Raleigh India Needs You!!!

Here at Raleigh India we are coming to the end of expedition 11E. As part of the grand finale for the expedition 11E we are planning a 10K & 5K fun-run to raise 1,300 pounds. The money we hope to raise will be used to build a bio-gas unit, provide two cows and a cow shed for a tribal family in Man Godi in the Nilgiris District

The day after everyone returns to field base from Phase 3 of expedition we will be holding the race. It will start at the bright and breezy time of 6:00am to ensure we escape the heat of the sun. There are two options for the fun run, a 10K course and a 5k course. Both options will take the runners around Jayapura and its surrounding countryside with the race finishing back here at field base. We are asking friends and family to support the runners in reaching their fund-raising goal of 1,300 pounds. Funds need to be collected before the end of expedition on the 2^ndSeptember 2011 and donations can be made at our Virgin Giving Money page: 

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/11Efunrun

It's also a great excuse to make our Country Cirector, Mark, look like this again!

So more about these bio-gas units! In September Raleigh will be working alongside CTRD to build three families bio-gas units. However there are four families in the village of Man Godi and Raleigh would like to be able to provide all four families with bio-gas plants, including cow sheds for two dairy cows (also given to the families through the funding) which will fuel the bio-gas digester unit.  The bio-gas units work by using the dung that the cows produce and harvest the methane gas the dung creates as it decomposes. The methane gas can be used to run gas cookers in the family homes. The family can also sell the excess milk that the cow produce and sell it to the surrounding communities.

The families are from the tribal community, their current living conditions are very basic and they currently rely on firewood to enable them to cook their food. They live in traditional bamboo huts and it is not uncommon for these houses to catch on fire. Alongside the fire risk women and children collect firewood in the forest which is not only illegal but they also put them at risk by attack from the local wildlife which consists of elephants, snakes and tigers. The units also stop the families having to use firewood; presently each family is burning 20K of firewood a day, which is having a negative impact on the environment and has health implications for the families. Having the bio-gas units will help reduce all these risks and the negative environmental and health implications of the current standard of living. 

Raleigh has previously completed this type of project in Vellary and has been back to review the project and assess its usefulness. When reviewed it was found that the bio-gas units were providing each family with five hours of gas per day and the products the families were able to produce from these units increased their financial standing. 

We hope you can help and thank you from all here at Raleigh India