FastTractor NL 1 - July 2012 - Trials, Tribulations and Triumph July 12, 2012
Yesterday I sent this newsletter out to supporters of FastTractor - please spread it further.
You are getting this news letter in appreciation of your help. (If you don't want further news please let me know - pamela.mclean@dadamac.net)
We have photos of the beautiful tractor, trailer and implements you made possible - safely arrived in Bayan Loco at last - and being admired outside the main compound of Fantsuam Foundation.
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The story
If you've been following the updates on Facebook and the website you will know how many difficulties there have been along the way and how hopes have gone up and down, since the day back in May when John heard that the long awaited, government-subsidised tractor would be available - but only if he could produce £7,200 in 21 days. More about that in Fast Tractor - you saw it here first - join us.
Thanks to the donations of over £5,000 that we'd received by June 4th - the day before the deadline - the Ministry of Agriculture granted Fantsuam Foundation (FF) an extension of one week. Although we didn't have enough, we decided to borrow and go ahead. There were various practicalities of actually getting the money from UK to Kaduna - which we managed to solve (How the funds are getting to Kaduna).
It seemed all was well, but when Mr Shinggu went for the tractor he was told he must find another £171 for insurance - and must come back in a week's time with the money. That was arranged but by then Boko Haram's bombings had reached Kaduna and there was a state wide 24 hour curfew (BBC news Nigeria's Boko Haram: Damaturu and Kaduna under curfew ) Mr Shinggu was in Kaduna ready to pay the money, but no-one was going anywhere, and this delayed everything for another couple of weeks.
The curfew gradually eased. There were also mixed messages. A phone call from the Ministry of Agriculture sent three of the FF team hurrying back to Kaduna to collect the tractor - only to be refused it by the suppliers because no-one from the Mnistry of Agricutlure turned up to authorise the handover.
At last John was able to tell us "At about 1pm Shinggu collected our FastTractor in Kaduna. Due to the curfew, the tractor had to stop for the nite in Zonkwa and arrived FF in the morning by 10am. It was a great sight at FF today."
Please continue to share the story and help us to raise the remaining money (maybe by forwarding this to friends, who could donate here)
Enjoy the photos
Thank you for your help
Pamela McLean
On behalf of John Dada, Fantsuam Foundation and the fundraisers at FastTractor
