GOOD WORKS
STRAIGHT TALK University of Calgary student Franklin Koch and Douglas MacLean, G.I.T., discuss how to keep seismic cable straight on a steep river bank. -photo courtesy Josie Bauman
DID YOU KNOW? Seismic refraction surveys define the tops of rocks, along with whether rocks are fractured or massive. Electrical surveys identify whether pores in rocks are filled with fresh or saline water. students was patience. It seems everyone in Kakuma is patient — because you have to be. I also found out where many of them were from and had a chance to hear some of their stories.” The opportunity to share technical knowledge was another highlight. Says Ms. Ernst: “They were so keen to learn as much as The local students, who were paid for their work through grant money, worked closely with Calgary team members, getting hands- on field training. But learning is always a two-way street. Says Mr. Woods: “The biggest thing that I learned from the Between January 11 and 25, they collected 12 kilometres of tomography data using 2D electrical resistivity and six kilometres of seismic refraction data, on the hunt for drilling targets in an unforgiving landscape. “All of the vegetation around Kakuma is trying to kill you,” says Ms. Ernst with a laugh. But perhaps it’s not much of an exaggera- tion. “Everything has giant thorns on it. Keeping the survey lines straight was a huge challenge.”
“There are many curious children running around, which can be an interesting and funny problem when trying to collect seismic data. They would hang around in little groups of friends, laughing and giggling at the silly foreigners in their big wide brimmed hats and sunburned skin, messing about with long cables and wires,” he says. “Some of the most fun I had was hanging around these kids, but the truth is that they likely do not know the reality of their situation yet.” More than half of Kakuma’s children don’t go to school due to issues like child labour and lack of resources. Many spend long hours waiting in line at water taps, filling up jerry cans and hauling them home to help their families survive. The team’s efforts to find more dependable water sources for the camp could help alleviate water shortages and wait times — but it wouldn’t be easy.
MORE TWISTS AND TURNS THAN A SEISMIC CABLE
Wake at 6:30 a.m. Put on sunblock. Have chai mandazi — milk tea and fried bread — for breakfast. Load equipment. Head out into the desert heat. Complete seismic and electrical surveys. Drink water. Drink more water. Try to avoid sunstroke. Return home (the World Food Program compound for aid workers). Shower. Eat dinner (rice, vegetables, and goat meat). Process survey data. Sleep. Repeat. Such was the typical day for the Calgary team and 28 Kakuma and Turkana students who joined the crew.
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