by Iana
The last days in Maputo are to finalize our interviews meanwhile slowly saying goodbye to people we met and places we´ve been to. And a very last and wonderful expedition to the Savannah.
More Interviews
Following Nelsons’ recommendation, on the 12th July, we all went together to meet Carla Costa and Vasco Parente of WSUP. On our way, it was quite complicated, even to the taxi driver, to get to the place, so Carla Costa kindly gave instructions by phone to the taxi driver. We arrived on time, they were very receptive and tried to answer in detail all the questions we had. They explained us that WSUP in Maputo works mainly in two areas which are considered problematic due to its high density of people, such as Chamanculo. The meeting last long, almost two hours and a half. On our way back, we could not find a taxi back, so we walked along the highway to finally find a chopela (a tuc-tuc) to bring us home.
Due to several bureaucracy issues, Jay keeps on coming back and forth to offices such as the Direcção Nacional da Saúde and the Direcção de Água e Saneamento do Municipio de Maputo. Having a direct contact in a specific office was found to be a great advantage for a quick response. Otherwise, one can just pass you on to several people in different departments.
Jesper has more time since he is staying longer in Maputo than Jay and I, and he is first preparing a more detailed analysis of Greater Maputo and Matola in specific, in order to create policy pathways for the sanitation and drinking water. His aim is to discuss the constraints, problems and possibilities within the different pathways that local municipalities could choose in developing the drinking water and sanitation services towards a sustainable future situation.
From my part, I still wanted to gather information about the nitrogen and phosphate concentration in the WWTP effluents. Nelson told me in the beginning of my period in Maputo to wait until the first weeks of July, since his students are collecting samples each week in the WWTP. Therefore, I had a meeting on Thursday, 14th July, with Nelson at the Faculty of Engineering, so he could present me to his student called Nalda. For my surprise, she lives in the same student residency as me. So we took a “Chapa” (a mini-bus) to go back home. The next day, she provided me the data I needed and she also advised me to visit the WWTP in order to feel how the situation looks. Carla Costa and Vasco Parente also gave us the same recommendation. Then, Jay talked to Botelho Ferro and arranged for us to make a visit at the WWTP on the 19th July.
Goodbye Nelson
In the afternoon we went to Nelson´s office which is located around 20 minutes walking from our place. We had scheduled to go to his office to talk with André Arsenio by Skype on Wednesdays. This time was different because the objective was to say goodbye to him since he was travelling to Tanzania for work and Jay and I would not see him again. For the first time, we walked all the way from the residence to his office with no pens, no bags, no computers, just enjoying our last walk in the path while discussing about our thesis. Nelson as, as always, very busy but warmly welcoming. We discussed about our time in Maputo, our progress and he also gave us his last feedbacks and suggestions. We asked him when we will see him in the Netherlands. He said most probably in at least one year because summer in Europe is already gone now :)
Saying goodbye to Nelson.
Weekend
This weekend we split our programs. Jesper and I went across the border of South Africa to the Kruger Park for a Safari. Unfortunately, Jay could not go because as a Filipino he needs a separate visa to enter South Africa. Border limits and control, actually, are sometimes hard to understand. Despite all our attempts to solve this situation somehow, even going to the South African embassy here in Maputo, there was nothings we could do it. The Kruger Park is very close to the boarder of Mozambique. We rented a car and went together with another Brazilian student from our Residence, Thaís and a Spanish friend we met in Inhaca Sergio. He works at UNESCO and lived in the Kruger Park for writing his Master Thesis. So it was great to have a free guide in our safari trip adventure. Everything was wonderful, from the early sunrise until the breathtaking seconds before sunset in the Savanna. Luckily we heard Jay also had another great time with his Filipino friends, singing karaoke and lots of Filipino food the whole weekend.
Sunset on the Savannah.
