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on April 30
Joshua McKamie
commented on a projectI saw you present at SOUP a few months ago. Looking forward to seeing the finished film!
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on April 30
Joshua McKamie
backed a project
STREET FIGHTING MAN - documentary post-production by Andrew James
Three men, each a generation apart, struggle to build a future for themselves in post-industrial Detroit.
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58% funded $11,695 pledged
- 211 backers
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on October 24, 2011
Joshua McKamie
backed a project
BURN: The Detroit Firefighter Documentary by detroitfirefilm
BURN is a feature documentary about Detroit, told through the eyes of its firefighters.
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149% funded $119,547 pledged
- 1,758 backers
- Funded Dec 01, 2011
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on June 14, 2011
Joshua McKamie
backed a project
Heritage Works Summer Camp by Friends of Spaulding Court
Heritage Works offers youth enrichment through African drum and dance. This summer, they're planning a camp in Northeast Detroit.
Funding Unsuccessful (06/20/2011) -
on March 26, 2011
Joshua McKamie
Posted project update #6Ghana Water Project Summary
Post CommentGreeting from the United States!
I've now been back from Ghana for many months and have readjusted to US life, for better or worse. First of all, I need to apologize for how long it's taken me to update you all. As you can imagine, returning to the U.S. from Ghana was pretty overwhelming. However, I should have updated you all on our very productive last month in Ghana a long, long time ago, so I am sorry for that.
In my last update, I informed you of our change in filters, from the Biosand filter to the clay pot filter. Instead of purchasing 15 Biosand filters, we were able to obtain 40 clay pot filters instead. This increased both the scope of our project and the impact.
The Clay Pot Water Filter
In the end, we ended up partnering with the Kpando District Education Department and the District Health Department. They identified 19 schools in very rural areas of Kpando that lacked access to clean water. Over the course of 3 weeks, we traveled with education department to 12 of the selected schools.
We delivered the filters, taught the teachers and headmasters/mistresses how to use and clean them, and visited with the students. The rest of schools have received filters over last couple months.
Presenting the filters to the Kpando District Executive, Health Director, Education Director, and District Council
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On the roads of rural Kpando
On one memorable school visit, we arrived at a small, open air, 2 "room" school in a very rural area of Kpando. As we were driving in, we noticed 5 or 6 children carrying buckets of water towards the school. We got out of the truck and watched them pour the water into a large trash can they used to store water. We walked closer and looked inside to find what looked like mud filling the can. Immediately, one of the students picked up a cup, dipped it inside the container, and gulped down the water.In moments like these, it was amazing to be able to provide a device that instantly solves this very visible problem. We showed the teachers and students how the filter worked and how to maintain it. They immediately brought the dirty water over to filter and poured it in.
We spend the last three weeks in Ghana going on visits like this with the Education Department. Although we had been in the city of Kpando for over 5 months by this point, we had yet to see some of the very rural villages just miles from the city. It was incredible to see just how different peoples’ lives were, even just miles apart.
Furthermore, because our Kickstarter supporters and offline supporters were so generous, we were able to take on some projects we hadn’t even dreamed of, like helping repair the ceiling at the Kpando Community Inclusive School for Children with Special Needs.
Before:
This open ceiling allowed thieves to climb over the wall into the building and steal all the electrical wiring from the school. It also allowed bats, birds, and other critters to get inside the building and cause damage.
After:
With the ceiling closed off, the school can restore electricity and store more supplies with confidence that they won’t be stolen or ruined.
So again, I thank everyone who contributed to the Kickstarter. Your donation almost a year ago continues to bring clean water to children over 5,000 miles away and gave the seven of us the experience of lifetime.
For my backers who are still owed a reward, I will be getting those to you very soon, either by mail or in person. I will contact you separately with more information soon.
Thanks again!
Josh
P.S. I'm currently planning a return trip to Ghana for this May. If you would like more information or would like to sponsor the purchase of more filters to be given to rural schools, please contact me by email or by phone at 313-718-2035.
More Photos:
Boys fetch water from Lake Volta
Our last day at the Community Inclusive School for Children with Special Needs
Wli Upper Falls
Kakum National Park, Canopy Walk
Prince, Francisca, and Oko
George, Mirabel, and Cilas help us pack
Our goodbye dinner at the orphanage
The Children of Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage
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on September 18, 2010
Joshua McKamie
Posted project update #5A Change of Plans
Post CommentHello Kickstarter Backers!
It's hard to believe I've been in Ghana now for more than 4 months. I'm sorry it's taken so long for a Kickstarter update. We don't always have the most reliable internet and, when we do, I've been mainly updating our team's blog and twitter. The best way to keep up to date with everything going on here is to keep checking those 2 links.
However, we've made some major progress on the project recently, so I wanted to make sure all my Kickstarter backers were informed. Here is my most recent blog post about the clean water project (taken from http://ghanatrinitytrip.blogspot.com/2010/09/water-filters.html)
Blog Post:
One thing I've learned over and over here in Ghana is that plans have a tendency to change. One thing that's changed a lot since the planning stages of our trip is the clean water project. Before leaving Michigan, we planned on purchasing the Biosand water filter from a distributor in Ghana. The Biosand filter uses stones, gravel, sand, and a thin layer of "good bacteria" to purify water.
However, after being in Ghana for several months, we ran into a problem: the distributor doesn't exist yet. The American company which makes the filters is in the process of setting up the distribution center, but is not finished yet and doesn't know when they will be.The last thing we wanted to do is abandon our clean water projects so we found a replacement:
The Clay Pot Water Filter
These water filters uses microscopic pores in the clay to filter 99.88% of pathogens in the water. To use, you simply fill upper clay pot with water and let gravity do the rest. [Read more about clay pot water filters here: Potters for Peace ] The filtered water drips in the plastic container below. Each filter has a tap at the bottom of the plastic so you can easily pour yourself a clean glass of water.Although at first I was disappointed when I heard we wouldn't be able to buy the Biosand filter, I now think the clay pot filter may even be a better choice. They offer several advantages to the Biosand filter:- They're cheaper. Instead of purchasing 15 filters as was planned, we were able to purchase 40 filters and get them to Kpando from Accra for less money!
- They have a built in water reservoir. The Biosand filters require you to have another container ready for the filtered water. Furthermore, if these containers aren't properly cleaned, you instantly contaminate the clean water. These clay pot filters have the water container and filter in one single unit that only needs to be cleaned every 2-4 weeks.
- They're more common. Our orphanage and a couple nearby schools already have some of these filters. Learning how to use them won't be as difficult as they're more familiar.
So yesterday, Becka and I made a very long, single day journey to Accra and brought back 40 clay pot water filters:
The next step will be distributing the filters. I already have several orphanages, schools, and families in mind, so I'll keep you all up to date on where all the filters end up!
-JoshMore Pictures:
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on April 29, 2010Funded!
Clean Water for an Orphanage and Community in Ghana by Joshua McKamie
Help us equip an orphanage, 2 schools, and 9 families in Ghana with the knowledge and tools needed for clean and safe drinking water.
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104% funded $4,162 pledged
- 62 backers
- Funded Apr 28, 2010
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on April 24, 2010
Joshua McKamie
Posted project update #4Four Days To Go!
Post CommentThank you to all the new backers we've gotten in the last week! It's been great to see so many new people support the project.
I was going to post an update earlier, but Rob and I (another member of the team), just completed a 2-day health and hygiene training in Grand Rapids from Living Water International (http://www.water.cc/living-water/health-and-hygiene/). Just some of the topics we covered were the importance of hand washing, keeping water clean in their containers, germs, nutrition, oral hygiene, daily hygiene behavior changes, and more.
We're really confident and excited to teach what we learned at the training to the kids at the orphanage and at some of the local schools. We also learned how to train teachers and other leaders in the community how to continue teaching these basic concepts on health. Combined with the Biosand Filter technology, your pledges will help us make a huge positive impact on health!
So now we have 4 days to go and are 50% funded. Please post a status update on facebook or twitter, call a friend, or tell your family about our project. I know we can make it all the way!
Thank you again to everyone, you're pledges are making this project happen!
Caption: Becka with some of the kids at the orphanage last year.
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on April 12, 2010
Joshua McKamie
Posted project update #3Only 16 Days To Go!
Post CommentThank you to all the new backers!
It's down to the last 16 days! Just 16 days after that, on May 16th, two other members of our team and I will be leaving for Ghana. We've come a long ways on Kickstarter, with $1,355 pledged (34% of our goal). I remember thinking to myself during the second week that we'd never even reach $1000, but I was wrong. Thank you so much for helping us get to where we are.
However, we still have a ways to go to reach our goal and not a lot of time to do it. As of now, to reach our goal within the time limit, we will need about $165 pledged every day for the next 16 days. If we don't reach the $4,000 goal within the time limit, no one's credit cards will be billed and the project will go unfunded. Lets not let that happen! It sounds like a lot, but with 21 backers already committed to the project, I know we can do it!
Please, talk to your friends, family and neighbors. Tell them about the project and just how huge these filters will be for the schools and families that receive them. Post the link on your facebook page and send some emails. We can do this!
Here's a video which describes in more detail how the Biosand filters work. The filter in this video is not the exact model as the ones we'll be purchasing, but the principle is the same.
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on April 1, 2010
Joshua McKamie
commented on a projectHope you have a great trip! I'll be in the Volta Region with a group of college students this summer as well. We're also using Kickstarter to raise money for a clean water project we're doing. Is the school in Kpando? That's where we'll be. Maybe we'll see you there!
Joshua McKamie
Detroit, MI
I'm currently a senior in Nutrition and Food Science graduating in May from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. A couple weeks after graduating, I will be traveling to a small town in Ghana with 7 other college students to live and work at an o... view more
