost GHc 100.00.
In all, the gate cost GHc 400.00.
7. 2 watering tubes cost GHc 120.00.
8. 2 sprinklers cost GHc 90.00
9. GHc 500.00 for workmanship.
10.I gave GHc 100.00 to Christian to help them rent a pick up truck to carry the net to the bush and back.
The grand total is GHc 4,212.00

The money you sent was $ 4,300.00 (minus the 900 Joss sent for her December/January lessons) so we have $ 3,400.00 for the project.
That came up to be GHc 5,440.00.
                           -GHc  4,212.00.
We have a balance of GHc 1,228.00 which i'm holding on to now as money to buy the antelopes.

Right now we are done with the fence, we have planted some trees, we have been watering the place twice a day to help grow fresh grass.

There are two more things i need to do at the site then i will say we are done for now.

1. Making some 5 small hurts at the site to keep shade for them for now until the trees we planted become mother plant.

2. A water pond for their drinking water.

My plan is that as soon as i'm done with these last two, i will start to travel from place to place where i can find the antelopes.

I wish we can get help some where as a donation to buy the truck to push things more easier and less expensive, we are still praying and working hard.

 The barbed security wire at the top of the enclosure fence.

 The front gate of the enclosure.

 The piping and water hosing from the well system.

The well sprinklers doing their work.

A view of the inside of the enclosure.

 A view from outside the enclosure - note the privacy screen lining the fence to prevent stress on the antelope.

The well pump (remember the photo of the well diggers making a 40 foot hole?)

Yes, things are still moving - and quickly!

So the last posts you saw from Steve and I were during our last day or so in Kopeyia.

At that point, we had procured much of the material for fencing and well construction, broken ground on the building site and had many hunters and other local community members out looking to procure antelope.  As any of you who have traveled in this way are aware, things move on their own time.  We were hoping to have the first antelope into the enclosure before we left, but many aspects of the construction took longer than planned.

We flew back to the U.S. on Jan. 3rd, and had a total of five days at home before leaving for another month to teach an intensive undergraduate course out in Colorado.  Since then, we've been here monitoring progress and communicating with Emmanuel.   After some additional needed funding came through, we received this news directly from Emmanuel (today):

I have started moving things. I got the pumping machine [well pump - J.], we have laid the pipes from the well to the site.


From next week we will be finishing the fence and we will start planting the trees, pond and the other things that will be needed around the enclosure.

The hunters are finding it hard to move the net to the bush. so, we had to rent a truck to help them move the net to the bush. That is making it more difficult and more expensive to work with, but i'm managing it and i think we need to get some funds and buy the truck to make it easier and less expensive.

During our youths inauguration which we had on the 14th of this Month, Torgbui Fitsi the paramount chief of the Aflao area came around and saw the site and asked questions.  I told him what we are doing. He was soo happy about it and even said he will give us a bigger place when things work out well and we need a bigger place.

I know we are going to get there. I will keep you in touch.

Emmaunel.