Week 4

We experienced the first slow down in work on Saturday due to a lack of small stones. However, many people worked on Sunday to make up the time and we are back on schedule. They even brought in more materials on Sunday so as to not hold things up during this week.

At the beginning of Week 4, the subfloor and roof beams are now complete. The task for this week is to put the final layer of bricks above the beams, add the timber frame for the roof and begin to attach the actual roofing (iron sheets).

Some decisions needed to be made to keep the project on schedule and within budget. These decisions basically involved eliminating the non-essentials and cosmetics to the work. Everything that will be bypassed now can easily be done in the future, if desired. However, we are going to add electrical conduits even though the village currently has no electricity (power poles are as close as 6 miles away). Many features of this house are future-oriented, which is part of the excitement and intrigue. It will be ready for move-in on schedule.

A meeting will be held sometime in the next 2 weeks with the District Executive Director. He is in charge of everything in this District and reports to the President. I called for the meeting and we will discuss the many needs of Kisangaji: the need for access to clean water (people drink river water without boiling it), the school and medical situations, and obtaining electricity, among whatever other messages the Village Committee wants me to convey.

We have had an excellent bunch of hard workers on the job. Between them, all the donations and bartering, this is truly a site and experience to behold.