Bore Holes, Oxen, and Thatched Roofs

I have been accused, in my writing, of covering topics of more interest to women than men.  I guess Zambian Kitchen parties appeal more to us ladies.  

 

But a report is due about some of the projects and activities going on in the construction of the village.  Perhaps this will be a topic of more interest to men.

 

Today we had the second bore hole (a well for irrigation) on the property dug.  They hit water at 65 meters or almost 200 feet.   It was interesting to watch the machine drilling, the men adding pipe as they went deeper and deeper.  There were about 8 or more men as part of the crew.   One of them was a cook.  As it approached lunch time he lit a fire with some wood, brought out 2 big pots and cooked the n'shema and "relish" for the men.   They gathered around, sitting on the ground and eating out of a common pot.  To be honest, after sitting and watching the loud machine digging for water for over an hour without hitting the water, I found the cooking of more interest!  

 

As I may have written earlier, we had 5 oxen appear on our land, eating the garden the workers had planted.  This happened when the team from Maryland was here at the beginning of August.  The oxen had brands and we reported it to the police.  No one knew where they had come from.   In the meantime they joined our 2 oxen and 2 from Auntie Harriet that we keep within the fenced area.  They do a good job of eating the flowers that Kimberly and Miriam plant around their houses.

 

Since having the 5 additional oxen, one gave birth to a calf that died.  And another got very sick.   We called the vet who came and gave it medicine and injections, all to no avail.  It died.  About 2 weeks ago the owners showed up.   Amazingly they lived about 20 miles away.  Somehow these oxen had traveled that far.  The owners have taken the now 4 oxen back and we presented them with a bill for the vet charges, destroyed garden, and care.   They are disagreeing with our bill so we are in negotiation with the police for an equitable solution.

 

For 2 weeks we have hired 6 women to come and "slash" or cut tall grass around the property.  This thatch will be used as roofing material on the market and the worker's house.   The process includes slashing or cutting the grass.  Then it is "cleaned" so that little pieces don't keep falling down.   Then it is tied in small bundles and finally attached to small beams on the roof. 

 

To be honest, before coming to Africa I thought that the pictures you see of villages with thatched homes must be in rural, remote parts of Africa, places that would be hard to reach.   Not so!  Many, many people live in houses made of mud and roofed with thatch.  Along the busiest roads you will see whole communities of houses with that construction.

So we will probably be covering our market with thatch before the rainy season – one of the most economical ways to do roofing!

 

There is so much building activity going on here at the Village of Hope.  Here is a list:

1. Electricity has now been run to the road frontage and the market.   This means we

have light, and we can get coolers and freezers for dairy products and frozen

foods.

2. We are almost done building a house made of block that will be a cold storage house near the market.
3. The foundation is laid for the food processing building right behind the market where we will have the Vitagoat to make soymilk, peanut butter, tomato paste, etc.    Later on we will make fried chicken, fried fish, and fried potatoes for a "Take-away."
4. We will begin building a chicken run next week to raise chickens to sell at the market.
5. We are working on a small house for the workers.  Since rental housing is in short supply around us, we anticipate having an area of the property where we build several houses for workers who can't find housing elsewhere.
6. We have started planting vegetables that we can sell at the market.   We now have irrigation that is running on that part of the field so that we can grow the vegetables in the dry season.
7. Two of our cottages at the village are being occupied, one by the Kamaus and one by Miriam, the head housemother.   The other two are almost done and just waiting on the funds to finish the interior.
8. The foundation is being dug and work begun on the Director & Volunteer House – known as the DVH.   We (the Schwartz family) anticipate moving there when it is done and also being able to house short term visitors and some longer term volunteers.  It will have a large meeting area and 4 bedrooms.

 

This list doesn't include workers making block, digging gravel, working on the road, welding security bars and house beams, land preparation for the rainy season and more.

 

It is amazing to think that in 17 months so much has happened and continues to happen.  It will be exciting to see what the next 17 months bring!