June 28, 2010: Lagos state (Imope village, Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA)

Today, we undertook a 170km trip to Imope village in Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA of Lagos state. The objective was to install a free solar panel (courtesy of Solar Jooce) in the village, on the condition that it would be the backbone of an income generating micro-business: garri-processing, palm oil processing etc. This community was recommended by the Rural Development Ministry of Lagos state, and two of its officers accompanied us to Imope.

Bam! It turned out to be the MOST challenging journey since Solar Jooce was set up. First, there are only 2 ways to get to this village - via a canoe or walking on a wooden foothpath supported by stilts over water.

The solar panels and heavy duty battery went via canoe, while we took the other route, drove some distance by car and proceeded to walk atop a very long wooden foot path. Mid way walking, part of the shaky bridge broke and three of us found ourselves ankle-deep in water. Luckily we had fallen in a shallow water area. My word, while our local guides traversed this 'bridge' with relative ease (they instinctively knew where the wooden planks had weakened and so avoided those areas), we sweated buckets while envisioning falling headlong into reptile infested waters.

With great relief, we proudly crossed the bridge, both ways, in one piece. It was an invaluable experience.

At Imope, we discovered that the village of 500 inhabitants already had a generator donated to them by the Lagos state government, which they claimed not to use because they could not afford diesel. We asked why they couldn't pool kerosene expenses and apply it to purchasing diesel and they drew a blank.

It was clear that this community hadn't gotten into a productive frame of mind, and simply wanted to be spoon-fed by "Government" or any other willing donor.

It also reinforced our belief that, for a community to inculcate an ownership approach to any project, the solution was definitely not to give them handouts, but to get them to be a partial investor. With their monies invested, no matter how small, they are 110% likely to make the project succeed.

And so, we hoisted our solar panel once more onto the canoe to transport it back to dry land, while we trudged back across the delicately wobbling bridge to catch up with the solar appliance that would arrive at the other side (sea bank).

For Lagos state government, it was back to the drawing board to determine the most appropriate beneficiary for our solar panel donation. Our uncompromising brief is to select a micro-business (or group of micro-businesses), that would make a small contribution towards owning the solar kit, and for whom the kit would be life-changing.

June 25, 2010: HERTZ renews commitment to Solar Jooce

At the end of our 36-state, 17-day expedition across rural areas of Nigeria, many people asked "what next". Good question.

In conjunction with the Lagos state government (on Monday, June 28, 2010), we will be visiting a rural community in the state (Imope village in Ikosi-Ejirin local Council development Area) which has no light at all. We will have 3 objectives:

a) Determine what the solar needs of this 500-strong community are
b) Provide a solar panel that will power an income generating activity or a social service.
c) Select a couple of women who we will train as the solar panel is being installed. At the end of the project, the women will become the 'Community Solar Troubleshooters' who will fix any problems associated with the panels, or commmunicate the problems intelligently to our expert Rural Women Trainer.

Today, HERTZ Country Manager, Christian Chigbundu (pictured above), confirmed HERTZ' commitment to supporting our work long term. The company will be providing the transport to Imope village, and all other subsequent communities we will be working with nationwide. We are most appreciative of this partnership...

Expedition Concluded - The Aftermath

It's Saturday, June 12, 2010 and we're back in Lagos, having flown in from Abuja. We are extremely thankful to our Partners and Sponsors for supporting our 'Solar for the Massses' cause, which saw us driving across Nigeria in 17 gruelling days.

To Nextek Platforms who jumped on board (with little persuasion) to take care of our digital requirements.

To the individuals who took a leap of faith and sponsored solar lamps, especially Alima Atta of SESEMA PR (www.sesema.com) and Reginald Akujobi-Roberts of Diamond Bank.

To the anynmous donors who simply went to our site, sponsored lamps but didn't leave contact details.

To Hertz Rent-a-Car for the Toyota Hilux made available to us from start to finish. The Hilux perfectly suited the rugged terrain we passed through. And the Hertz driver, Femi Yusuf, whose professionalism at all times makes him a big asset to his company.

To Crystal Palace Hotel, owned by Gen. Sam Momah (rtd) - our Patron - & Mrs. Momah, for accommodation and superb hospitality.

To the Christian Rural & Urban Development Association of Nigeria (CRUDAN) for linking us to local contacts in every state. We had asked international organisations and government bodies for a database to help us plan our national itinerary, but met a brick wall. In frustration, we found CRUDAN on the Internet, contacted them two minutes to show time, and they responded swiftly. All thanks go to the organisation's Executive Director, Sam Ishaya and his team of zonal co-ordinators (David Yisa, Ayal Yohanna, Kene Onukwube, Armstrong Tseaa, and Adewale Adeduntan) for making our transition from state to state seamless.

Travel Tips
We thought it might also be useful to share some reflective thoughts. We did learn a few important lessons on the road. It is important to travel light in terms of people and equipment. You don't need a Hollywood/Nollywood production team to get your story together. A team must be able to multi-task.

Technology:
a) a USB modem might be sufficient for your browsing needs, but not for heavy file transfers
b) a Blackberry is useful for GPS functions, mobile email, and work organisation
c) a 12MP camera can come up with great shots. Always have a back-up camera.
d) you need mobile phones from two networks. Usually, one network does better in certain areas than the other network

Personal:
a) Take along bedsheets and pillowcases - you never know where you might be forced to sleep
b) a hand sanitiser is essential because you're constantly touching dirty surfaces
c) disinfectant (Dettol) is also essential as are antibiotics and ibruprofen
d) small towels instead of big ones (which do not dry quickly)
e) cotton clothing (ankara or t-shirts) take a beating and still come out tops
f) Mosquito repellant

Cultural:
a) listen, listen, listen (and observe). Learn a local greeting ahead of your planned visit. It's usually a good ice-breaker.
b) Wear a headscarf? Take off your cap/hat? Ask a local person what's appropriate or else communication may shut down between you and the host community.
c) never refuse a gift even if you won't need it
d) Rural people are far smarter than people think. Don't be patronising.

June 11, 2010: Kwara (Aladi/Gudugba, Ifelodun LGA) - Kogi (Agbadu Bunu, Kabba Bunu LGA) - Nasarawa (Nasarawa Eggon, Nasarawa Eggon LGA) - Abuja

Drive Time
Ilorin (Kwara state) - Aladi/Gudugba 45mins
Aladi/Gudugba - Agbadu Bunu 4hrs
Agbadu Bunu - Nasarawa Eggon 5hrs
Nasaraw Eggon - Abuja 2hrs

We've made it to the finish line. Not a scratch, not a hitch from the start of our 36-state road expedition (May 26, 2010), right to the very end (June 11, 2010). We did a total of 9,309km.

It has been a very humbling and eye-opening experience - meeting with, listening to and sharing ideas with rural and semi-rural communities for the 17 days we have been on the road. Grassroots people are working hard and suffering, and bearing it with dignity. Someone needs to tell their story. Someone needs to teach them how to fish, instead of throwing the odd fish their way.

Today (at stop # 35) we met a farming family hidden away in the heart of Kwara state. Sustaining themselves on home grown crops (guinea corn, cassava, yam, shea nuts, beans etc), they were proof positive that farming is the answer to ending hunger and poverty.

To the head farmer, Oliver Boor (he asked a LOT of intelligent questions about solar), our gift of a combined solar lamp/phone charger solved 4 of their their major problems:
a) Because they do not have electricity, the new solar application would ensure they could now work into the night - with bright light - sacking their produce and pounding (such as cassava and bean pods)
b) the phone charging facility of the lamp would also ensure their phones were permanently charged so that could call the city (Lagos) and negottiate prices for their produce ahead of time
c) Using the solar lamp would mean a huge savings because they would no longer have to buy so much kerosene.
d) For their health, their eyes would be less strained, and they had already made a connection between kerosene fumes and the chesty coughs some of them suffer

We helped them make a link between using solar and enhancing environmental sustainability, underlining the fact that kerosene is a harmful fossil fuel whose fumes contributed to environmental degradation.

Meanwhile, at stop #36 (Nassarawa state), our hearts bled when we saw the work being done by an NGO, the Okphwuo Foundation. Headed by Chief Ajegena, the foundation runs a tedious mobile clinic service, getting around on decrepit motorbikes and having to cross large areas of water just to get to poor communities in need of health services. Mr. Ajegena says a proper mobile light is one of the problems they face - a kerosene lantern is crucial to his job in examining & treating patients in far-flung villages that are not even connected to the national grid. Yet kerosene is so expensive, and the Foundation cannot afford it because villagers are unable to pay for health services, despite medication being heavily discounted. A vicious cycle.

Mr. Ajegena and his wife Cecilia (a volunteer and environmental health officer) were therefore thrilled to receive our solar gift, and we wished we could do so much more. You wonder why there are people making such sacrifices every day of their lives yet no-one seems to be paying attention.

We visited some of Ajegena's patients at the Foundation's site, and were sad to see a young Fulani herdsman, lying half conscious from a serious bout of cerebral malaria. Ajegena was sure the boy would eventually be fine, and told us that malaria and typhoid are the greatest killers in the many communities he travels to.

That gave us an idea - maybe on the next Solar for the Masses regional expedition, we could pack in a whole load of sponsored mosquito nets and give out to people along with solar lamps...

Connectivity

Internet: Glo Mobile works in very unexpected places. It was consistently available throughout Kogi.

Mobile: In Aladi, GLO & MTN work only in patches, and outside the house (a spot a few inches away from the gate)

In Agbadu (Kogi), GLO saved the day. It worked while MTN had no signal at all. However, in other Kogi villages (Oke Bukun, Ayegunle Igun, Odo Ape) MTN & GLO both worked.

In Lokoja (capital of Nasarawa), GLO was again the network that worked.

June 10, 2010: Lagos (Mafoluku. Oshodi LGA) - Ogun (Araromi, Oloke LGA) - Oyo (Isalu, Iseyin LGA) - Kwara

Drive Time
Lagos - Abeokuta (Ogun state) 1.5hrs
Abeokuta - Oloke village (Ogun state) 45mins
Oloke - Iseyin (Oyo state) 1.5hrs

We have done 7,487km to date and at the end of today we would have covered 33 states out of Nigeria's 36 + the Fecderal Capital Territory, Abuja.

After visiting Primary Healthcare centres across 80% of all the states in the Federation, a certain predictability has crept in. You know what to expect. A centre with little or no electricity. And the ever-present lighting substitues such as a kerosene lantern, a local bush lantern, a torch, a candle, and inventive contraptions such as the boxed battery atached to a CD, with light points on the circumference of the CD!

Joined by Loveth Azubuike, our officer in charge of Rural Women Solar Engineers, we set out for a refreshing angle today and we got lucky.

Our first discovery was a traditional borth attendant, Christy Nwachukwu, who works out of a small room, split into two sections by a curtain. At the front end is her chemist where she sells an array of over-the counter-medicines (she's a trained nurse). At the back end of the room lies a narrow bed where Christy delivers women of their babies. The fact that her mini labour room is sometimes lit by a lone candle does not diminish the influx of patients, but Christy tells us the candle factor is always at the back of her mind as an accident waiting to happen.

At the Isalu Maternity Centre (Oyo state), the midwife, Mrs. Titilola, is so excited to receive a solar lamp/phone charger from us. She takes us in to chat with a lady who had had a baby the night before. Mrs. Titilola repeats a recurring comment we've heard along the way - that poor lighting is not only dangerous to the health (kerosene fumes are linked to chest infections), the eyes (bloodshot eyes), but that it has also become increasignly linked to post-natal depression. The new mother agreed that she would sleep and recover better if she didnt have to potter about in the dark when the candle goes out.

The golden find of the day was the Garri maker in Ogun state, Chief F. A. Saliu. This 72-year old man is the Baale (chief) of Araromi (Oloke LGA, Ogun state), yet he still actively works at making garri out of cassava.

Chief Saliu regrets that his eyes have gone bad from years of straining over pans of garri and using a small bush lantern as a light source. He showed us 4 different frying points for processing garri(it is fried in a deep oval pan over firewood), and said the one solar lamp he had just received from us would really light up the processing area for quicker and better output of garri. It would also help in protecting the vision of his younger co-workers.

At the end of our visit, Chief presented us with an ample bag of garri.

June 09, 2010: Ekiti (Araromi-Ekiti, Ijero LGA) - Osun (Molufon) - Lagos

We're into Day 15 of the Solar for the Masses expedition. Our 29th and 30th stops were Ekiti state (Araromi Basic Healthcare Centre in Ijero LGA), and Osun state (Molufon Health Centre in Orolu LGA).

In Osun state, the Oba of Orolu Kingdom, Ifon - His Royal Highness Oba Moruf Magbagbeola Adekunle - took our mission so seriously that he asked three of his high chiefs to escort us to the Molufon centre. One of the chiefs informed us that the threadbare Molufon Health Centre served 3 local governments, meaning that critically ill people often lost their lives during the long trek to the clinic.

In a show of appreciation for our solar lamp gift, the staff of Molufon health centre presented us with several bottles of vitamin supplements.

We spent the night in Lagos

Connectivity:
Internet: Good signal strength from GLO in Ekiti and Osun states
Mobile phone: In Ikoro Ekiti, MTN service was good, while GLO was weak

June 08, 2010: Edo Sate (Ubiaja) – Ondo (Ago Daada) – Ekiti (Ijero)

Drive Time:

Ubiaja – Agodaada 3hrs
Agodaada – Akure 40mins
Akure – Ijero 2hrs

To date, we’ve done 7,675km – from starting point (Abuja) to Ijero in Ekiti state.

As the Solar for the Masses road campaign draws to a close, we still get up each morning wondering what interesting things we might discover.

We got off to a good start today, but it all went pear-shaped at our second stop.

The first port of call (our 27th stop) was the Ubiaja Primary Health Centre (Esan South East local government) in Edo state. The Local Government Chairman, Hon. Andrew Ojiemhenkele, had hand-picked this PHC as being most in need of our solar solution.

The Ubiaja PHC was not much different from much of what we had seen as we criss-crossed Nigeria – old building, worn infrastructure and equipment, archaic lighting methods (kerosene lanterns, torchlights, and candles). The stories were no different either. There were currently no admitted patients in the 8-bed hospital but a baby had been delivered the night before by the Matron, Mrs. Agbogidi, aided by a singular kerosene lantern. Halfway through the delivery, the lantern went out (it was out of kerosene) and they reverted to just one torchlight. We shared a story about how clinics actually delivered babies, aided by light from a mobile phone, thinking we were recounting an extraordinary tale. Turns out we were the ones out of touch with reality.

As usual, we asked to see the lantern, and I must say that this particular one made you wonder if the unit did not house a bunch of ailments all on its own.

The staff shared a joke with us. To underscore the lack of electricity, we were shown a very old radio which we were told was permanently plugged to the electricity socket - in the hope that one day soon, power might be restored to the clinic!

The second stop of the day (Ondo state) turned out to be a not-so-amusing joke. Our guide took us two hours away from Owo/Akure junction, to the Agodaada Community Health Centre (Iju Akure North Local Government Area) - only for us to discover that the clinic had since been abandoned by the staff. Apparently, the community is notorious for its violent clashes (caused by leadership tussles), and the last outbreak had seen members of the community fleeing for their lives, including the clinic staff who had refused to return.

After the merry-go-round, we decided to postpone our donation to Ondo state until a suitable recipient was found, and headed for the next state (Ekiti) where we spent the night.

Connectivity

Internet: Good service from Glo, even in Ijero (Ekiti state) which seems like travelling to the end of the world.
Mobile: Glo & MTN work well in Ubiaja, Akure. No MTN/Glo network in Agodaada. MTN more reliable in Ijero.

June 07, 2010: Rivers State (Portharcourt) – Bayelsa (Odi, Kolukuma/Okpuma LGA) – Delta (Irri, Isoko South LGA)

Drive Time:
Portharcourt – Odi 2.5hrs
Odi – Irri 1hr20mins
Irri – Benin City 1hr40mins

We had spent the night in Portharcourt after yesterday’s visit to Eeken, both in Rivers state.

Today, on our 26th stop, we were privileged to serve a rural clinic (Odi Health centre) situated in the popular town of Odi in Bayelsa state. We were given the choice of going to another healthcare centre in Sagbama (also in Bayelsa state), but we opted for the historic Odi.

Odi’s popularity comes from the time the predominantly Ijaw community was razed to the ground in november 1999 on the orders of the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo. Soldiers destroyed Odi town following the murder of 11 policemen by some youths from the community. The conflict had been an ongoing battle in the Niger Delta over indigenous rights to oil resources and environmental protection. Except for a bank (First Bank), the Anglican church, and the health centre, evrything else in Odi was destroyed by the Armed Forces.

We were pleased to see signs of the community’s regeneration, with buildings cropping up where there was once ashes.

And so our pictures today are all about Odi:
a)the house of the Militant leader, Ken, who sparked the Odi crisis (we hear Ken was killed a couple of years ago)
b) the rusted signpost of the Odi Community Health Centre
c)the mother who was delivered of a baby boy last night
d)the clever but crude contraption which the nurses used as lighting during the delivery (we were incredulous)
e)the evident joy (another ‘Solar Lamp Dance’) expressed by Florence Enadeghe (the clinic’s Midwife) when she got a replacement light in the form of our combined solar lamp/phone charger.

If the whole ‘event’ were scripted, we couldn’t have acted it out any better!

The Irri Healthcare centre (Delta state) was our 27th stop. Here, our efforts were blessed by Arch Bishop Apena of the Bethseda Gospel Mission. All on their own, the clinic staff also rallied and presented Team Solar Jooce with N1,000 and two cans of a malt drink – to show just how much they appreciated graduating from a kerosene lantern to a solar-powered one.

Things are moving along nicely. Spent the night in Benin city.

Connectivity

Glo Internet: Superfast HSDPA in Portharcourt (& most of Rivers state) + Bayelsa (even in Odi community). Very moderate EDGE service in Benin (Abuja Quarters area)

June 06, 2010: Akwa Ibom (Afaha Udo Eyop, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA) – Cross River (Ikot Offiong Ambai, Akpabuyo LGA) – Rivers (Eeken, Khana LGA)

Drive Time:
Ibesikpo LGA - Akpabuyo LGA
Akpabuyo - Khana 2.5 hrs

Not every stop on the campaign trail is filled with sunshine and afrobeat. Our first let-down was the Primary Health Centre in Akwa Ibom state. Not because the place looked run down but it was as good as deserted. Doors were padlocked shut, rooms were thick with cobwebs and dust, and beds were devoid of mattresses. The Village Head turned up at the centre to welcome Team Solar Jooce, but there were no clinic staff in sight! We shot down a suggestion to hand over our solar lamp gift to the gateman/security man, and advised that we would return to this basic healthcare centre only when there was visible proof that it functioned.

We had a much better experience in Cross Rivers state. First of all, Calabar is such a beautifully kept city. Anxious to follow our brief (we had asked to donate a solar lamp to a ‘clinic of contrasts’), our local contact, Bishop Archibong Archibong took time out of his church service to hand us over to the Akpabuyo Local Government Chairman, Hon. Boniface Archibong.

The Ikot Offfiong Ambai health centre , recommended by Hon. Archibong, fit the ‘clinic of contrasts’ description perfectly. It had some of the more advanced medical equipment we had seen so far (including mosquito nets and all), yet the centre had no electricity. The ubiquitous kerosene lantern and candle lighting solution was well and alive here, and so, expectedly our solar lamp donation was very well received.

Our favourite stop of the day was the visit to Pope John Paul II clinic in Eeken, Rivers state. Rev. Sister Marie drove up to meet us at Ikot Abasi (Akwa Ibom state) and led us to the clinic, just metres away from the Akwa Ibom border. Sister Marie would remind you of the extra-jovial Reverend sister in the film, Sister Act. She and her team were really excited to receive our solar lamp/phone charger, and the reactions so spontaneous - they did what we now call 'the solar lamp dance' in appreciation of our gift. Sister Marie shared with us that because of the long hours of darkness at the clinic, patients preferred to check themselves out over the weekend (especially children) and then return during the weekday.

She said the new solar lamp would be useful especially in the maternity ward (where kerosene lanterns are used for birthing) and in trauma cases, when a bright solar light can mean the difference between a bad suture and a good one.

The clinic does have a generator which, because of the high cost of diesel, is used only for surgery in high trauma cases.

Finally, Sister Marie added that the better lighted the clinic was, the more it would encourage the sick to come in and have themselves properly looked at.

Connectivity:
Mobile phone: Glo outperforms MTN in both Akwa Ibom and Cross River state. MTN is the stronger network in Portharcourt.

Internet: Acceptable speed in Akwa Ibom. Faster experience in Port Harcourt.

June 05, 2010: Anambra (Awka) – Imo (Atta, Ikeduru LGA) – Abia (Umukabia, Ohuhu LGA) – Akwa Ibom (Uyo)

Drive Time:
Awka – Atta 2.5hrs
Atta – Umukabia 1hr
Umukabia – Uyo 2hrs

So far, we’ve driven for a total of 6,331 km (Abuja – Akwa Ibom). The days are going by really quickly and since the states in the South are much smaller than those up North, we’re now averaging three states/day.

We started out at Awka and made a beeline for our first stop of the day, Atta in Ikeduru local government area of Imo state.

A few metres from Awka, there was a little drama involving men of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) office. They insisted our vehicle documentation was complete except for some state tax sticker. Even though we eventually sorted things out, one couldn’t help but wonder why these supposed IGR men set up an impromptu office on the high way. I thought their motive might be a bit shady when one of the IGR team asked to see our waste bin. The driver patiently showed him a bucket always kept at the back of the truck, but Mr. IGR immediately snapped, saying it wasn’t the recommended waste bin. When I didn’t utter a word, the matter was dropped.

A travel tip: Beware of the endless road blocks/ stops in the Southern part of Nigeria. The checks are many atimes mindless. In the North, this wasn’t our experience.

The highlight of the day was the visit to the Atta Health Centre. There, we met and chatted with Hajara who had given birth to a baby girl yesterday night, of course by..... [rusty] kerosene lantern! As we were shown round the clinic by the staff Nurse, Ibeawuchi Amarachi, Hajara was quite curious about the solar lamp and shyly asked what it was. We explained, and her immediate thought was that it would be nice to have the room lit up when she had her next baby!

Considering Hajara had just had her 4th child, we all burst out laughing at her cheekiness. However, our local contact, Reverend Sister Stella Onyemaobi, had the presence of mind to gently advise Hajara to immediately consider family planning.

Seriously though, lighting is such an important element of everyday life, even in rural areas. News of our visit quickly reached the monarch of Atta, HRH Eze Ben Uduneho Eziako – the Olu Oha I of Atta West - and he sent a representative (Mr. Geoffrey Akubunmadu – Vice President, Atta West) to thank us for our gift and pray for us.

Nothing was different at our next stop, the Umukabia Health Centre. This village, like each and every one we have been to, is so deprived of electricity that any access to slightly better alternatives to torchlights, kerosene lanterns, candles, and mobile phone lighting, is a hugely uplifting experience for them.

In Umukabia, we were hosted by the monarch, His Majesty, Eze Samuel Nwaubani JP.

Connectivity
Internet: GLO mobile Internet was consistently strong, even on the road between Umuahia and Uyo.

Mobile phone: In both villages (Atta, Umukabia), we found MTN to be the better/stronger network. In Uyo, Glo worked better.

June 04, 2010: Enugu (Ubahu) - Ebonyi (Umuhuali) - Anambra (Nawfija)

We covered three states today - Enugu, Ebonyi, and Anambra (in that order).

The stop at Ebonyi was everyone's overwhelming favourite. It was a one room primary healthcare centre, with barely any drugs and a dirty ragged environment. A room next to the 'facility' is rented and occupied by a family.

Yet in this setting, the head nurse, Grace Otubo, delivers at least 5 babies every month. She tells us how in the absence of kerosene lanterns (you can imagine how unaffordable kerosene is to these people), she delivers babies using the light from a mobile phone or a local hurricane lantern or... get this... moonlight!! Even more sad is the fact that this sparse and neglected healthcare centre is the only one that serves people in its local government area - Isielu. The clinic has been reduced to a first-aid & crude maternity service centre. Anyone who suffers a serious illness must go at least 1.5 hours away to get any sort of decent medical attention. We salute Grace's courage in keeping things going despite all odds. Every morning, she puts on her pink overall and marches to work.

When a solar lamp was presented to the clinic, she leapt into the air, and did several jigs around the room. Again, get this.... her joy was purely for the pregnant lady who she expected to deliver of a baby this evening. In her words: 'darkness offers no comfort'

For this reason, our pictures for the day are those of the nurse doing the 'Solar Lamp Dance' and another, of the local lantern she uses when she can afford kerosene. We learnt that the lantern is called 'Mpaneka'. Our driver, Femi, was very amused by this make-shift light that consisted of 2 batteries housed in a rectangular wooden box, with tiny bulbs wired to the battery. The bulbs were then placed around the outer edges of a CD. Neccessity is truly the mother of invention.

Oh, how could we forget. There was this special moment at the Enugu state primary healthcare facility when the oldest man in the village blessed our team and presented us with a gift of N1,000 for bringing solar to the health centre. You will therefore see a picture of the generous 'senior citizen' presenting this gift on behalf of his community, while I knelt in true traditional custom to accept the offering on behalf of Solar Jooce.

We will all go to bed tonight energised that the solar seed is being planted in seemingly forgotten areas, and that hopefully, these seeds will soon mushroom into giant islands of light.

Connectivity:

Internet: GLO internet is quite strong in the 3 eastern states we covered today
Mobile: MTN & Glo work OK. In Nkalagu area (Ebonyi state) both networks faded in and out.

June 03, 2010 Tse Agberagba (Benue) - Enugu

Tse Agberagba in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue state was our major stop for the day, where we met with Recipient #17, Mrs. Mary Iortyomn. She is a petty trader and tailor. Tse Agberagba is about 1 hour's drive from Makurdi where we had spentthe night on coming in from Taraba state yesterday.

Mary trades during the day time and likes to catch up on her sewing jobs in the evenings. However, making do with the dim, flickering light of a kerosene lantern had become a big strain on her eyes. Having to buy kerosene also left her with not much in her purse at the end of the month. She was determined to be independednt, and would rather not ask her daughter, Vera (a teacher in Makurdi) to supplement her income from petty trading and sewing. But she knows she must preserve her eyes in order to continue her trade.

As has become the practise, we asked Mary to show us her kerosene lantern. The lantern emerged and it was easy to see why such poor lighting could damage her eyes. Constantly bending over the lantern would also cause her to inhale dangerous fumes, exposing her to chest infections. Having seen her circumstances, we were convinced Mary was a good candidadte for receiving our solar lamp. She will also find the lamp useful in tending to her goat (yes, just the one goat) and chickens in the animal hut just opposite her home. Even during the day time the hut, which one has to double up to enter, is pitch black.

One other thing? Word spreads fast in the village about strangers visiting. In no time, one of Mary's customers, Juliana Abulus, ran in to share the joy of Mary receiving a solar lamp, adding quickly that if Mary didn't mind, she (Juliana) might need to use the phone charging unit of the lamp from time to time.

Our work was done!

This trip marks the end of our tour of Northern Nigeria. Next, we head to the South East, South South, and South West regions, starting from Enugu tomorrow.

June 02, 2010: Adamawa (Sankeupo, Ganye) - Taraba (Tsokundi, Wukari) - Benue

Drive Time:
Adamawa – Taraba (Wukari 4.5hrs)
Taraba – Benue (Makurdi 2.5hrs)

We left Ganye at exactly 6.14am and it was such a long journey to Wukari. It took us another 1 hour to get to Tsokundi primary health centre, a 12-bed, run-down facility. Here we see a mother whose tiny daughter is hanging on to life. She was brought into the clinic in the middle of the night with severe diarrhoea and dehydration when treating her at home with traditional herbs had failed to heal her.

The Clinic-in-Charge, Eric Iyongo says fitting the drip into the little girl’s arm was tricky because of the low lighting source they use (kerosene lanterns). I asked to see the kerosene lanterns and he fished out 4 battered ones from the side of his desk. When we showed Eric how to work the solar lamp gift we had just presented to him and his staff, he burst into loud laughter and chants of prayer for Team Solar Jooce. In turn, we prayed with the little girl and her mother, hoping she would recover quickly.

From Tsokundi, we drove straight into Makurdi to spend the night. Tomorrow, we’re headed to Tse Agberagba, Konshisha LGA, still in Benue state to meet our beneficiary #16, Mrs. Mary Iortyom. Mary is a tailor/petty trader who would like to replace the kerosene lantern she works with for two reasons: the first so she can see better and put less strain on her eyes. Second, to extend her working hours beyond after dark so she can earn more income. We met up with Mrs. Iortyom’s daughter, Vera, in Makurdi and she will be escorting us to Tse Agberagba. Vera is so proud of her mom’s tenacity.

Connectivity
Internet (GPRS/EDGE): Was able to browse using GLO USB modem in Ganye, Makurdi and on the highway between Taraba & Benue state.

Mobile phone: GLO & MTN work ok in Makurdi, although not so well on the highway between Taraba and Benue state. In Ganye, Glo is the stronger of the two networks.

June 01, 2010: Yobe (Dudaye, Nangere) - Borno (Marama) - Adamawa (Sankepuo, Ganye)

Drive Time:
Yobe – Borno 3.5hrs
Borno – Adamawa (Yola 3.5hrs. Sankepuo 6hrs)

Today was easily one of the best days on the tour. And it was all about our visit to Sankepuo village in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa state.

First, I must say that it was disappointing to get into the state where our ex Vice-President (Alhaji Atiku Abubakar) comes from, and discover that it is not well developed. What has he done for his people? His people echo the same sentiment. Sad, really.

Anyway, we got to Sankepuo village several hours behind schedule but the indigenes waited. And with the welcome we received, you would have thought we brought electricity to the whole village for the first time. We were treated to a song and dance performance by a Women’s group – the Sankepuo Women Micro-Credit Union. And then I was personally presented with a ‘drum’ of pure natural honey, sourced from the village. It was amazing. When our solar lantern gift was presented to the head of the Sankepuo primary healthcare clinic, Jehega Bunu, the women began to ululate loudly and come in turns to hug members of our team. The experience was priceless! All of this was co-ordinated by our friends on ground – Ayal Yohanna of CRUDAN, and Rev. Eliseus Voma.

Before Adamawa, we had been to both Yobe and Borno state.

In Borno state, Mary Muna Madu (staff nurse/midwife) at Marama hospital tells us that the hospital gets electricity supply just once a week, which lasts a maximum of 45 minutes. The hospital improvises with candles, torchlights and hurricane (kerosene) lanterns.

The story is very much the same in Yobe state where the village chief< Alhaji Hassan Adamu, said he would be most grateful to secure many more solar lamps/phone chargers for his people. He says the combination device (light/phone charger) is very useful for attending to the lone patient that is admitted to the clinic (unbelievably, this is a one-bed hospital), and ensuring the clinic head’s phone is always charged and available when he needs to be reached in an emergency. Adama Buba, the female clinic staff is so excited at the prospect of replacing candles with a much stronger and safer light that she can hardly stop smiling. Her boss, Ilyasu Umaru, is no less appreciative. Hmmm, it reminds you how much we take for granted in the urban areas...