Fueling the machine.... quite literally.

Preparing for a drop run is quite interesting.  The flight team are getting the plane ready, the Health Education team getting the drops ready... then you need to get more bags (and different sizes, we are hoping to try some A3 drops soon too)... then there is the fuel for the aircraft - which is not available locally - fuel sourcing is always a half day affair - empty the steel drums, load them in the truck, hope that when you get to the station the fuel is there, then bring it back - fuel cleanliness as important as community hygiene!  We dust off the top of the drums prior to filling, check the drum seals and re-check and re-dust-off before unloading.  Fuel is then filtered into  20l drums, then filtered into the plane, then the plane has finger filters, in-line filters, gascolators (water separators with a filter screen) and pump filters before that fuel reaches the cylinders.  Contamination is easy to get, and so the team is working non-stop to beat the environmental challenges of reaching the communities with other environmental challenges in a timely, reliable, repeatable and sustainable manner. 

Like in a ballet, there are many involved, the sound, lighting, orchestra, scenery movers, prompters, conductor and more, all made perfect by the presence of the audience - all made possible by the so called 'Angels' who fund the development of the production until it can stand on its own 'two-shows-daily'; likewise we have our little Tower radio operators, aircraft engineers, pilots, catering, grounds staff (runway mowing and safety areas), marker board making (yes we make our own marker boards for the runway, and replace them regularly), health ed team, telephone team, accounts, communities in need, all funded by 'Angels' such as you, until we can fly on our own two wings, multiple missions per week.

We are not there yet, but with your help we are closer to a self-sustaining aviation based health outreach solution - one that has 'contamination control' and the associated health benefits at its very heart!

IF you would like to sponsor a village drop please visit:  http://www.medicineonthemove.org/index.php/projects/etche