Across the Pungue to Vinho

We spent a great day visiting the community located just across the Pungue River from Chitengo CampMany of the local staff working in Chitengo live in Vinho, and the restoration project is actively engaged in helping this community develop its capacity to provide community services and, ultimately, develop businesses to serve both the community and tourists.
The Pungue River is a short walk from Chitengo, a a kilometer or two down a sandy road. To cross the river, one has to wade initially to reach the part of the river that is deep enough to accommodate the mokoros or canoes that take you to the far side of the river. Even the deepest part of the river at this dry time of year is only about a meter, so the canoe is a bit of a formality, or creature comfort. Three or four adults can fit in the canoe, but be warned that too much stuff that raises the center of gravity of the boat can result in a capsize event! (We were spared such indignity).
The town itself is sprawling, with little centralized "town" area, although this is changing. Most of the houses are traditional stick-stone-mud huts thatched with grass or sometimes scraps of salvaged plastic. Huts are spread out in part to accommodate the small farming plots of mostly corn grown as the staple food.
Our first stop in Vinho was at one of the houses of the village "chief" (he has several houses, as he has several wives, a common practice in this area), where the women and children were gathered to process their corn crop. Carole and Lea took a turn trying out the grinding process in a huge wooden mortar and pestle type contraption. These women work hard! After only a couple of pounds, Carole and Lea had had enough, much to the delight of the local women.