Two projects progressing in 1 week?????

Ricatla is progressing

We went out to Ricatla to see the progress of the work being done.  Last week, the community came out to get started on finishing the community classrooms, refurbishing the existing desks, and put in the electrical, metal doors and windows.

Here are some pictures of their progress!!!

Working with Ori and ?

Steel covered in concrete

As you can see, the steel has been covered over with the concrete and a pile of bricks has accumulated  at the far side of the construction.  There were two other stacks of bricks we saw this week as well.

Here the electrical is being put in.  The school still has not let us know they have the electricity to the school yet but they are working on it.  These desks were worked on but not complete yet.  We have the money into Luxoflex.  As soon as the money appears in their account the desks will be delivered.  We expect them next week.

Auarelio's electrical

Desks are getting done.  There are still some not complete yet but they are working on it.  Good job Ricatla

I find it interesting that the electrical job was done standing on a chair propped between these two desks!   HUMMMMM!!  Welfare principles need to be taught here!!!

These good people are spending lots of time and money.  Effort has been expended to refurbish these very desks to as new as they can be before we deliver the new desks we promised.  I will bet you that none of the people who are refurbishing these desks did this little stunt!!

Chair used for a ladder????

 

This week we could see some  progress.  A company called Dallas came out to the Machava School and took the first step to the “Draw Down Test”. The draw down test is what we have needed to go forward with the development of this project.  The test will show us the capacity of the well.  We need to know how many people this well will care for.  We have a school of over 7200 students with an 8 bucket flush latrine that need water to their school and latrines.  The church provided a borehole and latrine several years ago.  For several reasons, the well and latrines have fallen in disrepair.  We have been working with them to rehabilitate the well and latrine.

This Monday, we met up with the Agua De Maputo to do what Dallas did Friday.  After meeting with FIPAG who referred us to another department, called Agua De Maputo who referred us to another department in Agua De Maputo, we finally got someone out to do the draw down test we thought!!!!

Jars in hand, ready to do some testing.  We walked out to the borehole.  When they realized there was no pump, they said they could not test the well!  How could that information get lost in the “pass the buck” process, we will never know.

However, one of the men did say he would send some contacts that could actually do the draw down test without a pump.  We called from this list and got Dallas to come Friday.  They cleaned the borehole ready for the draw down test to be done Monday.

They piped air down the borehole throwing water up and out until the water became clear.  Now the borehole is clean and ready for the draw down test.

Once we have the capacity of the well, we have the perimeter of the project development.  Graca Cossa, the new director, has been working with her school council and community chefi to clean up the morality of the school to secure that the new things brought into the school will be safe, protected and maintained.

After the new pump refurbish Graca paid for was stolen, Graca has been mobilizing the community to secure the school.  She has been collecting materials to finish the wall around the buildings.

Cute kids excited about whatever is going on!!

Water cleaning