Passing the halfway mark was quite a milestone and seems to have re-energised the group. Monday saw completion of the hardcore and then it was rebar tying all the way! It's amazing how one forgets and then how quickly one picks up again so it was like I never left the site in Nicaragua!!
Thursday and Friday we poured concrete both on the court and in the areas around it to provide a run-off on to level ground.
I'm just back from the site now and Mr Mbeli's (our contractor)men are putting the smooth finish on it so that we can mark it on Monday. We are planning a game some day next week to give it its official opening! Its a bit smaller than we would have liked (budget constraints - surprisingly the prices are a lot higher than Nicaragua for a similar facility) and considering that the school participates in the national schools games ( the principal is just back from Dar es Salaam where she had 120 students for the last month) it would be a good idea to extend this next year and allow them a space to practice both basketball and netball. There are several schools in the immediate neighbourhood which could benefit from this court. This school has a very active scout group also and they are currently completing a garden project in front of their school representing the rivers of Africa. I was delighted to see the White and Blue Nile featuring as they have a particular association for us from our Sudan days!
Its very difficult to describe how easy it is to settle down here - it is so different to our Irish experiences but the people here are unbelievably friendly and the welcome in the schools has been overwhelming.
I love the fact that everywhere I look there are mountains. The dirt roads although a little hazardous due to loose stones are most enjoyable to cycle on. I think the students have enjoyed the mix of teaching IT skills and construction though that does not stem the good natured moaning!
So watch out for week 4 and hopefully a little on Zanzibar next weekend.
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