School framing begins

Today was a day of completing one stage, and beginning a new.  After a little over two weeks of labor, the schools bathroom pit has been dug, and internally framed, the schools perimeter fence was completed (except for a small section surrounding the bathroom), and we have begun the primary framing of the school. 

With an hour left of the day, the bathroom work was finished for the time being, and Tamesgin and I lead a group of 8 workers through the initial steps of creating a level roof line.  We cut, hoisted and positioned the first tiers four corner studs.  With the aid of our (should be patented ) 4 person ladders level was found at exactly 4 meters, and posts were anchored for the projects first cement pour.  Workers and community alike were stunned to see Tamesgin and I standing comfortably 15 feet in the air, though everyone shared their excitement for the beginning of the schools primary framing being placed in the ground.   

The bathroom pit, was… well a lot of digging: imagine a circle with a diameter of 9 feet that goes another 18 feet in the ground.  The pit’s framing was a relatively quick, a single day of work, though a muddy one.  It rained the last three nights, leading to some slippery and dirty work.  Ill speak at length on how and why we build our bathrooms the way we do in another blog (not exactly puppies and kiddies but important none the less).

The fence was a pretty big undertaking. Over 500 feet of fence line, 6 and a half feet high, and held together by hammer driven nails… thousands of them.  It looks great, unlike my hands, that were finally broken in with a 10,000 or so swings.  Bout time I got the leather back on these mitts :-).  

The following provides a few photos from late in the day.  Its tough being the photographer  when your responsible for most everything else.  I think I am going to hand over my old point and shoot to Ejigu tomorrow and see what he comes up with.  

Temesgin securing Azedebo KG's first timber.

Sallamnesh leading a large portion of the work crew in gathering stones for cement filler for tomorrows post pours.

Check out that fence.  Ill breakdown what it all is in a following post.

Behold, the perimeter of the KG's 2 of a total of four large classrooms