Welcome to today's interview, ladies and gentlemen.
My guests have travelled from Kraichtal and Ansbach. We are grateful that everything has gone so well so far. Today we are going to talk about the element of water and specifically about clean, drinkable water. In many regions, getting clean drinking water from the tap is not a matter of course. And this is where ‘Institute Water for Africa’ comes in. I would like to welcome Margit Müller-Shamir, a missionary with Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe, to the interview. Hello Margit. Hello, your husband couldn't be here today. He is also a missionary with Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe. He is not here today due to illness.
I'd like to welcome Catrin Baisch, deaconess and second chair of the Institute Water for Africa. Hello Catrin. And I would like to welcome Jürgen Baisch, graduate engineer in tropical water management. Jürgen Baisch is the founder and first chairman of the Institute Water for Africa. Greetings, Jürgen. Hello.
Catrin, as a deaconess you bring ‘theological know-how’ to the ministry in Africa. You've been there since the beginning in 2005, I think it was? Yes, exactly. Did you have a strong interest in this continent before that? I would say that my interest started when I was at school, I don't know how strong it was. But I was already interested in going on a mission or working there professionally when I was at school. I actually wrote to a missionary organisation and asked them. They said, but yes, it's definitely a good idea to do an apprenticeship first. Yes, I only really came across Africa again later.
Jürgen, when did your heart start beating for Africa? If I may put it that way? Yes, I think it was around 1982/83, when I went to a YMCA information evening. They had organised a slide show about a medical aid transport to Khartoum in Sudan. They had converted Unimogs taken out of service by the THW. They then set off and were held up by customs in Alexandria for six weeks. I thought, wow, this is an adventure. It's worth living for and I want to do something like that. In 1995, I had the opportunity to travel to Africa for the first time. I visited a former university friend. Kenyana is in Kenya and since then, Africa has never let go of me.
Catrin, when was the first time you travelled to Africa and what was the reason for your trip? Yes, the reason was Jürgen. That was over 20 years ago. Jürgen was doing his internship at the time. In other words, an engineering internship. He was studying tropical water management. And yes, he had to go to Nigeria and I think he was there for three months. For three months. And then I thought, no, that's somehow too long for me. So I visited him and was there for eight weeks. And then two years later we were back in Africa together. Then we went on our honeymoon and travelled to Ethiopia.
Margit, you lived in Africa for several years, particularly in South Sudan. How is the water supply there in general? So how can you describe it? In South Sudan, there are actually some areas where people still live off river water or something like that. So there really isn't a proper supply of clean water. Or people just go to the wells, but some of them are a long way from their village. In other words, the water supply is a big problem and there is a great need for improvement because it simply affects all areas of life, yes, so it is very difficult in some cases. It's also hard labour, you could say, because the women have to fetch the water and carry the heavy loads. Yes, sometimes even pregnant women and that's really, yes, it really is a difficult situation. Children also have to help out and unfortunately some of the school hours can be cancelled because the children have to help out elsewhere in the household.
Catrin, what are your tasks at the Institute Water for Africa? The main task is everything that has to do with public relations. So I look after the website a bit, I write texts, sometimes there's research to be done, I do that or simply practical things. It wasn't so much my last year, but sometimes we have information stands, events, everything that comes up.
Jürgen, what was your professional career like? Now you can expand. Okay, after my secondary school leaving certificate, I trained as a civil engineer in the field of water management, then I studied civil engineering in water management, worked in an engineering office and did another bible school course for a year before going into development service. That didn't quite work out and then I thought, okay, now I'm going to fulfil my dream and study tropical water management. I then went out with a company, worked in research and in IT and a few years later I discovered my vocation. But I'll talk about that later and the institute has been around ever since. Welcome to today's interview, ladies and gentlemen.
My guests have travelled from Kraichtal and Ansbach. We are grateful that everything has gone so well so far. Today we will be talking about the element of water, specifically about clean, drinkable water. In many regions, getting clean drinking water from the tap is not a matter of course. And this is where ‘Institute Water for Africa’ comes in. I would like to welcome Margit Müller-Shamir, a missionary with Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe, to the interview. Hello Margit. Hello, your husband couldn't be here today. He is also a missionary with Vereinigte Deutsche Missionshilfe. He is not here today due to illness.
I'd like to welcome Catrin Baisch, deaconess and second chair of the Institute Water for Africa. Hello Catrin. And I would like to welcome Jürgen Baisch, graduate engineer in tropical water management. Jürgen Baisch is the founder and first chairman of the Institute Water for Africa. Greetings, Jürgen. Hello.
Catrin, as a deaconess you bring ‘theological know-how’ to the ministry in Africa. You've been there since the beginning in 2005, I think it was? Yes, exactly. Did you have a strong interest in this continent before that? I would say that my interest started when I was at school, I don't know how strong it was. But I was already interested in going on a mission or working there professionally when I was at school. I actually wrote to a missionary organisation and asked them. They said, but yes, it's definitely a good idea to do an apprenticeship first. Yes, I only really came across Africa again later.
Jürgen, when did your heart start beating for Africa? If I may put it that way? Yes, I think it was around 1982/83, when I went to a YMCA information evening. They had organised a slide show about a medical aid transport to Khartoum in Sudan. They had converted Unimogs taken out of service by the THW. They then set off and were held up by customs in Alexandria for six weeks. I thought, wow, this is an adventure. It's worth living for and I want to do something like that. In 1995, I had the opportunity to travel to Africa for the first time. I visited a former university friend. He's Kenyan and I've been hooked on Africa ever since.
Catrin, when was the first time you travelled to Africa and what was the reason for your trip? Yes, the reason was Jürgen. That was over 20 years ago. Jürgen was doing his internship at the time. In other words, an engineering internship. He was studying tropical water management. And yes, he had to go to Nigeria and I think he was there for three months. For three months. And then I thought, no, that's somehow too long for me. So I visited him and was there for eight weeks. And then two years later we were back in Africa together. Then we went on our honeymoon and travelled to Ethiopia.
Margit, you lived in Africa for several years, particularly in South Sudan. How is the water supply there in general? So how can you describe it? In South Sudan, there are actually some areas where people still live off river water or something like that. So there really isn't a proper supply of clean water. Or people just go to the wells, but some of them are a long way from their village. In other words, the water supply is a big problem and there is a great need for improvement because it simply affects all areas of life, yes, so it is very difficult in some cases. It's also hard labour, you could say, because the women have to fetch the water and carry the heavy loads. Yes, sometimes even pregnant women and that's really, yes, it really is a difficult situation. Children also have to help out and unfortunately some of the school hours can be cancelled because the children have to help out elsewhere in the household.
Catrin, what are your tasks at the Institute Water for Africa? The main task is everything that has to do with public relations. So I look after the website a bit, I write texts, sometimes there's research to be done, I do that or simply practical things. It wasn't so much my last year, but sometimes we have information stands, events, everything that comes up.
Jürgen, what was your professional career like? Now you can expand. Okay, after my secondary school leaving certificate, I trained as a civil engineer in the field of water management, then I studied civil engineering in water management, worked in an engineering office and did another bible school course for a year before going into development service. That didn't quite work out and then I thought, okay, now I'm going to fulfil my dream and study tropical water management. I then went out with a company, worked in research and in IT and a few years later I discovered my vocation. But I'll talk about that later and the institute has been around ever since. Yes, I'd love to, we're still talking about it.
Margit, let me come back to you. You work with your husband or have worked in a hospital, your husband is a doctor and you are a nurse. I read a figure that 1,000 children die every day because they have dirty water and 2 million Africans die. Can you perhaps explain the connection and what the danger is if a person doesn't have clean water?
Yes, there are actually very, very many connections between unclean, unsafe water for the population and the diseases that follow. We have experienced this a lot and can really testify that it is very difficult and also bad, especially for the children. If the water is clean, then diarrhoeal diseases are very common, in the worst cases things like cholera, typhoid, worm and parasitic diseases. This also includes malaria, because malaria is transmitted by an infected mosquito that breeds in stagnant water. Malaria really is one of the diseases that represents one of the biggest problems. I think the two million deaths are an annual figure, while 1,000 children die every day as a result. It is enormous how many children suffer from diarrhoea and are or become malnourished as a result. The commitment is simply to provide clean water.
That means it also directly influences your work on site as a nurse and your husband's work as a doctor if you were to work in a hospital where there is no drinking water, no clean water. How do you deal with that?
Yes, you mean if we couldn't provide drinking water, right? Yes, exactly. So for your daily work, how does it affect you if you can't properly wash your hands?
Yes, exactly. It is actually an impossible situation for a clinic or hospital. On the one hand, you have to maintain hygiene for yourself and for the patients you come into contact with. At the moment, the whole world knows how important hygiene is. On the other hand, it is very important to us to prevent diseases, which means prevention. Prevention is so important, and it's about hygiene, and hygiene involves water, so that you can wash your hands and explain to the patients how important that is.
Jürgen, you have specialized in tropical water management. Now, a question about your spiritual background. How did you come to your calling back then?
The degree in Tropical Water Management was the finishing touch to my education. It was a dream job that had captivated me after my first trip to Africa. After that, I initially did something different, studying computer science. In 2003, I faced a life crisis when my father passed away and my research job could not be extended. I had always told God that I wanted to do what He wanted, but somehow I always did my own thing. In 2004, I took it seriously. At a mission seminar in Austria, I realized my calling. After eleven months, the foundation of the organization was established.
Have you encountered any difficulties along the way, or maybe even support?
There were difficulties back then, and there still are today. A calling cannot be fulfilled alone; it can only be done with God. I received support from friends and my small group, sometimes just a few euros. It has always been a challenge that pushed me to my limits.
Kathrin, you are often on the ground, working on the projects. You must have visited various regions of Africa. Can you mention one of the best experiences during these trips and perhaps one of the hardest things you encountered in the service?
Jürgen and I lived in Uganda for a total of one and a half years. When I'm in Africa, I always feel at home there. The best thing is being with the people, eating with them, or just sharing a part of their lives. The best moments are seeing a project we completed a while ago still functioning. The hardest times are when something doesn't work, like a water supply project for a hospital in Congo where the drilling company did a poor job and the project had to be temporarily halted.
What is your current focus in your project work? Who primarily benefits from your support in Africa?
We work at the grassroots level, mainly for mission hospitals, repairing or building water supplies. Last year, we also worked on a primary school in Kenya, which received a hand pump. We do everything we are asked to do; we do not select the projects ourselves.
Margit, how many years have you been involved in missions?
I have been in missions for extended periods since 1997, in East Africa. Then I kept returning to Germany and going back to Africa again.
The impacts of the Corona crisis are felt in many areas. How has it affected the willingness of your supporters to donate?
The Corona crisis has caused our donations to drop by 70 to 80 percent. We had to cut our part-time position, which was very tough. God said to hold on, and that's why we are still here.
Margit, you will soon be traveling to Africa again. How will the collaboration with the Institute Water for Africa look?
We will complement each other well, supporting and helping each other. We want to return to a hospital where we have worked for many years. The water supply needs repair; currently, water is being brought to the patients in containers. It will be great to have contact now and to know Jürgen and Katrin with their expertise.
Jürgen, what is at the top of your wish list?
We urgently need a small, affordable office in Württemberg, greater Stuttgart area, and an apartment. That is a must. In Africa, we urgently need a new Toyota Hilux or Land Cruiser to get around. Without four-wheel drive, nothing works.
Katrin, how can people further support you and your work?
We need expertise, someone for social media, and someone knowledgeable about project applications. Practical help or engineers would also be very useful.
According to United Nations estimates, by 2050, 5 billion people worldwide could be affected by water shortages. Can anything be done about it?
We can save water, sprinkle lawns less, and equip gardens with drought-resistant plants. In Africa, cut down less and reforest more, because every tree retains water. Our motto is, everyone should serve others with the talent that God has given them.
Kathrin, what does this saying mean to you and how does it reflect in your motto?
Our talent is water. We speak fluent water and carry out the water projects with the highest quality. We use high-quality materials to improve people's quality of life. In our team, everyone complements each other with their talents.
What technologies and methods do you use in your work?
We use appropriate technologies. For water purification, we train people on how to produce sodium hypochlorite or use moringa trees. For water pumping, we prefer solar pumps, but sometimes we use diesel generators. We minimize the impact on the water table by drilling deep and avoid negative effects on springs and agriculture.
Katrin, do you see your service as a drop in the bucket or as a never-ending source of living drinking water?
Our service significantly changes people's lives. We have found that God makes it more than just solving the water problem. It becomes a source of living water, showing people that God cares for them.
Jürgen, how is water transported from South Asia to East Africa?
By the winds. In South Asia, a lot of rice is grown, which generates high evaporation. This moisture is carried by the northeast trade winds to East Africa and rains down there. Intensive agriculture in South Asia can affect the water balance in East Africa.
What are the areas of work at the Institute Water for Africa?
Our main area is water supply. We renovate latrines and improve hygiene. WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) seminars complement our offer. We explain the water cycle, clean water, and hygiene.
Margit, what are the challenges before you return to Africa?
We need to visit doctors and get booster vaccinations. We seek fellowship with friends and congregations, as we don't want to be alone. We need prayer and support. Visas for Uganda and South Sudan need to be applied for.
What motivates you as a couple in your joint service?
The word of God and the desire to do what God wants us to do. We are grateful to stand on the same foundation of faith and rely on God.
What motivates me is simply bringing water to the people and thus sharing God's love. Water is so essential for the people there. Yes, we both are, I think, unconventional enough to sometimes do without security or, yes, to cope with less comfort. That doesn't matter much to us now. But it is important that we can do what matters to us and, yes, that we can simply pass on this love in practical form.
From my point of view, it is important to do God's will, which I have understood over the years, to bring it in liquid form and also the word of God. Last year or the year before, we decided to hold an evangelism event at the end of a project if possible, at least a dedication service, a prayer for the people if needed, in that style.
Where can you find more information about your work at the Institute Water for Africa? We are online. We have our own website, waterforafrica.de, with Africa spelled with a C. There is information about everything, and if there is no information, you can at least find email addresses and phone numbers to contact us directly. We are usually better reached by email because, as I said, we are sometimes traveling in Africa. We are happy when someone contacts us and shows interest in participating. We want to grow and we need manpower.
Yes, at this point, I would like to thank you very much for the interview, for coming, and wish you God's rich blessing on your further journey and in your service. Thank you. - Thank you.
