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[french][en]
The desalination plant that was talked about last week is indeed too much for a C-130. That's not entirely because of size/weight of the plant but also because the C-130 cannot refuel in Funafuti. So it has to carry enough fuel for a round trip. Why is the plane unable to refuel? Well, it's because
the fuel tanker has broken down!

Anyway, the plant will fit in THREE C-130's. It's New Zealand military equipment, 1960's vintage, but of course well maintained over the years. Its capacity is about 50 kilolitres/day, five times our present plant's capacity. A Royal Australian Air Force C-17 ('Starlifter') flew from Canberra to Auckland yesterday and carried the plant from Auckland to Apia(one trip). A C-17 can't land at Funafuti. Today the RNZAF C-130 arrived with part of the plant. It will come again on Monday and Tuesday with the remainder. Tuvalu has vetoed a flight tomorrow because it's Sunday Church services.

There are technicians here already assembling the plant and it's quite conceivable they'll have it running this week.

Additionally, each island will be receiving its own (permanent) desalination plant. Apparently Britain, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan have agreed to jointly fund the eight units at a cost of about $120,000 each plus $50,000 for spares and consumables. Those plants won't be here for a month or so - presumably by sea.

Anyway, we're into the last 15 minutes of the France/England rugby match (France well in the lead and almost sure to win now) so I'll say goodnight.

08 / 10 / 11 - 16 : 43

Alofa Tuvalu recommande:

L'exposition "Maori, leurs trésors ont une âme" au Musée du Quai Branly à Paris, du 4 octobre 2011 au 22 janvier 2012 conçue et réalisée par Te Papa Tongarewa, le musée de Nouvelle-Zélande.
L'exposition a été installée en une quinzaine de jours sous la direction de la conservatrice de Te Papa, Nirmala Balram et son équipe, qui nous ont fait l'amitié d'une visite à leur arrivée à Paris.



06 / 10 / 11 - 00 : 10

[french][en]
Hi Gilliane, We’ve just had rain – heavy rain! It started at 0400 and finished at 0407! The heavens are just teasing us again.

Chris (Horner) was right – the desalinator CAN fit in a C-130, and HAS fitted in a C-130, and has ARRIVED Funafuti. It has been sent by the Red Cross. Evidently the one that is coming by sea is for longterm use, and I imagine it is coming by sea because of cost of freight rather than size of components. I assume the Red Cross plant will go back to NZ once the bigger plant arrives (or sooner, if it rains).

It’s always impressive to see the Kiwis bring in their C-130’s – by far the biggest aircraft I’ve ever seen here, and I think nothing bigger could land. C-130’s can only do so because they have those huge wheels, and lots of them, to spread the impact on landing.

The wingtips extend well either side of the runway of course. It was interesting how they unloaded. They lowered the ramp, pushed out a big pallet, moved the aircraft forward a few metres, pushed out another pallet, same with a third, and it was all over in five minutes.

I’ve hear the “Manu Folau” picked up the desalinator recently from Motufoua High School at Vaitupu and took it to Nukulaelae, which was in worse state even than Funafuti. It was OK to take if from Vaitupu because they still have ground water there so can use wells.

OK, the aircraft is still on the runway with all four engines roaring, so I’ll go back to the airport and watch today’s entertainment. I wish I had a camera. I will get some photos from others to send you all.

Best regards, John

03 / 10 / 11 - 14 : 13

[french][en]
Hi Gilliane (and all),

The water shortage is getting worse. There has still be no significant rain in months and our Met Bureau is predicting no rain until December. That will really cause problems. The desalination plant can't satisfy demand. Every economy measure is now being taken.

The Government has set up 10 kilolitre tanks (standard size made here) at various places around the island and is distributing two buckets of water per day per household, under supervision. People are managing well enough but it certainly is uncomfortable.

I am just using minimum water to shower (about a cupful really) which necessitates not using any soap. I'm not washing any clothes. My office/residence has a bigger tank capacity than almost any other house because my company bought additional tanks over the years. I’m just being frugal because it seems the proper behaviour at the moment, and also because of the good influence of you and your conservation-minded friends of Alofa Tuvalu. If the drought doesn't break soon I'll pull out and work from my office at home in Australia. That will leave more water in my tanks for Eti and the neighbours.

The hotel is closed except for houseguests. I think Filamona is the same. The Chinese Restaurant is sometimes open, depending on whether they have any water.

I’ve noticed that the breadfruit trees look really stressed. Their big leaves, usually glossy green and ‘bouncy’, are hanging somewhat limp. The palm trees don’t seem bothered but perhaps they won’t be as productive of nuts and toddy as time goes by without rain.

We sometimes get dark clouds passing over but they never have rain in them. Oh, come to think of it, we did have rain last night. Very good rain too, all two minutes of it. I think it just came to tease us.

Tataua told me that New Zealand has offered to send a big desalination plant. Apparently the components are too big to fit in a C-130 ('Hercules') aircraft so they will have to come by sea. Obviously that won't be a quick fix.

Supplementing the existing shore-based desalination plant with one of bigger capacity sounds like the best option for the time being. In the longer term increasing the island’s storage will be the best way to drought proof. The capacity has been very much increased in recent years, as you know, because every house was issued a 10 kilolitre tank. I hear the Government is hoping to give everyone a second such tank. As we’ve discussed before, the problem here is not the lack of rainfall (on average) but lack of storage capacity. Funafuti’s rainfall is much more than at my home in Australia, where my family also depends on rainwater. There’s plenty of space there for big tanks, which is not the case here in Funafuti. Of course there are places that big tanks could be built here but a tank by itself is no help, they have to be connected to roofs for catchment. So the only practicable place for tanks is alongside houses, where the space is very restricted nowadays.

Better would be for New Zealand to send HMNZS Canterbury, the big supply ship that was here during the military exercise. It could sit alongside the main wharf generating freshwater (desalinating it) faster than it could be distributed I should think. The ship could bring some road tankers for distribution but again the problem would be finding places to store the water.

(Yesterday) we had the annual parade for National Day. It was very well attended by dignitaries but there were few regular citizens look on, as far as I could see. The police, seafarers and children marched very smartly, as always. It was a nice ceremony. For me, the 14th one (though I wasn't on-island for some).

There's a big summit meeting here to consider what can be done about climate change. I think you know about that meeting. Island leaders from outer islands are here for that, as are Tine and Afele Pita and many others. One doesn’t normally see all these ambassadors back in Tuvalu at same time. The summit is being taken very seriously.

So that’s how it is in Funafuti at the moment. Looking out of my office window, watching the palm trees swaying to the trade winds, and the gentle ripples of turquoise blue water lapping on the sand of my ‘office beach’, there really doesn’t seem too much wrong with the World. Last evening I was standing on my beach observing the brilliant array of stars above my head and pondering the unfathomable mysteries of the Universe. It was an idyllic moment, which, unfortunately, I had to break because one of the mysteries was how my Crown Lager was nearing empty, like the water tanks.

John

02 / 10 / 11 - 17 : 14

[french][en]
"State of Public Emergency Declared for Tuvalu today due to water shortage.", Tataua (RedCross) says.

The country is experiencing one of the most severe drought in its history. On September 18th, our friend John Hensford, a Funafuti resident, was writing : “It has been several months since there was good rainfall in Tuvalu. The situation is certainly very different to normal…. It’s been ten years since there was such a prolonged dry period”. On the capital atoll Funafuti, “the hotel limits its services to overseas guests and doesn’t cater for any functions because of the water shortage. Filamona Lodge and Chinese restaurant were also closed because of having no water.

The situation is worrisome in the outer islands as well and inter islands boats schedules are delayed. Teu, our biogas coordinator in Nanumea, the northern islands of the archipelago, was writing on August 29 : ”I am still on Funafuti. We were supposed to go last week on Tuesday but was delayed due to no water on Funafuti for the boat. Even the desalination machine could not cater for the boat and the people on Funafuti. It was reported that about more than 100 families await for water from govt. Where we lived we have to walk to another home to have shower. Then strong wind warning was on as well for last week. So we are not sure when the boat scheduled for the northern islands.

Back from a survey on Nukulaelae, the Tuvalu Red Cross issued an information bulletin (GLIDE n° DR-2011-000146-TUV) on September 27th by which the organization explain that "since early this year, all islands in the group have been suffering from lack of water due to the La Nina effect, which has impacted the islands’ agriculture and daily water consumption… The island is very low on fresh drinking water and has requested the government for assistance.. Population is being rationed with 40 litres per family per day… The island nurse on, 21 September, reported that four children and three adults are suffering from diarrhea and vomiting…. Tuvalu government has three desalination plants. One is in use in Funafuti, one in Nanumaga (an island in the north) and one in Motufoua High School in Vaitupu. The usage of the two desalination plants in Funafuti and Nanumaga are already overstretched due to existing water shortage. It is planned that if a desalination plant is needed in Nukulaelae, the desalination unit at the school will be mobilized to Nukulaelae.

The Meteorological Service forecasts rain for next month. Everyone cross fingers.

28 / 09 / 11 - 16 : 05



16 / 09 / 11 - 17 : 15

La première chronique de Bridget Kyoto sur facebook
Merci d'en abuser !
et merci Laure (Noualhat) pour ce petit délice !



Pour faire durer le plaisir : Bridget est aussi sur You Tube

26 / 08 / 11 - 17 : 40

[french][en]
Wednesday July 20th, Tuvalu Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Environment, Tourism and Labour, Apisai Ieremia, informed us: “Some bad news. One of our Minister, Hon Isaia Taeia, the Minister for Natural Resources, died here in Apia yesterday”.

The delegation was taking part in Rio+20 international meetings in Apia (Samoa)
After a special funeral service was held in Samoa, the delegation organized to fly back to Tuvalu with the coffin. The body arrived in Nui, Hon Isaia Taeia island of birth, where funerals were held.

By elections will be organized for Nui citizens to elect their new member of Parliament.

Our thoughts go to his family and friends.

Alofa Tuvalu

28 / 07 / 11 - 17 : 28







20 / 07 / 11 - 18 : 00



Notre copine Line, membre d'Alofa, organise avec son association “A travers le Paysage” :

LES COMPTOIRS ARLESIENS DE LA JEUNE PHOTOGRAPHIE


Dates : du 02/07/2011 au 02/10/2011
Lieu: COMPTOIRS ARLESIENS
2 rue Jouvène place Honoré Clair 13200 Arles

TIRAGES ORIGINAUX ET PROJECTION :

7 jeunes femmes photographes, Audrey Armand, Marie Maurel de Maillé, Julie Pradier, Emilie Reynaud, Marie Sommer, Stéphanie Tétu, Emilie Vialet, en compagnie de Sabine Delcour et de Sophie Zénon dans un nouveau projet coopératif parrainé par Jane-Evelyn Atwood, John Davies, Michael Kenna, Bernard Plossu
Directrice artistique : Line Lavesque

Entrée libre
2 - 30 juillet : tous les jours 10h à 18h30
1er août - 2 octobre
Mercredi au samedi de 14h à 18h30
Et sur rendez-vous http://www.atraverslepaysage.com

Depuis 20 ans, À Travers le Paysage, met en relation des photographes, jeunes et confirmés, avec des institutions, des commanditaires, des mécènes. Aujourd’hui, l’association explore une nouvelle aventure : les Comptoirs arlésiens de la jeune photographie, une cooperative de jeunes auteurs ouverte aux amateurs d’images. Plus d'infos

23 / 06 / 11 - 15 : 22

An Alofa Tuvalu exhibit in the context of the hill back yard sale.

Sympathique notre journée sur la Butte avec ce stand atypique mi-docs (BD, ADEME, RAC etc) / mi-grenier. Notre première participation à ce vide-grenier de la colline, initié et organisé par l’association de la Butte Bergeyre, une de nos associations amies et adherents.



Un aperçu en (deux) images, pas exhaustif loin de là, nous avons un peu omis de “clicheter”, il n’y a donc pas de photos de nos visiteurs :

- une sympathique centaine d'inconnus qui, tous ou presque, faisaient leur part de gestes quotidiens, accompagnés de leurs gamins dont les "merci" ou "non mercis" nous ont estomaqués : on pensait avoir été (ou pour certaines, avoir pondu) les derniers gamins polis de la planète.., ça rassure ;
- Linda s'est émue de bottines vues aux pieds de Gilliane avec l'impression de voir son passé posé sur un vieux drap, et son ami Vincent dont c'était accessoirement l'anniversaire;
- Samy pour une visite presque surprise à "maman";
- Autre surprise : la coordinatrice d’une table-ronde sur les migrations à l’Auditorium de la Porte dorée où j’étais intervenue en mars dernier. Elle a surtout reconnu Gilliane: son ancienne voisine !
- Laurent l’électronicien qui nous a donné toutes les raisons de refuser la proposition d’Orange d’installer une antenne sur la terrasse et qui nous a parlé d’une idée tellement bonne qu'on va lui laisser le temps de breveter avant d’en dire plus ; il a aussi repoussé sa lessive dominicale pour nous aider à plier, un coeur comme toujours ;

Pas de cliché non plus des adhérents-voisins-amis qui "standaient" ça et là autour :

- Yves l'architecte qui a évoqué l’Abbaye de la Pierre qui Vire qui fonctionne au biogaz de paille depuis les années 60 - EDIF et son 156 d’Aubervillier durable et exemplaire peut donc aller de rhabiller.. de coton bio ;
- Passé aussi notre voisin de maison-bureau avec qui Gilliane essaie de percer le mystère du salopard qui toutes les nuits massacre sa femme à la tronçonneuse ou bien sculpte..
- Elisabeth not' graphiste ouvrait grand la bouche au milieu de ses collègues de la chorale Voixci-Voixla,
- Elisabeth n°2 et son Marco de mari de l’association des Habitants de la Butte, en plus d’avoir exhonéré Alofa de l’emplacement, avaient eu la gentillesse de prêter une table. Table à encoller à la stabilité ambivalente pour nos centaines de documents, compte-tenu des coups de genoux malencontreux que je lui mettais dans la structure, obligeant Gilliane à faire tout d’une main, de l’autre elle évitait à nos effets de se répandre dans le caniveau ;
Caniveau dans lequel je me suis en revanche étalée, mais là non plus y a pas de clichés, juste un témoin qui a juré de garder le silence ☺

Bref, chaleureux et sympathique, on s'est juste un peu caillées :)



10 / 06 / 11 - 10 : 47



09 / 06 / 11 - 18 : 00

[french][en]



08 / 06 / 11 - 18 : 00




06 / 06 / 11 - 18 : 00



04 / 06 / 11 - 18 : 00

8 avril 2011 - Gilliane Le Gallic, Présidente d'Alofa Tuvalu et Ambassadrice de Tuvalu pour l'Environnement participait à la table-ronde "Bye Bye Culture" dans le cadre du colloque "Le changement climatique un défi pour le patrimoine mondial" à l'initiative de l'Université de Versailles St Quentin, au Palais de la Découverte à Paris.



03 / 06 / 11 - 12 : 28

Au hasard d'une recherche, nous avons découvert ce sujet tourné au printemps 2010 à Tuvalu par une équipe de TV Globo : "Gilliane é uma francesa engajada em salvar Tuvalu"




12 / 05 / 11 - 14 : 25

[french][en]





29 / 04 / 11 - 16 : 55

Avec l'aimable autorisation de Sophie, nous publions le message qu'elle nous a adressé, suite à l'intervention de Laurent qui représentait Alofa au Festival Cinéma Ecologie à Vanves, le 26 mars 2011. Merci à elle et merci à lui

Bonjour,

.. Nous avons été très touchés qu'il (Laurent) nous fasse la gentillesse de revenir parler devant notre public. Nous savons que cette séance a été un peu difficile car le film ne s'adresse pas vraiment à des enfants(*). Laurent a su relever le défi!
Cette année encore, le festival est pour nous la confirmation que nos préoccupations sont réelles et partagées. Il nous montre aussi l'ampleur, la diversité et la complexité des problématiques. Il reste tant à dire et surtout tant à faire... nous avons tout de même eu le sentiment que pour Tuvalu, malheureusement, les dés semblent jetés. Ce film est un peu difficile en ce sens et nous a beaucoup touché.
Nous vous remercions de nous avoir aidé dans notre effort pour éveiller les consciences et rassembler les forces autour de projets qui animent nos associations. Nous espérons avoir d'autres occasions de vous rencontrer. Nous vous souhaitons tout le courage nécessaire à votre combat.
Si vous avez des nouvelles des Tuvaluins à nous transmettre, nous serions ravis de les partager avec nos lecteurs du blog de la ruche

A bientôt,
Sophie (pour la Ruche et l'AMAP)
* "Nuages au Paradis" est accessible à partir du CM2.

26 / 04 / 11 - 11 : 40

Alofa Tuvalu soutient le projet « Au fil des Miles »

Claire et Gaetan sont partis depuis le mois de septembre 2010 pour un voyage en voilier "Au Fil des Miles", 3 ans dans les 3 océans pour sensibiliser petits et grands aux impacts des changements climatiques. A bord, quelques centaines de bandes dessinées "A l'eau, la Terre".

Bonne chance à eux ! .. et bon voyage à Hugo et Mamaua !

12 / 04 / 11 - 12 : 44


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