The Goal of this Trip

ok.. so we’re in Gleno… but why?

Our volunteer work here is to design and raise a radio tower, and also to organise the construction of a residence / area where the locals can come and learn about agriculture and a better lifestyle- VIVA MELHOR; in 2013 an estimated 90,000 children under 5, or 50percent, suffered from chronic malnutrition (stunting or low height-for-age) and 40percent of children are anemic (Development Initiatives 2017; GDS and ICF 2017).

Notes: Intakes are based on modelled estimates for adults aged 25 years and older. The dietary factors have been selected as those diet components that have a statistically significant relationship with at least one disease endpoint that can be generalisable to all populations. Recommended intake targets were determined by the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. This includes minimum recommended intakes of health promoting food groups (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and wholegrains) and maximum recommended intakes of food groups with detrimental health and/or environmental impacts (red meat, dairy, and fish). Ideal intake for each food is within the shaded area of the graph.

* Source: Tufts University. Global Dietary Database. Published online 2019. Available at this link.

As you might know by now, the land that we need to build on is located in Gleno, at the intersection of one minor and one major river; the minor river (to the North-NorthWest of the site) is only present during the rainy season, but it still creates problems. 

Attached are a few photos of the minor river and its effects, that speak for themselves (we are being “inundated” with a few challenges before we even get to consider the radio tower design).

We probably will not be able to finalise both the radio tower and the residence… but we will do as much as we possibly can.

The children we met at the site put a different perspective on things… they made their way through the main river (varying water depths up to 600mm) just to see what we were doing. Their smiles gave us new motivation to keep on going! We just wish we could do more for them!