Fish Tanks Full

Dear Friends:

Although we are not finished digging the well, we are now evacuating water daily which has filled the fish test tanks.

Digging on days that it doesn't rain, we are making about half a meter each day.

Ten more meters to go on what is already a big hole.

Now, the paid workers who work on this project from the host village were not very enthusiastic about it, other than the pay, I mean, that had to be super secure for them, cause if they work for me without pay, they don't eat, since they get their food money day to day as a relocated village.

But something changed yesterday. When I went down to the village I detected an immediate difference in spirit. Wasn't sure why. But then I saw that they were already using evactuation water for irrigation near to the well and that the tanks were full. Full of water. Already fish and more to buy.

Suddenly the dream, the talk, the concrete test tanks, and the fish were a real thing that had materialized and happened with a viable water supply.

It was real. And so often the case here is that nothing for the people to benefit from is real.

This fish tank project is a large project. We will be building up to 19 more sets of these tanks like the test tanks. The well will supply water for all of these tanks, and the fish will serve as collective village income plus protein supply for mountain villages plus a brooding stock for mountain villages which want to invest in their own tanks as well.

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The "war" here now is nothing more than troops and equipment and eternal political hypocrisy and posturing. Militarization of a border at the cost of millions of dollars is an evil thing, when so many of the people are so poor. Evil on the part of the politicians, the military planners, the military consultants and the American Weapons Sellers.

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More good news next week, stay tuned and subscribe a friend.

Akha.org is now reorganized, please make a visit:

http://www.akha.org

Joh Hoh Eviction Video and Maesai War Video are now up.

Once again my apology but these vids are in Quick Time till we get our means of putting them up as mpegs which will be much better. A quicktime download link is posted on the site and only takes a minute however.

http://www.akha.org/akha_video.htm

Matthew