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The Gihara, Rwanda School Project blog 2010 |
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Signing Purchase Agreements |
May 10, 2009
The Purchase Mark Maynard and Phillip Haynes from the How Far Foundation arrive in Kigali, Rwanda to complete the purchase of six acres of land for a new school. Mark and Phillip have been raising money for over a year with the help of encouraging supporters throughout the US. We arrive in the small village of Gihara to meet local leaders to complete the transaction. It was an all day collaborative exercise. A representative from the local government hand wrote purchase contracts for 14 different land owners. The culmination of all 14 parcels make up six acres. We will use the six acres to build a school and church. The structures will also serve as a community center and health clinic and the land will be used for farming. |
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Viewing the Land After the purchase was completed, the local leaders, Mark and Phillip walk to see the land. The landscape is breathtaking. The site is filled with lush vegetation of banana, other fruit trees, sugar cane, potatoes, and bushes. We also meet with the area Chief to celebrate the beginning of a new future. Although we did not speak the same language, the facial expressions from the Chief told us he was very pleased. The next day we marked the day with an outdoor service thanking God for the first steps on a long road. |
Pastor Augustine, Mark, and Phillip view the land |
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Site Plan for the school location |
July 21st, 2009 Developing a Plan Over the next two months, we raise more money and put together a project plan to build the first phase. The first phase is the construction of four large classrooms for the school. Phillip developed the project plan, floor plan, budget, and payment schedule. We basically have eight months to complete the school. We are relying heavily on local leaders to manage the project and distribute funds. Pastor Augustine is the Site Manager responsible for hiring the contractors, purchasing supplies, and making sure the monies are spent wisely. |
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September 14th, 2009 Brick Makers It was our aim to provide the community with more than just a school and church, but also provide a trade. We decide to purchase brick makers in which the Batwa people can participate in the construction of their school and learn a skill that will benefit everyone. We hope to encourage the Batwa people to develop a small industry of brick makers that will in turn promote community development and housing. We purchased two brick makers from South Africa. One brick maker is for large block rectangles that will form the walls. The other brick maker creates smaller bricks for walkways and pavement. |
Two brick makers imported from South Africa |
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Clearing the land for the foundation |
October 12th, 2009 Ground Breaking We finally break ground and begin site preparation for the school. With the help from the Batwa people, they clear the land of all trees, bushes, and vegetation. We purchased shovels and hoes for the Batwa to prepare the site. This occasion is exciting as it marks the beginning of a new future. Generations of people will have access to education, jobs, farm land and overall improved lives. The construction of this school is a community project. Many locals come out to help and support the start of their new school. |
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January 11th, 2010 - Project Delay Foundation We have been in a holding process for the last two months trying to get government approval to begin the building phase. There is a lot of red tape as the local site manager meets public officials to sign the appropriate building documents to expedite the process. We finally get approval and immediate begin building the foundation. The foundation should span 25 by 100 feet. There are a host of local volunteers that help prepare the site and form foundation perimeter. There are also many who haul water, sand, cement, and stones. |
Building a solid foundation |
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Wall Completion |
February 9th, 2010 Walls Go Up! It has been a challenging month. We were not able to produce the number of bricks per day from the brick makers, which caused delays in building the walls. The builders had to find the correct ratio of cement to sand. The bricks kept breaking until a different type of cement was used in conjunction with a lower ration of sand mixed in. A total of 20 local builders and 8 potters were used to construct the walls. The excitement and anxiety grows daily. We still need a cost effective solution for the beams and roof. |
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March 3rd, 2010 Beams Installed! The rainy season has begun and local builders are trying to complete the beams that support the roof as soon as possible. The beams form the upper portion of the walls and serve to stabilize the roof and brace the windows and doors. The rain is causing some delays, but the workers have been diligently working to get it completed. We decreased the number of builders and helpers to five instead of 28 to meet the budget restrictions. The prices for raw material is expensive and we keep trying to find the best prices available. The next major hurdle is the completion of the roof and negotiating better prices. We need William Shatner! |
Beams Installed |
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Roof Completed |
April 10th, 2010 Roof Done! Over the last month, Augustine has been working very hard managing the completion of the roof. He has negotiated better prices for raw material and managed the workers to frame the roof, treat wood against insects, and apply iron sheets. He has also managed to fill in the gaps for the roof by making and installing more bricks. We have only two more months to complete the school. In the next phase we will attempt to purchase windows and doors and install them. We will also apply a coat of plaster on the interior and exterior of the building. We need you help to complete the building by donating at www.howfar.org. Thanks to all those who have contributed to the completion of the roof. |
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June 8th, 2010 Windows and Doors! The windows and doors have been custom made and installed. The work to build took much longer than expected, but we are pleased with the end results. Due to the delays in the project, we postponed the grand opening for sometime in September. The remaining items to complete are the bathrooms and laying cement for the floors. These components are the last phases to finish and we anticipate in September that all the work will be completed. Although we are down to the wire, its going to take a small miracle to getter done! Mark Maynard visited the school on June 14th and preached to over 300 inside the new school. He was very pleased with the progress and current use of the facility. |
Mark's Visit & Celebration |
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August 11th, 2010 Interior and Exterior Plastering The government asked use to plaster the interior and exterior of the building. We anticipated that the building would be completed by now, but changes in building requirements has caused delays. We now hope to complete all the plastering and concrete floors by end of September. We also pushed the school opening back to January to coincide with the new school year. Although it is only August, we still have a lot of planning and preparation for the first day of school. |
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November 23rd, 2010 Bathrooms & Veranda Time keeps on slipping. We are making progress, but we are under pressure to complete the remaining task before December. The bathroom and veranda should be completed this week. The outstanding task include building the desk, ordering uniforms, and purchasing school books and supplies. With the help of Fred Buyinza from the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT), we have hired a headmaster, four teachers, and a treasurer. We have also started enrolling students. We anticipate roughly 200 students. |
Veranda & Bathrooms Partially Completed |
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Desk and Chairs |
November 29th 2010 Furniture The desk and chairs have taken considerable time to build. Initially we searched everywhere trying to find a manufacturer to make the furniture. Fortunately Augustine found a local wood smith that agreed to build over 220 chairs and 70 desk for a good price. We hope to see all the furniture completed really soon. In addition, the blackboards have been installed in each classroom. |
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December 3rd, 2010 Bathrooms The bathrooms have taken too long to build. Some of the difficulties had to do with digging a 45 feet deep hole in the ground. The bathroom will accommodate up to 10 people at a time. The last phase for the bathrooms will be to plaster the exterior and interior and install all 10 doors. In addition to the bathrooms nearing completion, the books for the children have been purchased. The glass for all the windows throughout the building have been purchased as well. |
Bathrooms Almost Ready |
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Donation |
December 22th, 2010 SAIC & Lakeland Donation Employees from SAIC and Lakeland Utilities made a donation to the How Far Foundation (www.howfarfoundation.com) for the uniforms. We ordered 400 uniforms. Each child will receive two embroidered shirts, two embroidered ties, and two pair of shorts/skirts. |
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December 27th, 2010 Uniforms I reached out to local NGOs and schools to find uniforms for the school, but none were able to help. I finally contacted a uniform manufacturer in China that gave us an great deal. Apparently, it is cheaper to order custom uniforms from china to ship to Rwanda by way of US, than it is to get them direct from anywhere in Rwanda and Kenya. The uniforms are stuck in Atlanta Airport due to severe weather. The city is frozen and I hope to receive all the uniforms before I leave for Rwanda. |
Uniforms Ready |
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