ELL: Akha Weekly Update July 11, 2000

[Matthew McDaniel]

Dear Friends:

A good update for you.

Many things accomplished.

Due to the good donations of friends such as yourself via our credit
card site, and we thank you all, we have been able to catch up on some
very slow projects.

The cement mixer has been paid off, final modifications and repairs are
being made to this mobile unit now.

It has a 11 horsepower diesel engine and 3 inch centrifugal pump, and
can be towed to any village with the 4 wheel drive for laying a well
pad, building a toilet, or running pumping operations while a well is
dug.

This has long been a need and I am glad to say that it is finally
finished.

With it comes a rebar cutter and many tools which are now mounted firmly
on the truck.

As well, truck chains are getting closer to being finished which will
surely get us in and out of most villages in a good hard rain.

Not your average truck chains.  Think lots and lots of steel cleats.

We are narrowing down the major projects now that we have left to do.

There are only two actually.

One is the printing press, with $1100 owed to pay this off and start
printing books in Akha Language.

And then as part of our Fish 'n Books project, we have to pay for
fencing and cement for a very large well which will supply the fish
hatchery with fresh water.  This will cost us $2000 in cement as I may
have noted before, and $500 in fencing to make sure the fish stay in the
tanks till they are big enough.  Lots of hands that would help us out
just a little at night.

At any rate, the fish tanks will be for growing fish for the villages
and this will go right along with our books projects.  Well fed protein
makes for a few better minds.

Our take on endangered language support.

And fianally we need about $600 for new tires for the truck.

Apart from that, much of the project is caught up and we are looking at
maintenance costs on much of what we regularly do.

Currently making up alphabet boards for the villages, and looking
forward to being able to roll with the books.

The weather is definitely rainy, truck tires are a bit bald and don't go
to well in the mountains.

Mountain rice is looking good and terrace rice is just finished
planting.

If you are interested in sponsoring one of the above projects, please
write.

Till next time.

Matthew McDaniel






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http://www.akha.com

Donations by check or money order may be sent to:

The Akha Heritage Foundation
PO BOX 6073
Salem OR 97304  USA

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https://www.givetocharity.com/cgi-bin/give.pl?CODE=10956



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