Burmese Times #2

Mandalay

The beauty of the three-syllable name alone conjures up swaying palm trees, exotic scents in the tropical evening breeze and a Shangri-la sense of peace and tranquility. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Mandalay is a modern, business-minded city, laid out on a strict grid pattern that is usually dusty and insufferably hot and noisy. As they asked George Best, during his decline from youthful soccer hero to drunkard and buffoon, “where did it all go wrong?” The blame lies largely at the feet of Rudyard Kipling, poet laureate of the British Empire, who composed “The Road to Mandalay”, while spending time in Mawlamyine, a languid port in the south of the country. He never actually visited Mandalay, but that didn’t deter him from placing it on a bay, with a British soldier  waxing sentimental about his Burmese girlfriend and the tinkling temple bells. This poem, later put to music, became a very popular song with the British troops in WW2 and indeed, my father used to sing it with gusto. Perhaps in a case of life imitating art, British troops did indeed take the “Road to Mandalay”, when they returned from India to retake the city from the Japanese in 1945, after some fierce fighting. Bizzarly, the British forces included Idi Amin and President Obama’s grandfather!

One of Mandalay' common sights, soon to disappear, in the drive towards modernity - it's the Mazda 1960s mini pick-up. Also known to Jim and I as the "Clown Car"

Mandalay had enjoyed a brief period as the capital of Burma, just before the annexation of Upper Burma by British forces in 1885. Several previous, much more ancient capitals , such as Sagaing and Amarapura are located nearby, but they are now dusty backwaters, eclipsed by Mandalay’s rise as the new commercial center of Upper Burma. Commercial ‘epi-center’ might be more apt as Mandalay is the prime destination for much of the Chinese investment in Burma and distribution center for products from China. From only 5% of the population 10 years ago, Chinese residents of Mandalay are now estimated at 20%. Large multi-story hotel blocks are springing up everywhere, new car showrooms proliferate, all financed by Chinese dollars and even Chinese schools are opening for business. Many Burmese are beginning to feel resentment over the power and domination of their neighbor to the North. To adapt the old Mexican adage, “Poor Burma! So far from God, so close to China!”

An all-action shot of our languid class in Mandalay!

I had arranged a stove training through a Muslim school which prepares students to attend universities in Singapore and Malaysia, for which there is a great demand. Interestingly, although there are many universities in Burma, graduates tell me that they learned almost nothing during their years there. The classes are designed so students will pass the final exam, but not so they will be able to practice their trade as electrical engineers or lawyers. A bizarre system of cronyism that gives one pause for thought when crossing that new suspension bridge or contemplating a visit to the dentist!

During happier days, as we prepare the bricks for assembly into stoves.

My course took place in a workshop that trains young people how to weld stainless steel furniture, (a popular item in Burma), and the trainees were obliged to be in my class. Unfortunately, they were little interested in stoves for poor villagers and they were usually dragged away to weld yet more shelves and clothes racks. At first disappointed, (to say the least), I later regained my composure and used my free time to explore other Rocket stove designs which address some of the complaints I had heard from new users. The main complaint is that one has to carefully manage the small sticks in a Rocket to maintain a lively fire and people resent the time and effort this requires. In the literature I rediscovered the Down-feed/Downdraft design and I had the workshop weld me up a prototype. I was completely blown away by how well this new design worked. It solved many of the problems associated with the classic Side-feed model. It was a Damascus Road moment for me and the whole Acme Stove Works enterprise. I decided there and then to concentrate on the Downfeed. We will see if I can solve some of the design problems that have led other stovers to eschew the Down-feed in favor of the Side-feed. Stay tuned.

Right to Left - Side Feed, Angle Feed and Down Feed. Which one do you like?

The Delta

My next project was to give a 4-day solar training in Yangon, with my friend Kezar and his group, Alin Ein. Most of the participants were from the Delta of the Irrawaddy River, which was devastated during Cyclone Nargis in 2008.   They had traveled all day to be there and their expectations were high. I gave them the full ‘Introduction to PV’ course and most of them were able to understand a great deal. Introducing people to accurate conceptions of Voltage, Current, Power and Energy is always difficult, as the terms are often confused and used interchangeably. 

A knick-knack seller on the Yangon River ferry, called "Jennifer". I finally broke down and bought some chewing gum as she was so engaging, and persistent! I'll bet she has a Facebook page.

The high point of the training came when we made a visit to the Delta area and it was quite a trip to get there. First we took a ferry across the Yangon River, then a very bumpy two hour taxi ride to Pyapon, then a two hour journey by long-tail river boat. What a different world this was!  In contrast to many parts of Burma, which are dry and dusty, the Delta is lush and verdant. It is more water than land, but the land is very rich and productive. It indeed, the ‘rice bowl’ of Burma. 

We power upstream into a verdant watery world.

The primary reason for making the journey was to install a solar battery charging station, which was a new joint pilot-project between Alin Ein and Solar Roots. Alin Ein has been helping people in the Delta recover from the devastation wrought by Nargis in 2008. Over 140,000 people were killed outright by the cyclone and the entire infrastructure and economy of the region was decimated. The government contributed little to the relief effort and actually delayed aid offered by foreign governments and NGOs. Most of the initial relief was provided by the Burmese people themselves and the nascent civil society organizations. It’s been a long slow climb back to where they were before the disaster. 

The tough face of a man who has overcome much adversity, including surviving Cyclone Nargis. He is reflected in the glass of our solar panel.

The solar system consisted of 24 small batteries and 24 ultra-efficient LED lights, a 30W solar panel and 4 charge controllers. We conceive of it as a ‘candle replacement’ program, where instead of spending 100 Kyat (12 cents) per day on candles, the homeowner will pay 100 Kyat per week to have their  battery charged at the solar station . Thus 24 homes will have safe, more environmentally friendly light, and the funds generated will go on to jump-start other community projects. The latest news is that the lights are very much appreciated, the batteries are being brought in for charging on time and Alin Ein wants to roll out several more systems next year. As those of you who know me well are aware, I am a great Mississippi Delta blues fan, and I’ll return to follow the backwaters of the Ayerwaddy, because, as the song goes, “my heart is in the Delta”!

Kehzer, the little guy in the center, proudly showing off our charging system.