After 3 days in the camp I am beginning to get a view on how I can help and what is needed. So yesterday I helped one of the other welders here to make 4 oil drum bar b que’s, and there was a big chicken fry up all night. We played Pashto music on the stereo, with my speakers on the roof of the truck, and a fire in a washing machine drum for the people to sit around.
As we were chatting to the people while they were queing and eating, some of them asked me and a friend if we could make lights for them in the large cold rooms they live in at the camp, then this morning while we were salvaging some metal in one of the buildings, another group asked us if we could get them fuel for a paraffin lamp…! This made me worry about the use of that style of lighting amongst wooden frames building is, with lots of cut firewood being stored near open fires and wood burners… SO… this afternoon, we went shopping.
We bought a few motor bike batteries and a couple of different types of led lights, got back and wired them up , and gave them out to a few groups of the lads. We noted the times we put them on, and will check when they run low, so as to decide which are more efficient.
Look at this amazing shot Darragh took of the view of a fire through the led ring we made. You can see the motor bike battery, and his hand… this shot has not been doctored at all. I have told him to enter it in exhibitions and competitions…
So for only around £400 we can make these lights for the whole camp of a thousand people, literally bringing them out of the dark ages of sitting around smokey fires and burners. To talk at night, play cards or chess, have a bit of dignity. Please click the link below and donate what you can, and a huge thanks if you already have, no need to feel bad if u can’t… just maybe take 5 to forward around FB for me, as I dont do it so this isn’t on there.
If we get enough money, we may even move on to building hot water systems for washing, as that is another luxury the guys here have not had for a long long time… like 5-6 months for some residents of the camp.
A member of the get shit done crew has arrived and will be organizing toilets in the next few days too, so the camp really will have changed a lot soon, and i may be able to head up to the Hungarian border, where things are apparently a lot worse.
Big love from snowy Serbia.
D
