Projects

Eritrea, like many other "new" countries, prefers to carry out its own development with its own efforts, to the extent possible. Outside aid should meet the criteria of supporting projects that the Eritreans are already doing for themselves. Tiiu and Frank saw that there were quite a few approved non-profit organizations operating in Eritrea. It was understood that they functioned in a manner which helped the Eritreans progress better or faster. Some also filled a need which the Eritreans could not yet handle entirely themselves, such as the clearing of land mines and some of medical care in the refugee camps.

Because Tiiu and Frank enjoy spending time in Eritrea, they wished to find occupation which would use their skills and in turn be useful to Eritrean undertakings. Working with Education and Energy Production seemed a good fit. They set up the Adamek Foundation in Canada to work abroad in Eritrea. To carry out its mandate, they will go to work in Eritrea for about two months a year and arrange for the materials they bring to continue being used for the rest of the year, under supervision.

Education: Tiiu will set up a mini-computer lab ( 3 - 4 laptops initially) , with printers and CD players in a school where she will train students in word processing and the retrieval of electronic information. The aim is to give the students a chance to get familiar with computers and to see them as appliances not very different from a telephone or a radio. Arrangements will be made to leave these computers in the school libraries for continued student and staff use, under supervision. The expectation is that the Adamek Foundation will receive regular reports of their use and condition.

Pen-pals:  This project has been in place since 2000, with several schools that Tiiu was familiar with in Ontario: Ontario Street P.S., Millbrook/Cavan School, Eastdale Collegiate and Coronation P.S. Letters were exchanged with school children in Adi Keih, Keren, Aditekelezan and Asmara. Now that the Adameks have moved from Ontario out west to Alberta, the plan is to set up pen pals from Canmore. The students exchange letters and photos. The mailing costs are met by the Foundation and it also includes the sending of current science magazines to high schools.
 

This double-walled Mogogo stove uses compressed fuel chips and has a smoke-stack

Environment and Conservation: Frank is already familiar with some of the projects of the Department of Energy of Eritrea. The focus is to develop, promote and put into use cooking appliances which are more fuel efficient and more convenient. The Foundation will provide some financial support for the manufacture and promotion of appliances such as the Mogogo stove in rural communities. Frank will be part of the production team at the site. The Department of Energy says that the women are very happy to have these stoves and some are able to put it together for themselves. It is "super" in terms of efficiency as well as acceptance. To make more of them for rural use requires additional money.

This solar reflector, still in a developmental stage, boils water in about five minutes.

Frank will also provide professional expertise in the developmental work of solar reflectors for boiling water and their promotion in rural areas. He saw solar reflectors used by tea vendors on the sidewalk when he visited Tibet in 1994. As Eritrea's trees have largely been cut and the aridity makes growing new ones very difficult, the Dept of Energy has been active in the development of solar reflectors and has working models at the site, which boil water very rapidly. Ways need to be found for production on a large scale and for effective promotion in the countryside. While the Mogogo stove is an improvement on the traditional stove, solar reflectors are very novel and familiarization is needed. Schools could be the first users because they might like the idea of a new appliance and it would boil water for the students and staff effectively.

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